Kia’s fourth model in India, the Carens, will be launched in the market around February-March. Bookings for the Kia Carens are slated to commence from January 14. Bucking the SUV trend, Kia has adopted a very unique approach for the Carens. The carmaker is calling it neither an SUV nor an MPV, but a ‘recreational vehicle’ and has generously kitted it out in terms of features. So here are some of the key features on the Carens that makes it stand out over its rivals.
Single-pane sunroof and roof-mounted AC vents
While most three-row vehicles come equipped with a panoramic sunroof, Kia has provided the Carens only with a single-pane sunroof. That’s because the Carens comes with dedicated roof-mounted AC vents for both the second and third rows of seats. While roof-mounted AC vents aren’t particularly unique, Kia believes it will enhance rear passenger cooling and has prioritised it over the feel-good factor of panoramic sunroofs.
Turbo-petrol engine, paddle shifters with DCT gearbox
Among the three engines on offer, the highlight would be the potent 140hp, 1.4-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that comes with either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed DCT gearbox. The DCT-equipped version will also come with paddle shifters and drive modes, making it the enthusiast’s choice. For reference, potential rivals like the Mahindra Marazzo is only offered with a diesel engine, while the Ertiga and XL6 are offered with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine.
Longest wheelbase in class
The Carens is based on a stretched version of the Seltos platform and has a wheelbase of 2,780mm. This gives the Carens the longest wheelbase in its class which is 20mm longer than the Hyundai Alcazar and Mahindra Marazzo. Compared to the XL6 and Ertiga, the Carens’ wheelbase is 40mm longer. In fact, the Carens’ wheelbase is even 30mm longer than the Toyota Innova Crysta. The Carens should thus be quite reasonable in terms of leg room on both the second and third rows.
6 airbags, hill descent control, 4-disc brakes as standard
Kia has prioritised safety with the Carens, and even the base versions of the car come generously equipped with features such as six airbags, hill-start assist, hill-hold assist, a tyre pressure monitoring system and even disc brakes at all four corners. No other vehicle in this class gets six airbags as standard on all the trims.
Electric tumble-down second row
To access the third row of seats, the second row can be folded down. However, unlike most three-row vehicles that get a manual tumble-down feature, the Carens gets an electric function. Tapping on a button on the back of a seat neatly folds it away and flips it upside down to make for easy access to the third row.
Dual digital displays
The Carens comes equipped with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, complete with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and Kia’s suite of UVO connected car features. It also gets a 12.5-inch LCD digital cluster for the instrument panel with a 4.2-inch colour TFT MID screen. Notably, the Carens’ digital instrument cluster is larger than the Alcazar’s 10.25-inch unit.
64-colour ambient lighting
One of the biggest highlights of the Carens’ interior is its 64-colour ambient lighting package. While ambient lighting itself is not a unique feature in this class or price point, no other car offers as wide a range of colour options as the Carens. The ambient lighting can even be linked to the multi drive modes to suits specific moods. This was a true luxury car feature until even a few years ago.
Ventilated front seats
Something that's greatly appreciated in Indian weather conditions are ventilated seats. The Carens gets this feature in the driver’s and passenger seats with three levels of cooling. Other MPVs around this price range such as Marazzo and XL6 miss out on this.
Cabin air purifier
Like other Kia models, the Carens also gets an in-cabin air purifier for virus and bacteria protection. The purifier is installed at the back of the driver’s seat and also displays live information about the status of the air quality inside the car’s cabin. This feature's also not offered on the Marazzo and XL6.
Practical interior touches
The Carens also gets few nifty, practical touches on the interior. This includes pop-out seat back tray tables with cupholders and dedicated slots to mount your gadgets, a smart under seat storage tray, cupholders with cooling function, and a wireless charging pad, also with cooling function.
Are you looking forward to the launch of the Kia Carens? Let us know in the comments below.
Also See:
Kia Carens vs Alcazar vs XL6 vs Innova Crysta vs Marazzo: Specifications comparison
India to be mother plant for Kia Carens