Kia Carens Review — Lots Of Space, Lots Of Features & Best-In-Class Comfort

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It is no secret that the Indians love utility vehicles. The more seats and storage space a vehicle has, the more attention it receives, and as a result, it sells well too. As it turns out, Kia India knows this well enough.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Kia marked its debut in the Indian market back in 2018. The Kia Seltos was introduced in 2019, the Kia Carnival and Sonet were then introduced in 2020. All three of the South Korean manufacturers' products have been a grand success in India. Safe to say then, that a lot is riding on Kia India's fourth product - the Kia Carens.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Pronounced as 'Caarens,' it is a MUV/MPV with SUV-like proportions. Kia however, likes to call it an RV (Recreational Vehicle). Rather than getting bogged down with trying to find out what it really is, we put it to the test and it turned out to be super impressive indeed. What is it like to live with the Kia Carens? How does it drive? Is it really practical enough? What about the third-row seating? Read on to find out.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Design & Style

The Kia Carens has an imposing stance no matter what angle one views it from. It features lots of unique design traits and characteristics and is, therefore, a car that would take a while for one to figure out the design details. However, stare at it for long enough and the effort that has gone into styling it becomes quite obvious.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Taking prominence up front is the super stylish new Kia logo finished in brushed aluminium. Then your attention is drawn to the LED DRLs and headlamp setup. The inspiration for the LED DRLs is said to be taken from a constellation of stars. As a result, you get a unique shape and the DRLs also double up as the turn signal indicators.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Right beneath the DRLs are the three-matrix LED headlamp units. This entire setup is a part of the blacked-out X-shaped element that also includes the faux grille. This grille features a knurled pattern and occupies the width of the car. Underneath this is Kia's singature tiger-nose grille with a honeycomb pattern that allows airflow to the radiator that is placed behind it.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

The tiger-nose grille is flanked by Kia's signature Ice Cube fog lamp setup. The bonnet is slightly raised and the headlamp unit is sweptback, being clearly visible even on the side profile. There is a clear shoulder line that stars from the front and goes all the way to the rear of the Carens.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

The large proportions of the Kia Carens is made clear when one looks at it from the side profile. The A, B, and C pillars are blacked out, with the D-pillar being finished in the body colour. There is a brushed aluminium strip that starts off at the D-pillar and goes on to form the window sills. The door handles are nice and thick and finished in Chrome.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

The Kia Carens rides on 16-inch alloy wheels and these wheels look great on the MUV. They feature an almost turbine-like design and gets a dual-tone finish. You get flared wheel arches with a matte-black cladding that runs all around the vehicle. It also comes with a silver strip on the side cladding.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

It is at the rear-end that the Kia Carens looks the most like an SUV. The biggest element that will grab your attention is the tail lamp. It is split LED tail lamp that takes design inspiration from the constellation. The tail lamps at both ends of the MUV are connected by a faux tail lamp at the centre. The tailgate is large in size and the stylish Kia logo takes prominence once again.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

At the bottom is a chunky bumper with a chrome strip that features a knurled pattern. This chrome strip does look a little out of place and the Carens could have done without it. On top is a spoiler with a stop lamp integrated into it.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

As aforementioned, there are many design elements at play on the Kia Carens and while it does look good in some angles, it looks confused in some others. The side profile is where it looks the most confusing as there are too many design elements that don't really blend in well. However, it does score very high on the scale of being imposing. It does look bigger than it really is.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Cockpit & Interior

Tug on the thick chrome door handles and you are greeted by a spacious and airy cabin and at first sight, it is obvious that there is a lot of technology stuffed into the Kia Carens. We drove the top-spec model and this one came with a unique dual-tone interior. It combines Navy Blue and Beige, and it turned out to be classier than we thought it would.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

There are several elements, textures, and a few colours at play inside the Kia Carens. The top of the dashboard is decked in Navy and the bottom is finished in Beige. However, it is the centre bit that makes things quite interesting. You get a piano black finish with a unique underlying pattern on it, once again inspired by the stars in the constellation.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Placed in the middle of the dashboard is a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system that tends to make each drive quite interesting. It comes loaded with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, however, it lacks wireless connectivity for these two features. That being said, it does feature Bluetooth connectivity.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Pairing your phone with the system is an easy and straightforward process and this is where we get to the audio system. It is an 8-speaker system from Bose and the sound stage is quite brilliant. The Kia Seltos too comes with a Bose audio system, however, it still left us wanting when it comes to sound quality.

The Bose audio in the Carens though didn't leave us wanting. The bass might not be powerful but is crisp and clear. The mids and highs are even clearer. Kia has loaded the infotainment system with features and one of them is 'Sounds of Nature'. These are theatric sounds of various natural occurrences like rainfall, fire, snowstorm, etc. Perfect to demo the Bose audio.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

The infotainment system can also be used to make phone calls, read out text messages, control the 64-colour ambient lighting, and various other vehicular functions, You also get the Kia connect feature through which, the vehicle can be monitored via a smartphone app. Finally, you also get a quiet mode in which the rear speakers are disconnected to give passengers a quieter ride.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Beneath the infotainment system is a unique line that runs across the width of the dashboard, finished in brushed aluminium. It also conceals AC vents and what makes this unique is that, this metal strip also forms the pivot point for the AC flaps. When you adjust the vents vertically, the front stays in position, and only the rear bit moves. Pretty neat!

