Kia Carens variants explained: Which one offers best value?
Kia Motors has introduced its Carens MPV in India. It is up for grabs in five trim levels, namely, Premium, Prestige, Prestige Plus, Luxury, and Luxury Plus. All the variants are well packaged but differ slightly when it comes to styling and equipment. Let us take a look at the comforts you get in each model to understand which one offers best value.
Why does this story matter?
Kia Carens is the brand's fourth model on our shores after the Seltos, Carnival, and Sonet. The MPV goes against rivals such as the MG Hector Plus, Mahindra XUV700, Tata Safari, and Hyundai ALCAZAR. The car has been priced competitively and is expected to become quite popular with buyers in the Indian market.
Premium: Price starts at Rs. 8.99 lakh
The Premium model has halogen lighting, a 'Tiger Nose' grille with silver accents, 15/16-inch steel wheels, and comes in two colors. It gets a 7-seater cabin with manual AC, a 7.5-inch LCD instrument cluster, six airbags, and ESC. Engine choices include a 1.5-liter petrol engine (112hp/144Nm), a 1.4-liter turbo-petrol motor (136hp/242Nm), and a 1.5-liter diesel mill (112hp/250Nm). A 6-speed manual gearbox handles transmission duties.
Prestige: Price begins at Rs. 9.99 lakh
The Prestige sports 15/16-inch steel wheels, a silver-finished radiator grille, roof rails, and halogen headlamps. It is offered in three colors. It has seven seats, key-less entry, manual AC, an 8.0-inch infotainment panel, and six airbags. The trim is available with a 1.5-liter petrol engine (112hp/144Nm), 1.4-liter turbo-petrol motor (136hp/242Nm), and a 1.5-liter diesel mill (112hp/250Nm). For transmission, a 6-speed manual gearbox is offered.
Prestige Plus: Price starts at Rs. 13.49 lakh
Prestige Plus flaunts 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, a chromed radiator grille, roof rails, halogen headlamps, and LED taillights. It can be purchased in seven colorways. Seven seats, six airbags, automatic AC, an 8.0-inch infotainment console, and four speakers are offered inside. It runs on a 1.5-liter diesel engine (112hp/250Nm), and a 1.4-liter turbo-petrol motor (136hp/242Nm). A 6-speed manual/7-speed DCT gearbox handles transmission duties.
Luxury: Price begins at Rs. 14.99 lakh
The Luxury trim has a chrome-accented 'Tiger Nose' grille, 16-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, and LED headlights. It gets seven seats, cup holders with a cooling function, auto AC, a 12.5-inch instrument console, a 10.25-inch HD touchscreen console, and an air purifier. It is fueled by a 1.5-liter diesel engine (112hp/250Nm) and a 1.4-liter turbo-petrol motor (136hp/242Nm), linked to a 6-speed manual gearbox.
Luxury Plus: Price starts at Rs. 16.19 lakh
The Luxury Plus variant has 16-inch alloy wheels, sunroof, LED headlights, and indicator-mounted ORVMs. Inside, there is a 6/7-seater cabin with ventilated seats, ambient lighting, an 8-speaker Bose audio system, a wireless smartphone charger, and a 10.25-inch infotainment console with Kia Connect support. It runs on 1.4-liter turbo-petrol engine (136hp/242Nm) and 1.5-liter diesel mill (112hp/250Nm), paired to a 6-speed manual/automatic or 7-speed DCT gearbox.
