Buying a used Kia Carens: what to look out for

GOOD FOR: Space and comfort, Smooth engines

LOOK OUT FOR: Condensation, Touchscreen

If you’re looking for a used car that’ll comfortably haul up to seven people and is feature-rich, the Kia Carens might just be the one for you. Launched in 2022, the Carens is a well-rounded MPV that nicely bridges the gap between the Ertiga and the Innova. However, there are some things to consider before purchasing a used example.

Kia Carens powertrain options

At launch, there were three engine options to choose from – a 115hp, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, a 140hp, 1.4-litre turbo-petrol and a 115hp, 1.5-litre diesel engine. A 6-speed manual gearbox was standard fit on all three engines, with the turbo-petrol getting a 7-speed dual-clutch auto ‘box option and the diesel getting a 6-speed torque converter automatic. Kia also introduced the iMT gearbox (clutchless manual) on the diesel and turbo-petrol versions later on. Finally, a larger and more powerful 160hp, 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine was added to the line-up as a replacement to the 1.4 unit.

If your running is limited and mostly in the city, it’s worth going for one of the petrols. The 1.5 NA engine will have lower running costs, while the turbo-petrols will give you more performance. There’s also a wide range of gearboxes on offer, so pick the one that’ll suit your usage. However, our pick of the bunch would be the diesel auto. It’s the one to go for if you take frequent road trips thanks to its efficiency. Further, the torque converter auto is smooth and convenient as well.

Kia Carens trims and features

Moving to the cabin, the Carens gets a seven-seat layout as standard, while only the top versions get a six-seat configuration with captain seats in the second row. The Carens is available in five trim levels – Premium, Prestige, Prestige Plus, Luxury and Luxury Plus.

All variants come equipped with basics such as air-con vents for all three rows and a one-touch electric-assisted tumble function for the second row seat for easier access to the third row. Higher variants add in more kit such as auto climate control, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with connected car tech, keyless go, cruise control, ventilated front seats, wireless phone charging, rear view camera, Bose audio system, 16-inch alloys and much more. All variants also get six airbags, ABS, ESC, hill start and descent control and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Kia also introduced a range-topping X-Line trim in 2023 and it brought in a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen that is placed behind the front passenger seat, Matte Graphite paint and a sage green and black colour theme inside. It’s worth going for either the mid-spec or top-spec variants as they get all the niceties. A base model is also worth considering if you want a no frills people mover, but there aren’t many out there in the used market.

Kia Carens maintainence

The Kia Carens has proven to be a largely reliable model with reports about faults and issues being few. Spare parts will be available easily and Kia’s service network is also quite widespread throughout the country. What’s also nice is that the Carens comes with Kia’s 3 year/unlimited km standard warranty, which means that you’ll be getting a car still covered under warranty for that extra peace of mind.

What to look out for in a used Kia Carens?

AC condensation

Owners have complained about condensation forming around the car’s AC vents. Reports suggest that shortly after turning on the AC, water would form around the dashboard AC vents and on the roof above the third row vents of the Carens, so this is definitely worth checking out as it may have caused some damage or stains.

Touchscreen

Although not a common issue, some owners have faced problems with the Carens’ touchscreen. This includes the screen freezing and refusing to pair with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay. Before purchasing, make sure the system works smoothly and that it is up to date with the latest software.

Also worth knowing

Kia issued a recall for the Carens to fix a potential issue with its digital instrument cluster via a software update on affected units. 30,297 units of the Carens MPV produced between September 2022 and March 2023 are likely to be affected. There was also another recall in October 2022 for an airbag control unit, which was also fixed with a software update. So if you are looking at an example from this timeframe, ensure these updates have been taken care of.

Second hand Kia Carens price and resale value

Look to spend anywhere between Rs 10 lakh-17 lakh, depending on the version. The 1.5 petrol will be available at the lower end, with the diesel-AT and turbo-petrol DCT at the higher end. You can negotiate the price too, with demand for used Carens’ not being high.

Also see:

Buying a used BMW 5 Series: what to look out for

Buying a used Maruti XL6: what to look out for