Unassuming Carens rides spacious, supple

Editor’s note: There may be a scenario in our basketball-crazy country’s near future when a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) team will be of a car company; reminiscent of the roaring heydays of Toyota in the ’70s and ’80s. Inquirer Motoring just recently came across breaking news that Columbian Autocar Corp. (CAC), the exclusive Philippine distributor of Kia, has expressed its intention to join the country’s premier pay-for-play league for the 2015 season. Kia is a global brand that has been visible in various sports events worldwide. CAC president Ginia R. Domingo’s statement reads: “A formal letter of intent was sent by CAC to the PBA Board of Governors, and we are waiting for the PBA to reply. Kia and CAC have always been steadfast in their commitment to the promotion and development of various sports initiatives in the Philippines and all over the world. We believe that sports is a potent tool to reach our market while also contributing to nation-building.”

Another one bites the dust. But not Carens, one of Columbian Autocar’s bestsellers.

For a short, three-letter name, Kia has certainly gone a long way from its first “Pride-ful” seasons in the Philippines.

Kia, which was founded in South Korea in 1944 initially to make metal tubes, has since then gained global popularity in its automotive venture, producing such familiar vehicles as the Picanto, Sportage, Sorento and Carnival, among others.

Among this roster of popular names is the Carens, a family-friendly seven-seater multipurpose vehicle (MPV). The Carens has been included in the roster of globally recognized vehicles from Kia.

On May 31 last year, Columbian Autocar

The well-laid-out engine bay

Corp. (CAC), the exclusive Philippine distributor of Kia in the Philippines, unveiled its third-generation, all-new diesel-powered compact, the family-friendly MPV Carens, at the Bonifacio Global City. Since then, the MPV—conventionally thought of as tall, spacious vehicles that could carry at least five passengers and various forms and volumes of cargo—has been redefined.

All seats foldable for maximum utilitarian space

The new Carens is 20 millimeter shorter, 15 mm narrower and 40 mm lower than its immediate predecessor, and has an overall height of 1,610 mm.

Without compromise

Kia’s claim that it managed to downsize Carens’ dimensions without compromising space and comfort has been proven true, as what this writer and her passengers experienced on a 300-kilometer trip to the north and back.

Lay your hands on this frugal machine.

The wheel of fortune PHOTOS BY TESSA R. SALAZAR

The Carens was able to squeeze in eight people, including six burly boys with their mountaineering gear, and yet the ride remained supple and comfortable the entire time. The increased wheelbase, smart packaging and cab forward design may have provided more than enough space for our needs.

The engine response was still consistent on a full cabin load, acting as if the vehicle wasn’t overloaded. Fuel consumption stayed at a respectable 10 kilometers per liter (city) to 14.3 kpl (highway). Carens’ powerplant is a 1.7-liter diesel engine producing maximum power of 134.09 horsepower at 4000 revolutions per minute, and a maximum torque of 319.7 Newton-meters at 2,500 rpm in automatic transmission. Kia boasts that this engine maximizes the uses of power and torque for a clean, quiet and fuel-efficient drive.

Impeccable, refined

The Carens looks deceptively small, but eight mountaineers—and their gear—were able to squeeze in.

The automatic transmission of the test unit was impeccable, this writer barely noticed the shift and lag in gear, if there ever was one. The diesel engine (CRDi) felt refined. The technology has grown in leaps and bounds with minimal noise, vibration and harshness.

The tilt and telescopic adjustable steering wheel handles with ease even during twisty passes in Zambales province. The responsive headlights adapt to where one is turning, with the cornering lamp or static bending lamp. This means that when the headlights are on, the lamp positioned at the center of the headlight will light up whenever one steers to either left or right.

Impressive acceleration amid low fuel consumption is possible in this MPV.

The ergonomically structured driver’s seat with a 10-way power driver’s setting and height adjustment was useful during winding roads. The ride was supple, the suspension firmed up just right. We were not jarred by the horrendous road conditions on Edsa (still, though, Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare needs some major rehab).

With a price range of P1.155 million to P1.495 million, though, the unit should have come with a GPS navigation unit and power folding side mirrors. But that’s just a tiny wish on a big enough accomplishment that is the Carens, which has achieved that nearly magical transformation of becoming bigger even as it went smaller.