December 2022 - Kia Carens Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

Update: Kia recently increased the prices of the Carens petrol and diesel variants. This Carens variants explained article includes the buying recommendations for all petrol variants based on the latest prices.

Also Read: Kia Carens Diesel Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

Maruti Nexa XL6 Petrol, CNG Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Kia Carens Petrol?

The pros or advantages of Kia Carens petrol are:

• Low starting price; VFM higher variants
• The Carens is not only the most affordable D-segment car, it’s also the only one with a starting price of less than Rs. 10.0 lakh
• Option of 3 engine-transmission combinations for Carens petrol buyers
• Well-priced automatic transmission; only Rs. 90,000 - 1.0 lakh more than manual transmission
• Loaded with features like sunroof, optional captain seats, electric tumble in second row, 2nd and 3rd row AC vents, cruise control, reclining 3rd row seats, TPMS, ventilated front seats, LED headlamps, Bose music system, etc.
• Good number of standard safety features like 6 airbags, all disc brakes, HSA, TPMS, ESC

The Kia Carens petrol has the following shortcomings or problems:

• LED headlamps not available in the otherwise well-loaded mid-spec Prestige Plus variant
• Dual-clutch automatic transmission is yet to establish its reputation for long-term reliability (Also Read: 10 Discontinued DCT Cars In India)
• Turbo petrol variants carry a very high incremental asking price over normal petrol
• 15- and 16-inch wheels may look small on a car this large
• MPV styling may put off some buyers
• Captain seats are not available in lower variants and remain exclusive to the top-spec, Luxury Plus variant

What Is The Price Of Kia Carens Petrol Variants?

After the price update, the Kia Carens starts with an ex-showroom price of Rs. 10.0 lakh and the prices go up to Rs. 17.70 lakh. The Carens 1.5L normal petrol engine is available in the lower 2 variants, which cost Rs. 10.0 lakh and 11.20 lakh (ex-showroom).

The turbo petrol engine is available in all 6 variants with a manual transmission. The Carens turbo petrol-manual variants cost between Rs. 11.30 lakh and Rs. 16.80 lakh. It carries a premium of Rs. 1.30 lakh over the 1.5L normal petrol engine models.

The turbo petrol engine is also available with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission in the mid-spec Prestige Plus and top-spec Luxury Plus variants. These cost between Rs. 15.0 lakh and Rs. 17.70 lakh. Compared to the turbo petrol manual variants, the DCT automatic variants are Rs. 90,000 - 1.0 lakh more expensive.

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Kia Carens Petrol Premium - Base Model Features

The base Premium variant of the Kia Carens petrol is available with a 1.5L normal petrol and turbo petrol engine options with a manual transmission. It costs Rs. 10.0 lakh with the 1.5L normal petrol engine and Rs. 11.30 lakh with the turbo petrol engine. The turbo petrol engine costs Rs. 1.30 lakh more than the normal petrol. The Carens Premium petrol trim doesn’t get an automatic transmission.

The most notable features of the Carens Premium are:

• All power windows
• 2nd and 3rd row AC vents
• 15-inch steel wheels with normal petrol
• 16-inch steel wheels with turbo petrol
• Full wheel covers
• Split folding 2nd and 3rd row seat backs
• Height-adjustable driver seat
• All wheel disc brakes
• Front and middle row armrest
• 2nd row slide and recline
• 3rd row recline
• 2nd row electric tumble
• Tyre pressure monitoring system
• 5 USB-C chargers
• Thorax side and curtain airbags
• Hill start
• ESC
• Auto door lock

This variant doesn’t get a few important features like:

• Power mirrors
• Cooled glovebox
• Remote central locking
• Rear defogger
• Rear washer wiper
• Steering-mounted controls
• Music system

The next variant with the 1.5L petrol engine costs considerably more than Rs. 10.0 lakh (ex-showroom). The on-road price will go even higher in several states because of the higher tax slab on cars costing Rs. 10.0 lakh (ex-showroom) and higher. So, the base Premium variant seems suitable for buyers who don't want to make that bigger jump.

You can consider adding aftermarket accessories based on your preferences. For Premium turbo buyers, though, the price difference is somewhat reasonable, if not justifiable. Since you’re already over the Rs. 10.0 lakh ex-showroom barrier, you can skip the Premium turbo and choose a higher variant.

