Kia Resurrects the Carens Nameplate
Three-row recreational vehicle debuts in India
Published on 31 Dec 2021
Do you remember the Kia Carens? A few of these compact MPVs did indeed grace our shores in the early 2000s, sadly they seem to have all died along the way. In fact, the Carens nameplate (or Rondo in some markets) continued, and this latest fourth-generation Carens sees an Indian market debut as a recreational vehicle based on a stretched Kia Seltos / Hyundai Creta platform.
Kia proudly touts the Carens as a made-in-India global vehicle, a three-row six seater designed for Indian families with the longest in-class wheelbase. Aimed at millenials, it features Kia’s latest styling direction to complement its updated logo. The design also somewhat disguises the fact that the Carens is a tall vehicle at 1,700mm in height.
The interior of the Carens is significantly grown-up and features contoured surfaces, 64-colour ambient lighting, KIA Connect, AC vents for the second and third rows, a smart air purifier with claimed bacteria and virus protection, no less than five USB-C charging ports, ventilated front seats, electric folding second row seats for easier third-row access and plenty of storage nooks and crannies. A 10.25 inch touchscreen takes care of infotainment duties, whilst sound issues forth from a BOSE Premium Sound system with eight speakers.
Kia is also highlighting the safety aspects of the latest Carens, particularly the fact that it comes with six airbags in some variants. It’s also got Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Hill-Assist Control (HAC), Downhill Brake Control (DBC), Brake Assist System (BAS), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and all-wheel disc brakes. On the powertrain front, it’s got a choice of 1.5L naturally aspirated or 1.4L turbocharged petrol engines, as well as a 1.5L turbodiesel engine. Gearbox choices are either a six-speed manual or seven-speed DCT.
