Prices for the Kia Carens are finally out and they are quite aggressive, to say the least. Priced between Rs 8.99 lakh-16.99 lakh (ex-showroom, India), the Carens promises better value than all its rivals with a wide range of powertrain options, expansive features list, generous space and attractive styling.
The Carens gets two seating configurations, five powertrain options and five variants to choose from. Kia has already garnered over 19,000 bookings and dealers tell us that the waiting period for the Carens is around 14 weeks, as of now, for most variants.
- Introductory prices for the Carens range between Rs 8.99 lakh-16.99 lakh
- Kia Carens gets 1.4-litre turbo-petrol and 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines
- 6-seater layout reserved only for top-spec Carens Luxury Plus
2022 Kia Carens: variant break-up, interior colours, engine details
The Kia Carens is available in five different variants – Premium, Prestige, Prestige Plus, Luxury and Luxury Plus. Interestingly, Kia is offering the 6-seater configuration with captain seats only on the top-spec Luxury Plus variant. All other variants get a 7-seater configuration as standard.
As for the powertrain options, only the 1.5 diesel-MT and the 1.4 turbo-petrol-MT are offered on all five variants of the Carens. The 1.4 turbo-petrol-DCT is offered on the Prestige Plus and Luxury Plus variants, while the diesel-AT has been reserved for the top-spec Luxury Plus variant only. Additionally, the 1.5 petrol-MT is offered only on the base Premium and Prestige trims.
The interior colour options on the Carens also differ as per the variants. The base Premium variant comes with a black and beige interior with indigo inserts. The mid-spec Prestige and Prestige Plus variants get the same black and beige interior without the indigo inserts. Meanwhile, the top two trims come with a dual-tone navy blue and beige interior.
Here is a break-up of what features will be available on each variant:
Kia Carens Premium (Rs 8.99 lakh-10.99 lakh)
Engines: 1.4 turbo-petrol-MT, 1.5 petrol-MT, 1.5 diesel-MT
- 16-inch steel wheels with covers
- Rear spoiler
- Semi-leatherette seats
- Second row seat one-touch electric tumble
- Roof mounted AC vents for second and third row
- Second-row folding armrest with cupholders
- 7.5-inch digital instrument cluster
- 5 USB Type-C ports
Kia Carens Prestige (Rs 9.99 lakh-11.99 lakh)
Engines: 1.4 turbo-petrol-MT, 1.5 petrol-MT, 1.5 diesel-MT
- Roof rails
- Fabric and leatherette seats
- 8-inch touchscreen infotainment
- Wireless Android Auto, Apple CarPlay
- 12.5-inch LCD instrument cluster
- 6-speaker sound system
- Driver's window one touch auto up/down
- Steering mounted audio controls
- Rear view camera
Front parking sensors
Kia Carens Prestige Plus (Rs 13.49 lakh-14.59 lakh)
Engines:1.4 turbo-petrol-DCT, 1.4 turbo-petrol-MT, 1.5 diesel-MT
- LED daytime running lamps
- LED tail-lamps
- 16-inch alloy wheels
- Automatic climate control
- Electric folding wing mirrors
- Smart key with push-button start
- Remote engine start
- Rear sunshades
- First and second row cooled cupholders
- Cruise control
- Keyless entry and go
- Multiple drive modes (DCT only)
- Rear washer, wiper and defogger
Kia Carens Luxury (Rs 14.99 lakh)
Engines:1.4 turbo-petrol-MT, 1.5 diesel-MT
- LED headlights and fog lights
- Full leatherette seats
- Leather wrapped steering wheel
- 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment
- Kia Connect UI with OTA updates
- 64-colour ambient cabin lighting
- Air purifier
- Telescopic steering wheel
- Seatback tables for the second row
- Under seat tray
Kia Carens Luxury Plus (Rs 16.19 lakh-16.99 lakh)
Engines:1.4 turbo-petrol-DCT, 1.4 turbo-petrol-MT, 1.5 diesel-MT, 1.5 diesel-AT
- Single-pane sunroof
- 8-speaker BOSE sound system
- Ventilated seats
- Rain sensing wipers
- Paddle shifters (automatic only)
- Wireless charging
2022 Kia Carens: safety features
Kia has been betting big on the safety of the Carens. While a Global NCAP rating is still awaited, all five variants of the Carens comes loaded with these safety features as standard: 6 airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), vehicle stability management (VSM), brake assist system (BAS), hill-start assist control (HAC), downhill brake control (DBC), all wheel disc brakes, highline tyre pressure monitoring system, anti-lock braking system (ABS) and rear parking sensors.
2022 Kia Carens: engine and gearbox details
Under the hood, the Carens carries forward the same engines that are offered on the Kia Seltos. There’s the 115hp, 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a 6-speed manual; a more powerful 140hp, 1.4-litre turbo-petrol paired with either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed dual-clutch auto; and a 115hp, 1.5-litre diesel available with either a 6-speed manual or torque converter automatic. Kia claims the petrol Carens returns up to 16.5kpl, while the diesel returns a claimed 21.5kpl.
2022 Kia Carens: rivals in India
The Carens fills the void in the market that exists between the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and XL6 on one end, and the Toyota Innova Crysta on the other. It also sees competition from the diesel-only Mahindra Marazzo. Kia has completely knocked the ball out of the park with the pricing of the Carens, and could even draw buyers from the 7-seater SUV segment that includes the likes of the Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar and MG Hector Plus.
If you are in the market for the Kia Carens, which variant and engine-gearbox combination would you go for? Let us know in the comments below.
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