Kia Carens Petrol Premium vs Prestige Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Carens Prestige also gets the same normal petrol and turbo petrol engine options with the manual transmission. With the normal petrol engine, this variant costs Rs. 11.20 lakh and with the turbo petrol engine, it costs Rs. 12.50 lakh. The Prestige variant costs Rs. 1.10 - 1.20 lakh more than the base Premium variant. The Prestige variant gets the following features over the base Premium variant:

• Rear camera
• 8-inch touchscreen
• Wireless Android Auto
• Wireless Apple Carplay
• Steering-mounted controls
• Remote central locking
• Power mirrors
• Digital instrument cluster
• Fabric leather upholstery
• Auto headlamps

The Prestige variant of the Carens doesn’t get features like:

• Auto AC
• Rear washer wiper
• Rear defogger

From a feature perspective, this variant seems reasonably loaded with almost all must-have features. So budget buyers should consider the Prestige 1.5L petrol variant instead of the base Premium only if the on-road price difference is less than Rs. 1.40 lakh. For the turbo petrol buyers on a tight budget, the Prestige variant is a suitable upgrade. However, if you can stretch your budget a bit, then you should consider the higher Prestige Plus trim. It will provide a much better ownership experience even though it offers slightly lower value for money.

Kia Carens Petrol Prestige vs Prestige Plus Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Carens Prestige Plus variant gets the turbo petrol engine with manual and automatic transmission options. It doesn't get the 1.5L normal petrol engine. The Prestige Plus turbo petrol manual costs Rs. 14.0 lakh (ex-showroom). With the automatic, it costs Rs. 15.0 lakh, which is Rs. 1.0 lakh more than the manual.

For the Rs. 1.50 lakh incremental price over the lower trim, this variant adds the following notable features:

• Rear defogger
• Rear washer wiper
• Auto AC
• Keyless entry with push-buttons start/stop
• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Cruise control
• Remote engine start with keyfob
• Power folding mirrors
• Rear door curtains
• LED tail lamps
• LED DRLs
• Multi drive modes (with turbo petrol automatic)
• Cooled cup holders in 1st and 2nd row

The Prestige Plus variant has all of the must-have features we expect from a car of its class. This variant seems very well loaded as it’ll offer a good ownership experience. Since this variant also gets an automatic transmission, it’s also suitable for Carens petrol automatic buyers. We wish the Prestige variant also had LED headlamps and the option of captain seats in the second row. While this variant also doesn’t seem to justify the incremental price over the lower variants and offers poorer value for money, it has a fantastic balance of features with all must-have features for a car of this price. So, this is the one variant we can recommend to most Carens buyers for a good ownership experience. The Carens Prestige Plus is our top-recommendation for petrol-manual as well as petrol-automatic buyers.

Kia Carens Petrol Prestige Plus vs Luxury Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Luxury variant of the Carens comes with only the turbo petrol-manual powertrain and costs Rs. 15.45 lakh (ex-showroom), which is 1.45 lakh more than the lower Prestige Plus variant.

The Luxury variant gets the following additional features over the Prestige Plus trim:

• LED headlamps
• LED fog lamps
• Larger 10.25-inch touchscreen
• Telematics
• Dual-function LED DRLs
• Telescopic steering
• Multi-colour ambient lighting
• Folding tables for 2nd row
• Auto-dimming inside mirror
• Air purifier
• Under seat tray
• Leather upholstery

The Luxury variant seems properly loaded for family use. But it’s not available with an automatic transmission. After the price update, it offers better value-for-money than the Prestige Plus variant and it’s worth considering if you want these features. Although if price is not a concern, then you should consider buying the top variant.

Kia Carens Petrol Luxury vs Luxury Plus Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The top-spec Luxury Plus variant of the Carens petrol gets the turbo petrol engine with manual as well as automatic transmission. The Luxury Plus 7-seat variant costs Rs. 16.80 lakh with the manual and Rs. 17.70 lakh with the automatic transmission. It carries an incremental price of Rs. 1.35 lakh over the lower Luxury variant. Here, the automatic transmission adds Rs. 90,000 to the ex-showroom cost over the Luxury Plus manual.

This is the only variant with a 6-seat configuration, as it is available with optional captain seats in the second row. The 6-seat Carens costs Rs. 5,000 less than the Luxury Plus 7-seater.

Following are the additional features of the Luxury Plus variant:

• Optional captain seats
• Puddle lamps
• Sunroof
• LED cabin lights
• 2 extra speakers
• Bose sound system
• Ventilated front seats
• Paddle shifters with automatic transmission
• Auto wipers
• Wireless phone charger

The top variant offers a few good-to-have features including the option of captain seats in the second row, which surprisingly costs Rs. 5,000 less than the 7-seat version. This is suitable for buyers who want all the features in the car. It even offers better value for money than the lower Luxury and Prestige Plus variants. Although, it’s worth noting that most of its features are good-to-have. Between the 7-seat and 6-seat versions of the top model, we strongly suggest buying the 6-seat option not only for the exclusivity but also for people who frequently use the second-row seats. However, if you feel the need for a bench seat in the second row, then you should prioritise it accordingly.

Which Variant Of The Kia Carens Petrol Should You Buy?

