Kia Carens (diesel automatic) review: Should you buy it?
What's the story
With aggressive pricing, the Kia Carens has stormed into the fiercely contested 3-row vehicle category and aims to give its rivals tough competition.
Based on the Seltos platform, the Carens comes with three powertrain options and in this review, we will focus on the diesel automatic variant.
The diesel powertrain in question is shared with the Seltos SUV also.
Here's our review.
Context
Why does this story matter?
While diesel powertrains are slowly losing their popularity, they are still very much in demand with buyers of large 3-row vehicles.
A modern diesel engine is also much more refined while providing superior efficiency over a petrol engine along with emitting lesser emissions.
Hence, the Kia Carens with its diesel variant has been getting a sizeable amount of bookings since its launch
Exteriors
The car has a futuristic looking front-end
The Kia Carens diesel is similar to the petrol version with no styling changes. In terms of design, the Carens is quite attractive with a futuristic looking front-end.
We like the gloss black grille with its unique pattern design along with the split-LED headlamps and stylish DRLs.
Elsewhere, 16-inch alloy wheels and large taillamps complete the look of the car.
Interiors
The interiors have impressive quality levels
The interiors are another highlight of the Carens with the top half of the dashboard and steering wrapped in blue upholstery while the rest of the cabin is finished in beige.
Quality of materials is quite impressive while brushed silver highlights and gloss black trim further increase its premium quotient.
We also like the sporty 3-spoke steering wheel and the knurled switchgear.
Space
A long wheelbase provides great legroom and comfort
With a longer wheelbase than many of its rivals, the Carens offers huge space inside. We tested the 7-seater version which comes with a bench seat in the second row.
While the front seats are large and accommodating, the second row scores the most with its fantastic legroom and flat floor.
An electric one-touch folding mechanism provides easy access to the last row.
Features
From a rear-view camera to ventilated seats
In terms of features, the Kia Carens offers a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, a rear-view camera with parking sensors, automatic climate control, ventilated front seats, cooled cup holders, wireless charging, an 8-speaker Bose audio system, and connected car technology.
The second row passenger behind the front passenger seat gets a retractable table along with USB Type-C ports.
Performance
The car has a linear power delivery
The diesel powertrain in question is a 1.5-liter unit with 115hp/250Nm. Standard is a 6-speed manual gearbox while we have tested the variant equipped with a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
Power delivery is linear while refinement levels are decent. Even with multiple passengers on board, acceleration is not labored.
The steering-mounted paddle shifters also provide for an engaging driving experience.
Ride quality
It is an easy car to drive despite its size
The Carens has a pliant ride quality helped by its smaller sized wheels which do a decent job at cushioning the road surfaces.
Despite the size, it is an easy car to drive with a light steering and excellent visibility. However, it has considerable body roll.
In terms of fuel efficiency, expect a figure of 13km/l and 15km/l in city and highway conditions, respectively.
Our verdict
Is it worth your money?
The top-end diesel automatic variant as tested here is priced at Rs. 16.99 lakh (ex-showroom) and that is Rs. 80,000 more expensive over the equivalent manual version.
We feel the pricing is justified due to the sheer convenience of the automatic gearbox along with the fact that its fuel efficiency is also quite good.
Overall, the Kia Carens diesel automatic is an excellent buy.
What works and what doesn't