Kia Carens updated with RDE compliant engine

Kia has updated the Carens with new Real Driving Emissions (RDE) and E20 (20% ethanol mixed in petrol) compliant engines, with prices now ranging between ₹10.45 lakh and ₹18.95 lakh (ex-showroom, India). The updated Carens now gets a new 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine in place of the older 1.4-litre unit, and Kia has also replaced the 6-speed manual gearbox with a 6-speed iMT on the turbo-petrol and diesel variants. Additionally, there are minor updates to the equipment list as well. 

Prices for the new turbo-petrol and diesel variants have gone up by up to ₹50,000, while the naturally aspirated petrol variants see a ₹25,000 bump in price.

The most significant update to the Carens line-up is a new 160hp, 253Nm, 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine that replaces the older 140hp, 1.4-litre turbo-petrol unit. This new engine marks a 20hp, 11Nm bump in output, and while the 7-speed DCT has been retained, the 6-speed manual has been replaced by a new 6-speed iMT unit. With this, the Carens is now also the most powerful MPV in its class by a fair margin. 

The other two engine options on the Carens — 115hp, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol and 115hp, diesel — have also been updated to meet RDE norms and E20 fuel compliance. The diesel engine also loses its 6-speed manual gearbox in favour of the new 6-speed iMT unit. The diesel engine is available with a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, while the naturally aspirated petrol engine is solely available with a 6-speed manual gearbox.

Kia has also made a minor change to the equipment list on the Carens — the 12.5-inch digital instrument cluster with the 4.2-inch colour MID has been made standard across the range — it was previously offered from the Prestige trim onwards. 

As before, the Carens continues to be offered in five trims — Premium, Prestige, Prestige Plus, Luxury and Luxury Plus. The top-spec Luxury Plus is the only trim to be offered in both 6- and 7-seater guise, while all other trims are 7-seaters only. 

Other highlights include auto climate control, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with connected car tech, keyless go, cruise control, ventilated front seats, wireless phone charging and rear-view camera. As for safety features, the Carens gets six airbags, ABS, ESC, hill start and descent control, and a tyre pressure monitoring system as standard.

The Carens rivals the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the XL6 in the Indian market. For reference, the Ertiga is priced between ₹8.35 lakh and ₹12.79 lakh, while the XL6 is priced between ₹11.41 lakh and ₹14.67 lakh, both prices ex-showroom, Delhi. The Carens is a fair bit more expensive than both its rivals, but it’s also more premium with more powerful engines and an expansive features list.