The versatility of the Kia Carens

If you are wondering why I am writing only now about a car that was launched in Manila way back in May last year, it’s because the 2013 Kia Carens is one of those “hard to get” vehicles. Apparently, Columbian Autocar Corp. (CAC), the exclusive distributor of Kia Motors in the Philippines, was left with only one of the Carens to use as a demo unit for prospective buyers, thus it was always unavailable for individual media test drives.  The local distributors of both the Korean brands, Kia and Hyundai, were affected last year by limited supply and, in CAC’s case, market demand for the Carens must have outstripped supply.

 

It is easy to understand why the 2013 Carens would sell so well. This is the third iteration of Kia’s compact MPV (multipurpose vehicle) and so far the best one yet. Built on a modified version of the Kia Ceed hatchback’s platform and using the same engine series, the 2013 Carens is still a 5+2 or seven-seater MPV, but it looks funkier with its cab-forward design, halogen projector headlamps, LED daytime running lights and Tiger Nose fascia originated by design director and now Kia Motors CEO Peter Schreyer, who had been pirated earlier from Audi. The Kia Carens is also longer, lower and narrower than before, adding a sporty stance to the usually bland image of the MPV.

 

But more than its all-new exterior styling, the Carens’ major selling points are its drivetrain and the versatile spaciousness of its cabin.  In the Philippines, the Carens is offered with Kia’s 1.7-liter, inline-4 cylinder, DOHC, 16-valve, common rail direct injection (CRDi) diesel engine with Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT) intercooler delivering 136 PS (134.14 horsepower) and 319 Newton-meter max torque via a six-speed manual (M/T) or six-speed automatic transmission (A/T).

 

PREFERENCE. In other markets, a gasoline-fed Carens is also available, but CAC, aware of the local preference for diesel engines, wisely opted to stick to CRDi. The only other compact seven-seater diesel MPV on the market is the 1.3-liter diesel Chevrolet Spin—unless you include Asian utility vehicles like the Mitsubishi Adventure and Isuzu Crosswind in the compact MPV class. The Toyota Innova is too large to be counted among the compact MPVs. Unlike the diesel Spin, the Carens offers a choice of either a six-speed M/T or six-speed A/T, disc brakes on all four wheels and ABS as standard equipment.

 

The Carens’ 136 PS (134.14 HP) CRDi engine is strong enough to haul a full load of passengers and cargo, and quick enough to scoot around town. Kia claims that the Carens hits 100 kilometers per hour from zero in 10.4 seconds and has a top speed of 190 kph. The A/T has a manual override function that some drivers prefer over the electronically assisted Flex Steer System that offers a choice of either Normal, Sport or Comfort driving mode. Whatever mode you choose, it gives vague feedback and feels artificial. Agility and handling aren’t exactly the Carens’ strengths.

 

ROLL. Considering that it has seven seats, the Carens exhibits considerable roll going through corners and along twisty roads. The suspension (MacPherson struts in front with coil springs and stabilizer, coupled torsion beam axle at the rear) is soft and supple, providing a rather wallowy and comfortable ride. The driving position is high and the seats are surprisingly supportive and well-bolstered. But it feels unsettled at low speeds over road imperfections and potholes. The cabin is adequately isolated from road and wind noise.

 

In terms of interior versatility and roominess, the Carens aces even the bigger Innova. The cabin is more spacious than the preceding generation Carens due to the cab-forward design and longer wheelbase. The height-adjustable driver’s seat is bucket-type and, like the front seat, slides and reclines. The middle seats, bucket type, also slide, and the 60/40 seatback splits and can be folded flat. The middle seats offer excellent legroom, elbowroom and headroom. The middle and rear seats fold completely flat, increasing cargo space from 103 liters to 1,650 liters and making loading longer things like surfboards much easier.

 

What’s more, the middle seat can recline and be moved backward to increase legroom to executive car levels for middle seat passengers.  Or to increase legroom for passengers in the rear seats, the middle seat can be moved forward. The front passenger seat also folds flat easily, allowing optimal use of the Carens’ carrying capacity. Every seat can be manually adjusted and positioned, which makes the load area easier to access and more flexible than rivals.

 

NEAT. The cockpit of the Carens LX is neatly arranged with clear controls, a 4.3-inch TFT LED infotainment display, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel with mounted audio controls, a six-speaker audio system with radio, CD, MP3, Aux and USB ports, and active Eco. The EX variant is better equipped with electronic stability program, dual airbags, front and rear parking assist, leather seats, panoramic sunroof, side repeater side view mirrors, paddle shifts, iPod and Bluetooth connectivity, rain-sensing wipers, glovebox cooling and dual zone full auto climate control. Alloy wheels are standard on the LX and EX variants, but the latter is shod with 225/45 R17 tires while the former has 205/55 R16s.

 

In 2013, the Carens tied with the Ford Tourneo Connect for the Best in Class Small MPV safety award of Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Program). The Carens sold across Europe has as standard equipment six airbags, seatbelt reminders for front, middle and rear seats, electronic stability control, Hill Assist Control and Emergency Stop Signal. As Kia Motors Corp. vice chair and CEO Hyong-Keun Lee said at the 2012 Paris Motor Show when the 2013 model year Carens was revealed, the compact MPV provides “family-friendly versatility and functionality, more athletic and visually dynamic design.”

 

But all this comes with a lofty price over here: P1.48 million for the top-of-the-line EX A/T, P1.23 million for the LX A/T and P1.14 million for the LX M/T.  Incidentally, the LX variants only have one airbag, which is surprising for a vehicle costing more than a million pesos.