Kia is one of the few automakers in India that has multiple MPVs in its line-up, with the most popular being the Carens Clavis. This segment has witnessed growth in the past couple of years, supporting the Korean brand’s focus on offering three MPVs. Built on the same K2 platform as the Carens, the Clavis is aimed at buyers who want more premium styling and a richer feature set spread across more variants and trim levels. Here are some facts to keep in mind if you are considering a Carens Clavis.
Reasons to buy the Kia Carens Clavis
Spacious and well-equipped cabin
One of the strongest suits of the Carens Clavis is its tech-rich and practical interior
Whether you get the 6-seat or 7-seat version of the Kia Carens Clavis, space isn’t an issue. A one-touch tumble-and-fold feature means getting into the third row is pretty straightforward. This last row also has enough room to accommodate two adults without fuss, and it also provides dedicated AC vents, USB ports, headrests and three-point seatbelts. With 216 litres of boot space, you can easily store several soft bags.
The 6-seater’s second row gets captain seats that not only look premium but also have individual armrests for extra comfort. There’s no dearth of headroom and kneeroom for the middle-row occupants. Depending on the trim level, this row also gets a two-pane panoramic sunroof, blower control, sunblinds, a tray table and an air purifier. A manually operated ‘boss’ mode liberates even more room for the occupant seated behind the co-driver’s seat. Passengers will have no trouble with ingress or egress as second-row accessibility is good.
Practicality up front comes from ventilated seats, cooled cup holders and a wireless charger. The dual 12.3-inch screens are high-resolution units that enable a clean and smooth user experience. Some of the other feature highlights here include an 8-speaker Bose audio system, a 64-colour ambient lighting system, leatherette upholstery, a dashcam and Level 2 ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems). The last one is well-calibrated for our erratic road conditions, particularly functions such as blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist and rear cross-traffic alert.
Powertrain options galore
The Carens Clavis is offered with three engine options and four transmission choices
Under the bonnet of the Kia Carens Clavis is one of three engines: a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol, a 1.5-litre direct-injected turbo-petrol or a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel. A 6-speed manual gearbox is offered with all of them. The turbo-petrol mill is also available with a 6-speed iMT (intelligent manual transmission) and a 7-speed DCT (dual-clutch automatic transmission). Meanwhile, the oil burner can be mated to a 6-speed AT (automatic transmission). The only diesel option in the segment, this Kia MPV’s 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engine can return 15-16kpl on highway runs.
Good ride and high-speed stability
This MPV rewards drivers with relaxed driving manners
The 17-inch wheels on the top-spec turbo-petrol variants allow for a pliant enough ride, with the diesel variants featuring 16-inch rims actually feeling supple. Regardless of the wheel size, the Carens Clavis feels surefooted on the road, staying planted even as speeds rise. Variants with bigger wheels tackle corners better than those with smaller wheels, but this is only true if the car is driven sedately.
Reasons not to buy the Kia Carens Clavis
Not for enthusiastic drivers
Lacklustre powertrains and noticeable body roll relegate this Kia to sedate driving roles
While the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine produces 160hp and 253Nm, it lacks excitement. Pushing it past 4,200rpm does not result in quicker gains in pace, but it instead leads to the engine’s coarse note nearing redline to enter the cabin. The 7-speed DCT, meanwhile, isn’t smooth in the city, where it hesitates to shift between lower cogs – this is a gearbox that doesn’t like being rushed.
The Carens Clavis with the diesel engine and 6-speed AT is also good at cruising long distances at highway speeds. However, this oil burner could’ve done with more punch – the issue becomes really noticeable when driving uphill with a full house. With most of the weight being transferred to the rear, and this being a front-wheel drive (FWD) car, there isn’t enough oomph to pull the Carens Clavis up inclines with ease. This lack of power, combined with the slow downshifts of the automatic gearbox, means that quick overtakes will require some planning.
If you enjoy taking corners with enthusiasm, then the Carens Clavis isn’t for you. The body roll is especially noticeable in the variants with 16-inch wheels due to their smaller-section tyres. While variants with 17-inch wheels contain it better, taking a corner with any hint of aggression will still bring it out.
Unintuitive touch-enabled buttons
This issue plagues the top trims of the Carens Clavis
Top trims of the Kia Carens Clavis get a switchable, touch-sensitive panel to operate the car’s HVAC and infotainment systems. Not only can reflections catch you off guard while trying to use this panel, but you could accidentally press the wrong button or control. This can be distracting while driving as you’ll have to look away from the road to use most of the controls on this panel. Meanwhile, lower trims get easy-to-use physical switchgear for these functions.
Gets pricey quickly
Top variants cost far more than the rival offerings
The range-topping variants of the Kia Carens Clavis cost well over Rs 20 lakh, and even the mid-spec variants are priced north of Rs 15 lakh. When compared to rivals such as the Maruti Suzuki XL6, this makes the Carens Clavis up to Rs 7.14 lakh pricier.
Prices are ex-showroom, India.
Uday Singh
Glenn Noronha
Dipan Sur
Dhruv Dhaka
Aditya Panicker
