Last week, Kia India, in its global premiere, took the veils off the Carens. The Carens is the next step forward for the Korean carmaker in the country and will add to the three models in its portfolio. While the launch is still a few months away, here’s what we know about the new model till now.

Design

In terms of design, the Carens is nowhere similar to the Seltos on which it is based. In fact, it adopts the brand’s new ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy that also debuts a split headlamp setup and a new front grille. Although the plastic cladding around the wheel arches adds a bit of ruggedness, the rather smaller looking 16-inch alloy wheels don’t blend well with the overall stance of the Carens. The windows on the Carens are adequately large, including the rear quarter glass that is likely to add a sense of space for the third-row occupants.

Having said that, the posterior looks far more appealing with the boomerang-type split LED tail lamps and a connecting stripe that runs across the boot lid. The high-placed stop lamp and generous plastic sheathing on the rear bumper along with the chrome insert blend well with the profile.

Features

While the entire feature list is yet to be revealed by Kia, based on the information released so far it can be said that the Carens will be loaded with features to the gills. Starting with the dual-tone beige and black theme for the dashboard, door pads, and upholstery, the Carens is equipped with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a fully-digital driver’s display.

Besides this, getting to the third-row will be an easy affair given that the second-row seats will get an electric one-touch tumble down function. Other notable highlights of the Carens include 64-colour ambient lighting, an air purifier, roof-mounted aircon vents for the middle and third row, front ventilated seats, and a single-pane electric sunroof. On the safety front, the Carens will be loaded with all four disc brakes, six airbags, a tyre pressure monitoring system, and rear parking sensors amongst others.

Engine

While the complete powertrain details of the Kia Carens are awaited, Kia India has confirmed that the three-row will get the Seltos-sourced 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine with the seven-speed DCT unit and the 1.5-litre diesel mill with an automatic transmission.

Expected price and launch date

When launched in India in the first quarter of 2022, the Kia Carens is likely to be priced from Rs 15 lakh, ex-showroom.