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Beneath this are the controls for the air conditioning with a small screen to display the temperature, fan speed and blower direction. There is a strip that runs from the angular trim around the door handle on one door, across the dashboard, and onto the angular bit on the other door.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

On the whole, you get a sense of satisfaction with how neatly and effortlessly all the elements on the dashboard and centre console merge to give you a brilliant interior design. The centre console is super practical and very useful. Up front are a few buttons to change the drive modes, turn on/off the hill descent control and ventilation/cooling for the front seats.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

In between these buttons and ahead of the gear lever is a recess where the wireless smartphone charging pad is placed. On top of the recess is the USB port for the infotainment, a 12V socket, and a USB Type-C charging port. The gear lever is nice and chunky with brushed aluminium finishing in the right places to give it that oh so premium touch and feel.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Aft of the gear lever is the cupholder that features the cooling function. Yes, your canned drink/water bottle can be kept cool while it is still in the cupholder. Behind the cupholder is the armrest for the driver and co-driver. Lift the armrest and you find a removable tray that perfectly fits your wallet. Underneath that is a storage area for some goodies.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Moving over to the cockpit, the driver of the Kia Carens will find that the steering wheel is one of the most premium units even in a couple of segments above. The leather wrapping is held in place with a unique stitching pattern and the flat-bottom steering wheel even features integrated controls for infotainment, cruise control, voice commands, etc.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

What you will find behind the steering wheel is one of the most elaborate instrumentation displays in this segment. It is a large, full-colour LCD screen with a small 4.2-inch MID in the middle. This MID displays a lot of information including range, average fuel efficiency, driving modes, and even navigation.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Completing the cockpit experience are the premium-feeling door panels. The armrest is finished in leather and it features a recess underneath it in case you need to store anything. Then there's the Bose speaker, and the large storage space that is big enough for two 1-litre bottles and there's even an umbrella holder with a drain hole at the bottom for water to drain out.

On the whole, the front end of the Kia Carens offers a premium experience that is akin to cars that slot in even two segments above it.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Comfort, Practicality & Boot Space

Now this is the segment where the Kia Carens scores the highest. MUVs are all about the comfort, practicality, and boot space, and it turns out that Kia India has absolutely nailed it in this regard.

The seats in the Kia Carens deserve special mention here. We drove the top-spec Luxury Plus variant and this trim brings with it ventilated/cooled front seats. This makes things super comfortable and cosy up front. This feature only adds more value to the large seats that have got almost perfect cushioning.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

The second row in the Luxury Plus trim features two captain seats and these are just like the front-two seats in terms of size and shape. Thigh support, back support, bolstering and the texturing is spot on. Both captain seats even feature armrests. These seats can be adjusted to move forwards and backwards, recline and also comes with the tumble feature.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

This tumble feature is extremely useful and practical and makes life so much easier for third-row passengers. The Kia Carens is sold as a 6/7-seater with third-row seating as well. We expected the third row to be just as cramped as other familiar MUVs. However, the Kia Carens proved us wrong right away.

Let's start with getting into the third row. The right-hand side captain seat has a manually-operated lever for the tumble-down function. The left-hand-side seat though has a one-touch electric tumble-down feature and this comes in handy especially when passengers in the third-row desire for the seat to fold down. When tumbled down, there is a lot of room for adults to get to the rear.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Once in the rear, the space is surprising. Even fully grown adults can fit in the third row comfortably, even with the second-row seats pushed all the way back. The space in the third row is not just the best in class, but is the best in a couple of segments above too. It can put some large SUVs to shame as well. Super impressive indeed.

Well, it gets better. The third row of seats has the recline function and even gets adjustable headrests. There is the added convenience of having overhead AC vents for both passengers in the third row. They also get a Type-C smartphone charging slot and a phone/tablet holder along with a cupholder. Safe to say, it is nearly as comfortable as the second-row captain seats. Some of our team members didn't want to leave the third row.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

With all three rows of seating up, the Kia Carens boasts a boot space big enough to fit 3 cabin bags. Then comes the party trick. The third row of seats can be folded down and this reveals a flatbed that is a whole lot bigger. Official cargo space numbers are yet to be revealed, but it is sizeable.

