Kia carens estate review

The steering is a bit hit and miss. All models come with a 6-speed manual transmission as standard, though a 7-speed automatic can be added to the bigger diesel. It will bump up running costs, however, and it also misses out on stop-start tech.

The Kia Carens is the largest car the manufacturer offers and comes with seven seats as standard. Passenger space in this type of car is a high priority and the Carens is decent if not class leading — the Grand C4 Picasso is more spacious. However, the boot is on par with rivals and has some clever storage areas. Driving the Carens is confidence inspiring, safe, predictable and as a result quite unexciting. The basic Carens is truly basic — low quality plastic interior, no alloy wheels, but you do get cruise control, remote central locking, air-conditioning and Bluetooth phone connectivity — all essential for family life. Kia has got the Carens pretty much right.

Kia carens estate review

The Kia is just as versatile as its rivals here, while the biggest boot in five-seat mode makes it the best choice for everyday use. A large piece of piano back trim stretches across the dash, while the audio and climate controls are clear and simple. The multifunction steering wheel is well laid out, too, although the gloss spokes make it appear a little fussy. They also slide, recline and fold individually, while the central seat has two trays and three cup-holders fixed to the back of it, so it can be turned into a table. The rearmost row folds out of the boot floor with the pull of a seatback cord, although the long fabric pulls felt flimsy compared to those in the C-MAX. Access to the two rear seats is narrow unless the middle seatback is folded down, and space is only really suitable for two children. The cabin features lots of neat practical touches, though. On the road, the Carens offers a safe, sensible, no-nonsense driving experience, although the ride in the back was a little firm for our liking. The 1. Stop-start helped the Carens to return economy of Skip to Content Skip to Footer. Facts and figures.

Body rolls are generally only felt when the driver feel the need to wrestle the steering wheel.

However, Kia is no longer the price-focused brand that it once was, and there are cheaper rivals available. Founded in , Kia has an interesting history. Read our brief history of Kia. The new Carens performs a lot better on the road. Body lean continues to be an issue in bends but insulation is good and the ride is comfortable.

Price: The Kia Carens is priced from Rs Engine And Transmission: Kia offers the Carens with three engine options: a 1. Features: Key features include a It also gets ambient lighting in 64 colours, ventilated front seats and a sunroof. The popular Toyota offerings along with the more premium Maruti MPV are enduring the highest wait times of up to a year. Although detailed reviews seemed to be the crowd favourite on our YouTube channel in , there were a couple of variant explainers in the mix as well. Most of the features fall under the comfort and convenience category, but there has been the addition of a significant safety tech as well on one of its prime SUVs.

Kia carens estate review

To that end, it was a crude four-wheeled box designed unequivocally for the purpose of carrying people. Both aspiration and ego were best left on the pavement before boarding. If it were possible for Kia to airbrush its model history, the first Carens is precisely the kind of car it would choose to erase from our collective memory. Launched in , the Carens MPV was intended to capture a slice of the global school-run market. The Caren's clumsiness, however, was a world away from its European competition and it only served to reinforce the brand's frumpy image. A follow-up appeared in , which marginally improved on the formula, but it never gained more than a low market share. It is therefore potentially able to offer a serious challenge in an already busy segment. Given its newfound pride in its appearance, Kia would do well to note that being easier on the eye than your predecessor does not automatically make you the segment sweetheart. At any rate, MPV desirability is better expressed through packaging rather than aesthetics.

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The second row of seats easily slide back and forth, while the third row can even fold into the boot floor. Considering that the Carens is a seven-seater, I think it looks neat. How practical is it? Log in now. Windscreen wipers operation are from centre bottom to the sides, creating a larger wiping area improving visibility in the rain. The stiffness of the ride also allows a fair bit of weight shifts without squatting or nose-diving, all these contributing to a solid ride and good handling! We prefer the diesel engines. However, the boot is on par with rivals and has some clever storage areas. Most cars on our fleet average around 7, miles in their time with us — anything from six months to a year. Boot space is as good as a super mini with all seats up, but an enormous estate-rivalling size of L of fully flat loadable boot space, only with the seat belts being the eyesore. Well, apart from a sonic screwdriver For instance, the perforated artificial leather finish on the door inners is just sumptuous.

With three rows of seating and lots of features, the Kia Carens is here to win over large families. By Nikhil Bhatia.

Well, apart from a sonic screwdriver By proceeding, you would have read and agree to our important contents in About and Disclaimer. Covering the holes with gaffa tape has restored calm to the cabin in time for my summer trip to the seaside. Kia Carens 1. Venture onto hills or fill it up with people though, and refinement and economy can suffer as you thrash it to compensate. Standard sunblinds in the back doors and dark-tinted windows boost rear comfort, while the heated steering wheel adds a luxury feel. Both the and bhp variant manage returns of In terms of its running costs, the smallest diesel engine is your best bet if economy is a priority. They also like the flip-down centre seat in the middle row. To drive All Kia Carens come with a 1. Our Kia Carens 1. Ready to see prices tailored to you?