2023 Kia Carens Turbo-petrol DCT Review

Even the feature highlights of the Carens continue to be a 10.25-inch touchscreen with connected car tech, ambient lighting, automatic climate control, ventilated front seats, keyless-entry, cruise control, rear-view camera, and wireless phone charging. It would have been a welcome change if it had ADAS and 360 camera. However, it looks like we'll have to wait for the facelifted model for these additions. As for safety features, the Carens boasts six airbags, ABS, ESC, hill start and descent control, and a tyre pressure monitoring system as standard.

The older 1.4-litre engine was known for its power and performance, and the new 1.5-litre delivers a similar experience. While it’s not the quickest, it feels punchy and responsive, with ample torque available for overtakes. It’s silent and refined as well. The tested 0-100kmph sprint time of 10.4 seconds is slightly slower for the latest iteration as the older 1.4 achieved the same feat in 9.7 seconds. This might be owing to the fact that the new Carens is 60kg heavier. Notwithstanding, the transmission is smooth and the gearshifts are barely noticeable.

Even the 20-80kmph sprint in kick-down was completed in 6.2 seconds, while for the 1.4-litre version, it was 5.8 seconds. Similarly, the 40-100kmph run was achieved in 7.6 seconds whereas the 1.4 version recorded 7 seconds. These roll-on acceleration figures are similar, suggesting that the new engine is just as capable as the old one in everyday driving situations. It is a good fit for a 1.5-ton car that is a people-mover with luggage-hauling capabilities. It doesn't disappoint in terms of its mileage too. It returned 10.81kmpl in the city and 17.1kmpl on the highway.

Another thing that hasn't changed and buyers will appreciate is its ride quality and how easy it is to drive. The suspension is well-tuned to cushion passengers from bad roads, bumps, potholes, etc. Even the 16-inch wheels help in providing an impressive ride quality, both at slow and high speeds. I was hoping for better feedback from the steering this time, but there are no major changes here. Move the vehicle into a corner and its body roll reminds you it's an MPV. But otherwise, the steering is light, weighs up adequately, and more importantly, adds to the ease of driving this big car. It feels planted on the highway and is quite assuring on the braking front too, thanks to all-disc brakes.