Kia’s New 7-Seater MPV Launched At Rs 8.99 Lakh! Can Kia Carens Beat Ertiga, Seltos?

Kia has launched the Carens in India at a starting and introductory price of Rs 8.99 lakh.

The top-of-the-line variant has been priced at Rs 16.99 lakh.

India-Specific Product

It is the fourth product from Kia India after the Seltos, Carnival and Sonet since its debut here in 2019.

The Carens has been developed specifically for India at the company’s facility in Anantpur.

It will be exported to foreign markets from India at a later stage.

Configuration And Dimensions

Kia refers to the three-row cross between an MPV and SUV as a recreational vehicle and will be offered in six as well as seven-seat layout.

It measures 4,540 mm in length, has a width of 1,800 mm, is 1,708 mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,780 mm.

It is targeting consumers seeking a people mover that is also loaded with features.

Interior

Convenience and connectivity features inside include:

• 10.25-inch HD touchscreen display
• Digital driver display 
• 64-colour ambient lighting
• Bose sound system
• Air purification system
• Ventilated front seats 
• Sunroof

There is also ample space for passengers in the second and the final row.

The second-row seats can be tumbled down for easy access to the final row space.

Safety

A strong point of the car is that it comes with six airbags as standard across all variants.

Other safety features include: 

• Vehicle Stability Management
• Rear Parking Sensors
• Downhill Braking Control
• All-Wheel Disc Brakes
• Brake Assist

Competition

It has a long list of competitors in the market. 

It will directly face off against Hyundai Alcazar and Tata Safari.

At the same time it will also compete against the Maruti Suzuki XL6 on one end of the price spectrum and the Innova Crysta on the other.

Also giving it a tough fight will be other three-row SUVs like MG Hector Plus and Mahindra XUV700.

Engine, Transmission, Mileage

The Carens comes with three engine options:

• 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol motor with 115 ps power and 144 Nm torque
• 1.4-litre turbo petrol unit with 140 ps power and 242 Nm torque
• 1.5-litre diesel engine with 115 ps power output and 250 Nm torque

There are multiple transmission choices as well:

• 1.5-litre petrol unit with a six-speed manual unit
• 1.4-turbocharged petrol comes with either a seven-speed DCT or a six-speed manual
• Diesel unit with either a six-speed AT or a six-speed MT.

Coming to the mileage, the company says that the petrol engine helps it deliver up to 16.5 kmpl while the diesel motor returns around 21.3 kmpl per litre of fuel.