The Carens has found a lot of homes since its launch and has actually upped the MPV game by a margin. While the old Ertiga and XL6 are still the leaders in the segment, Maruti’s lack of engine and transmission options has made it easier for Kia. We at Motorbeam have driven the Carens in the past and sampled it for a month this time. We had the 1.5-diesel AT and we made sure to put the oil-burner to good use. One long trip (Mumbai to Goa), a few short trips (Mumbai to Kashi) and a lot of local trains. We thought the Carens was a great daily driver!
Personally I am not a big fan of the design. The front looks good but I don’t like the boxy look of the rear. Having said that, I like its practicality and that is enough for me to rock the boat. The six seater car we had was rarely used as a six seater. In most cases I keep the third row seats folded for luggage. The captain seats in the middle row enhance comfort on long drives and this was thoroughly tested on a trip to Goa. The kids were very happy on the captain seats and didn’t complain even once. Folding the last row of seats provides enough space to carry luggage. However, if I were to buy one, it would be rare to find the last row of seats unfolded, mainly in a 7-seater car.
Travelling to Goa was not only convenient but also very economical. The 6-speed torque converter made things very easy and the convenience of 2-pedal driving is not really available in any part of the country these days. The 1.5-litre oil-burner is very fuel efficient. After refuelling well, I not only reached Goa without a fuel stop but also roamed around for 5 days before visiting a fuel pump again. This includes several north-south-north Goa flows. The performance of this BS6.2 engine is very linear and adding AdBlue is a bit slower than the BS6 engine (I drive one daily so the difference was very noticeable). Also, the Carens has enough grunt and I experienced it first-hand with 4 passengers and a boot full of suitcases.
One of the many USPs of Carens is that it has something for everyone. You can choose between petrol and diesel. We had the diesel and as I said earlier, it offers great range and low cost. Irrespective of the segment of the car, the buyer is always conscious of the running cost. CAFE norms aside, this is the primary reason why Maruti invested heavily in CNG after phasing out diesel. Although CNG costs less to run than diesel, the frequent visits to the pump and the long queues at the CNG pump make many people unhappy.
Coming back to the Carens, you will also have various shifting options to choose from. DCT, MT, iMT and TC are the options you can choose from. When it comes to 2-pedal driving without spending too much, the iMT makes perfect sense. Even if you want to drive like an enthusiast, it almost feels like an MT without the hassle of a clutch. The 6-speed torque converter in our car did a good job delivering good fuel efficiency numbers even though torque converters are traditionally notorious for being fuel guzzlers. Going back to the fact that comfort and convenience prevail over everything in the long run, the diesel is the best combination of engine and transmission as far as the Carens is concerned.
Our one-month stint with the Carens was unforgettable. We found it very comfortable as a daily driver and during long highway drives. Though we rarely use it, the one-button seat folding feature for the rear captain’s seat is very convenient. It achieved a fuel economy of 14 kmpl in urban driving conditions and 21.2 kmpl during our Goa trip, and due to the predominantly highway driving, these two numbers will take you about 800 km on a full tank of diesel. The service charges are also very reasonable and we will think deeply about them when we keep the car for a longer period and visit the service centre. However, if you are currently looking for an MPV, the Carens is a more robust and practical option.
