Kia has launched the updated Carens with new Real Driving Emissions (RDE) and E20 (20 percent ethanol mixed in petrol) compliant engines, with prices now ranging between Rs 10.45 lakh-18.95 lakh (ex-showroom, India). The updated Carens now gets a new 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine in place of the older 1.4-litre unit, and Kia has also replaced the 6-speed manual gearbox with a 6-speed iMT on the turbo-petrol and diesel variants. Additionally, there are minor updates to the equipment list as well.
- All engines on Carens are now RDE compliant
- 6-speed iMT gearbox replaces the 6-speed manual
- Digital instrument cluster now standard across the range
| 2023 Kia Carens price (ex-showroom) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | 1.5 Petrol MT | 1.5 Turbo iMT | 1.5 Turbo DCT | 1.5 Diesel iMT | 1.5 Diesel AT |
| Premium | Rs 10.45 lakh | Rs 12 lakh | - | Rs 12.65 lakh | - |
| Prestige | Rs 11.65 lakh | Rs 13.25 lakh | - | Rs 13.85 lakh | - |
| Prestige Plus | - | Rs 14.75 lakh | Rs 15.75 lakh | Rs 15.35 lakh | - |
| Luxury | - | Rs 16.20 lakh | - | Rs 16.80 lakh | - |
| Luxury Plus 6-seater | - | Rs 17.50 lakh | Rs 18.40 lakh | Rs 18.00 lakh | Rs 18.90 lakh |
| Luxury Plus 7-seater | - | Rs 17.55 lakh | Rs 18.45 lakh | Rs 18.00 lakh | Rs 18.95 lakh |
Prices for the new turbo-petrol and diesel variants have gone up by up to Rs 50,000, while the naturally aspirated petrol variants see a Rs 25,000 bump in price.
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2023 Kia Carens: updated powertrain options
The most significant update to the Carens line-up is a new 160hp, 253Nm, 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine that replaces the older 140hp, 1.4-litre turbo-petrol unit. This new engine marks a 20hp, 11Nm bump in output, and while the 7-speed DCT has been retained, the 6-speed manual has been replaced by a new 6-speed iMT unit. With this, the Carens is now also the most powerful MPV in its class by a fair margin.
We had reported in December 2022 that Kia and Hyundai models would receive this new 1.5-litre engine. Now, this new engine has already made its way to the Alcazar, and will soon also be offered on the Seltos and Creta, replacing their respective 1.4-litre turbo-petrol units.
The other two engine options on the Carens – 115hp, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol and 116hp, diesel engines (1hp more than before) – have also been updated to meet RDE norms and E20 fuel compliance. However, the diesel engine also loses its 6-speed manual gearbox in favour of the new 6-speed iMT unit. The diesel engine is also available with a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, while the naturally aspirated petrol engine is solely available with a 6-speed manual gearbox.
2023 Kia Carens: digital instrument cluster now standard
Kia has also made a minor change to the equipment list on the Carens – the 12.5-inch digital instrument cluster with the 4.2-inch colour MID has been made standard across the range – it was previously offered from the Prestige trim onwards.
As before, the Carens continues to be offered in five trims – Premium, Prestige, Prestige Plus, Luxury and Luxury Plus. The top-spec Luxury Plus is the only trim to be offered in both 6- and 7-seater guise, while all other trims are 7-seaters only.
Other feature highlights on the Carens include auto climate control, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with connected car tech, keyless go, cruise control, ventilated front seats, wireless phone charging and rear-view camera. As for safety features, the Carens gets six airbags, ABS, ESC, hill start and descent control, and a tyre pressure monitoring system as standard.
2023 Kia Carens: rivals
The Carens rivals the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the XL6 in our market. For reference, the Ertiga is priced between Rs 8.35 lakh-12.79 lakh, while the XL6 is priced between Rs 11.41 lakh-14.67 lakh, both prices ex-showroom, Delhi. The Carens is a fair bit more expensive than both its rivals, but it's also more premium with more powerful engines and an expansive features list.
Do you think the new 160hp, turbo-petrol engine makes the Carens a more exciting MPV than its rivals? Let us know in the comments below.
Also See:
2022 Kia Carens review, test drive
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Maruti Suzuki XL6 vs Kia Carens comparison: six-seat showdown