Kia is set to commence bookings for the recently-revealed Carens , the carmaker’s fourth model for the Indian market. The Carens will be exclusively manufactured in India for both domestic and export purposes.
The car has the proportions of an MPV, but gets several SUV-like styling cues. The face is characterised by a split-LED headlamp assembly and a sealed off grille that is housed within a contrasting gloss back trim. The front bumper is sedately styled, although the gaping central air intake does add some character.
From the side, the Carens bears some resemblance to the Seltos until the front doors, but gets a larger rear door and rear quarter glass. At the rear, the Carens gets a pair of wraparound LED tail-lamps that are connected via a slim LED strip. The rear windshield is slightly raked and features an integrated spoiler.
The interior has a clean, layered effect with the infotainment system neatly integrated into the dash. There is even some fine detailing on the dashboard trim anddoor panels, adding jazz to the interior.
Below the top half, the AC vents come neatly integrated along the width of the interior. It also gets a new touch-based panel with toggle switches for the HVAC controls. The centre console is short and stubby and features additional controls for seat ventilation, drive modes and so on. The Carens will be available in both 6 and 7-seat configurations, with the former getting captains seats for the second row.
In terms of features, the Carens gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Kia’s UVO connect, a digital instrument cluster, eight-speaker Bose sound system, 64-colour ambient lighting, ventilated front seats, seat-back tables, electrically powered one-touch tumble down feature for the second row, single-pane sunroof and more. Safety tech includes six airbags as standard, with features such as ABS, ESC, hill-start assist, tyre pressure monitor and rear parking sensors.
Under the hood, the Kia Carens will get the option of two petrol and a diesel unit. The first is a 115hp, 144Nm, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that will solely be offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Then there is the 140hp, 242Nm, 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine that will come with either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed DCT gearbox. Lastly, the diesel unit is a 115hp, 250Nm, 1.5-litre mill and will be offered with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.