After the December price update, the Premium 1.5L normal petrol is starting to look like a better value-for-money option than the Prestige. While the base variant doesn’t get many must-have features, it costs a shade less than Rs. 10.0 lakh (ex-showroom), which means a lower tax slab in most states. You should make the jump to the Prestige 1.5L petrol only if the on-road price difference is less than Rs. 1.40 lakh.

With the turbo petrol engine, the Premium is worth skipping because all variants sit above the Rs. 10.0 lakh (ex-showroom). So, the on-road price difference is smaller with the turbo petrol engine. The Prestige turbo petrol is suitable for you if you don’t want to stretch your budget any further. Otherwise, the Prestige Plus for another Rs. 1.50 lakh is a solid package with a balanced set of features. However, it doesn’t justify the incremental price bump in terms of value for money. This variant still earns our recommendation for Carens petrol-manual buyers.

The Luxury variant doesn’t add enough value and offers mostly good-to-have features but offers better value for money than the Prestige Plus variant.. So, you’re better off stretching your budget just a little bit more for the top-spec Luxury Plus variant, which gets all the features. The Luxury and Luxury Plus variants, both offer better value for money than the mid-spec Prestige Plus. If you are booking the top model of the Carens, then you should consider the 6-seat version with separate captain seats in the second row. Not only will it offer better comfort for second-row occupants and exclusivity (only available in the top variant), it also costs Rs. 5,000 less.

For the Carens petrol-automatic buyers, the Prestige Plus variant makes great sense. It has a balanced feature set and carries a reasonable premium for the automatic transmission over the manual model. You can go with the Luxury Plus trim if this variant doesn’t satisfy your feature requirements. It is also available with optional captain seats in the second row for Rs. 5,000 less. We suggest choosing this option over the 7-seat version for the exclusivity and comfort of 2nd-row occupants.

What Are The Engine Specifications Of The Kia Carens Petrol?

The Kia Carens is available with 2 petrol engines — a normal petrol and a turbo petrol. The turbo petrol engine gets the option of a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission while the normal petrol engine only gets a 6-speed manual transmission.

In terms of competition, the Carens has to deal with the XL6 and Ertiga from Maruti Suzuki. After the 2022 update, the Ertiga and XL6 have become more efficient. Their new 6-speed automatic transmission is also considerably more efficient than before. The Maruti’s MPVs are naturally much more efficient than the Carens 1.5L petrol.

However, the Carens has a better power and torque output and a 6-speed manual transmission.

The Carens turbo petrol has some competition as the Alcazar, Hector Plus and Innova Crysta have a petrol engine with comparable performance. Still, the 242Nm torque output of the Carens turbo petrol is comparable with the Hector Plus turbo and Innova’s 2.7L normal petrol engine. Be it manual or automatic, the Kia Carens turbo petrol is the most fuel efficient car among its peers, with a mileage figure of more than 16kmpl. Meanwhile, the Innova Crysta’s large engine and a heavy ladder frame gives it the worst mileage figures of slightly above 10kmpl.

Find out how you can get the best mileage or fuel efficiency from your car:

10 Tips To Get Better Mileage From Your Petrol, Diesel Or CNG Car

*Estimated

You can use our Fuel Cost Calculator to see how much any petrol, diesel or CNG car will cost to run based on the latest fuel price in your city.

Fuel Cost Calculator India

What Are The Dimensions Of The Kia Carens?

In terms of dimensions, the Carens petrol is longer than the Maruti Nexa XL6, Ertiga and Hyundai Alcazar but the MG Hector Plus and Toyota Innova Crysta are a fair bit longer. The Carens is also slightly wider than the XL6 and Alcazar but a bit narrower than the Hector Plus and Crysta.

One aspect of the Carens which sets it apart is its wheelbase, which is longer than even the Innova Crysta. Moreover, with all seats upright, the Carens also has a respectable boot space of 216 litres with all seatbacks upright. The 16-inch wheels may look small for the Carens large body size but we understand that Kia chose to offer it with slightly taller sidewall tyres for better comfort.

*Estimated

What Are The Colour Options Of The Kia Carens?

The Carens is available in the following 8 colour options:

• Flat white (Prestige and lower)
• Silver (all variants)
• Grey (Prestige and higher)
• Metallic white (Prestige Plus and higher)
• Red (Prestige Plus and higher)
• Blue (Prestige Plus and higher)
• Brown (Prestige Plus and higher)
• Black (Prestige Plus and higher)

The base variant only gets flat white and silver colour options. The Prestige gets flat white, silver and grey colour options. Prestige Plus onwards, all variants get all colour options except for flat white. These get metallic white colour instead.

Note: Here is a quick look at our length-based segmentation of cars to give you an idea of how we classify cars based on their size.