Kia India will unveil their all new premium MPV on 16th Dec 2021 – First official sketches revealed today
Kia Motors has had an enviable journey in India, with all of their models commanding good sales, considering their respective segments. After introducing the Seltos, Carnival and Sonet, now, Kia is all set to bring in its 4th product for the Indian market. This all new vehicle will be the Kia Carens MPV.
Kia, however calls it to be an RV, which in their terminology stands for Recreational Vehicle. However, for all practical purposes, it will be a 3-row 6/7 seater MPV with a SUV-inspired styling.
Kia Carens First Official Sketches
Kia has designed the Carens on the same platform on which the Seltos is based. Hence, it is fair to expect considerable SUV-inspired design components and highlights on the Carens. Hyundai too had done something similar by extending the architecture and platform of the Creta to derive the Alcazar, which happens to be Carens’ spiritual cousin.
From the sketches and renders we now know that the Carens will be getting a grille-wide chrome strip on the front which will be accompanied by split LED headlamp setups on both sides. Headlamp units will comprise of integrated DRLs and dual beam LED projector headlights.
“The Kia Carens perfectly embodies our latest design philosophy, ‘Opposites United’, and it successfully combines sportiness with a sophisticated personality and style with unique aesthetics,” said Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia Design Center. “The Kia Carens is a true reflection on what today’s customers want from their three-row vehicles.”
Kia Carens – Features
Considering that the Carens will be carrying the Kia badge, it is fair to assume that it will be a loaded product in terms of creature comfort features. It is expected to get a large 10.25 inch touchscreen infotainment system, which will be compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and UVO connectivity suite. It will also be getting ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) features like adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking etc.
It will also be getting an all new digital instrument cluster, push button start-stop, 360 degree camera, sunroof, wireless smartphone charging and much more. On the safety front, the Carens will pack rear parking sensors, ESC, hill start assist, ABS with EBD and 6 airbags. It remains to be seen if Kia will offer both, 6 and 7 seater options on the Carens. However, considering Kia’s past records, it is known to spoil its customers with choices.
Powertrain
Details regarding the powertrain options on the Carens are currently limited. However, speculation suggests that it would be borrowing its powertrain setup from the Seltos. Hence, it is fair to assume that it will be getting a 1.5 litre turbo diesel and a 1.5 litre naturally aspirated petrol motor.
The petrol motor is expected to dish out 114 bhp and 144 Nm of max torque while the diesel unit should be able to crank out 114 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque. Transmission options will most likely include a 6-speed manual, CVT and a 6-speed torque converter unit. A 1.4 litre turbo petrol option could also be on offer, which will be able to churn out 140 PS and will mostly come paired to a DCT autobox.
Launch and Competition
Launch of the Carens MPV should take place in early 2022, considering its unveil date is 16th December 2021. Pricing of the MPV should lie in the INR 15-20 lakhs range. Primary competitor of the Carens will be models like Hyundai Alcazar, Mahindra Marazzo and Toyota Innova Crysta.