If you then tumble down the second row as well, this MUV as it appears, can swallow a whole load of cargo. The seats can be folded/erected in various configurations as well, making the Carens one of the most practical vehicles we've come across in recent times.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

There are however, a few omissions. The front seats get ventilation/cooling but the driver's seat does not come with the electric adjustment feature. Then there's the fact that the Carens does feature an electric tailgate. Finally, thanks to the overhead AC vents for each passenger, Kia has not given us a panoramic sunroof, but we have to make do with a single-pane sunroof.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

That being said, however, we must also mention that the Kia Carens does come with a few unique options that will definitely make life on the road so much more convenient. The left-hand-side passenger in the second row gets a fold-up dining tray/mini work desk. The Carens also features one of the largest smart air purifiers we have seen in a car.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Engine Performance & Driving Impressions

The Kia Carens is powered by some engine and gearbox options that we are now familiar with. These powertrain options first debuted in the Kia Seltos and then were made available in the Hyundai Creta and Hyundai Alcazar. It includes two petrol and one diesel engine.

The most powerful engine in the Carens lineup is the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol unit. It pushes out 138bhp and 242Nm. This motor can be paired with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed DSG. The other petrol engine on offer is a naturally aspirated unit that produces 113.4bhp and 144Nm and this engine is paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox only and there is no option to have an automatic.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

We drove the Luxury Plus variant powered by the CRDi diesel engine. It has a maximum power output of 113.4bhp at 4,000rpm and a peak torque output of 250Nm between 1,500 and 2,750rpm. This engine can be paired either with a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. The Kia Carens we drove was driven by the automatic gearbox and this simply meant we had more to explore while driving.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Upon pushing the start/stop button, you are greeted by the familiar diesel engine clatter. However, it is subdued, subtle, and not at all bothersome. Slot the gearbox into 'D' and it gets moving without any effort whatsoever. This is something that comes in handy while driving through stop-and-go traffic.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

In urban areas too, the Kia Carens is very relaxed and the 250Nm of torque is very useful. You also get three drive modes - Eco, Normal, and Sport. These drive modes are only available with the automatic variants of the Carens.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

The driver can use the button on the centre console to switch between the drive modes and each drive mode has a distinct character. In Eco mode, the aim is to extract the most out of every drop of fuel and therefore, gearshifts happen early and the throttle response is slightly delayed. The steering wheel is nice and light, making this mode perfect for the urban jungle.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Switch to Normal mode, and things change almost immediately. The steering wheel weighs up a little and the engine response is better. Things change even more in the Sport mode. The engine is at its peppy best and the gearbox holds on to gears for a longer period. The gear lever can be slotted into the sport/manual mode and the paddle shifters can be used to shift gears. In this mode, gear shifts happen pretty quickly.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

This being said, we did find that the power produced by this engine is still a little on the lower side for a vehicle as big as the Carens. A more powerful engine like the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol should make things more lively. However, we cannot confirm the same as we haven't driven it yet.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

In terms of handling, the feel on the steering wheel changes according to the drive mode chosen. However, the body roll remains the same across all drive modes. Kia has found the perfect balance for the suspension and has been tuned to give a comfortable ride and good handling. Given the height of the MUV though, body roll is something that is expected.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Braking is more than adequate on the Kia Carens. More initial bite would have been appreciated. However, the powerful brake progression more than makes up for the lack in initial bite.

On the whole, the Kia Carens offers a great driving experience, with it edging more towards comfort than outright handling. The Carens might not please the driving enthusiast in you, but will surely please all six or seven occupants in the vehicle.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Safety & Key Features

The safety of the occupants in the Carens seems to have been on top of the list of priorities for Kia India. It comes with several active and passive safety features, which are offered as standard equipment across all variants.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Kia Carens Safety Features:

- Six Airbags
- Electronic Stability Control
- Vehicle Stability Management
- All-Wheel Disc Brakes
- Brake Assist System
- Downhill Brake Control
- Hill Ascent Control
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
- Anti-Lock Brakes
- Rear Parking Sensors
- ISOFIX Child Seat Anchors
- Speed Sensing Door Lock

With all these features being offered as standard across all variants, the Kia Carens is the safest vehicle in the segment.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Kia Carens Key Features:

- Flexible seating and cargo space
- 64 Colour ambient lighting
- Wireless Smartphone Charger
- Ventilated Front Seats
- Digital Instrument Cluster
- One-touch Tumble for Second Row
- Kia Connect Technology
- 10.25-inch Touchscreen Infotainment
- 8-Speaker Bose Audio System
- Smart Air Purifier

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Verdict

As mentioned at the start of the review, most Indians love their big MUVs with lots of seats. However, not many MUVs have got the seven-seater game right. Most of them just don't seat seven people in comfort and sometimes even children feel cramped in the third row. With the Kia Carens though, things have changed.

Kia Carens Review: Design, Specs, Performance, Interiors, Features, Variants, Third Row Space & Other Details

Kia has now set the gold standard for third-row space and comfort with the Carens and other MUV manufacturers have a long way to go before they can get here. The Kia Carens also gets a long list of features, lots of safety systems and imposing looks. With all this put together, we do feel the Kia Carens is one of the best MUVs out there.

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Article Published On: Saturday, January 29, 2022, 18:00 [IST]
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