3-row Kia Carens SUV unveiled in India
What's the story
Kia Motors has unveiled its Carens four-wheeler in India today. It is expected to be launched next month and will be offered broadly in L, LX, EX, EX+, TX, and TX+ trims. The crossover is based on the "Opposites United" design philosophy and gets a striking design, a fully-loaded cabin, and three engine choices. Here are more details.
Context
Why does it matter?
Kia Carens, once launched, will be the company's fourth product in India after the Seltos, Sonet, and Carnival. It will be manufactured locally at the Kia plant in Andhra Pradesh. The company has called the Carens a "recreational vehicle" and upon launch, it will offer competition to other 7-seater SUVs such as the Hyundai ALCAZAR and Mahindra XUV700.
Exteriors
The car has a segment-leading wheelbase
The Kia Carens features a muscular stance with a chunky front bumper, a narrow-grille, a large chrome-surrounded air dam, twin-beam LED headlights, and T-shaped wrap-around taillights. On the sides, it is flanked by roof rails, black B-pillars, body-colored ORVMs, black body cladding, and designer wheels with flared arches. Dimensions-wise, the four-wheeler is 4,540mm long and has the longest-in-class wheelbase of 2,780mm.
Information
Three gearbox choices are on offer
Kia Carens gets three engine options: a 1.4-liter turbo-petrol motor that makes 140hp/242Nm, a 1.5-liter petrol unit that produces 115hp/144Nm, and a 1.5-liter diesel mill that generates 115hp/250Nm. Transmission duties are handled by a 6-speed manual, a 6-speed automatic, and a 7-speed DCT automatic gearbox.
Interiors
It has wireless charging and a panoramic sunroof
The Kia Carens offers a 6/7-seater cabin with a multifunctional steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof, wireless charging technology, and ambient lighting. It also houses a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment panel with support for Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and UVO connected car technology. For safety, there are six airbags, a 360-degree-view camera, hill start assist, electronic stability control, and ABS with EBD.
Information
Kia Carens: Pricing and availability
Kia will announce the official pricing information of the Carens SUV at the time of launch, which could happen next month. The bookings are likely to open soon and we expect the four-wheeler to be priced at around Rs. 16 lakh (ex-showroom).