Kia Carens facelift: The Kia Carens has become a powerful contender in the MultiPurpose Vehicle market in India, thanks to the right mix of practicality, feature-packed interiors, and value, in a very short span of time since launch.
And now, with its upcoming facelift, Kia is looking to Spaify that winning formula by adding some careful refinements that ups the vehicle’s cool factor without compromising its core competency as an all-purpose family hauler.
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Kia Carens facelift: Design Evolution
The Carens facelift gets understated but effective design changes that fall in line with Kia’s new design philosophy.
Up front it’s the front fascia that benefits from the most changes, boasting a new iteration of Kia’s famous tiger-nose grille featuring a more complex pattern, along with upgraded LED headlamp units.
At the bottom, re-sculpted air intakes and fog lamp housings contribute to an even more aggressive, yet family-related design theme.
There are relatively few things that the side profile is altered by – the result is that the perfectly proportioned shape ensures the Carens’ MPV bones remain hidden underneath its crossover-style skin..
New 16- and 17-inch alloy wheel patterns give freshness to the exterior styling without compromising the wheel’s durability suited for our road conditions.
The rear too gets tweaked LED tail lamp signatures and a new-look bumper with larger reflector elements. Together, these revisions bring the Carens up to date, but without shaking up the personality laid down by the first model.
Interior Refinements
The Carens facelift on its part, gets a number of meaningful changes inside the cabin, which largely enhances that premium appeal as well as giving it better usability.
The dashboard remains horizontally orientated with the characteristic two-tier design, but new trimming materials and color schemes give a more premium feel to the interior.
The infotainment system is now upgraded to Kia’s newest 10.25-inch touchscreen, which features improved connectivity and an easier to use UI.
The digital instrument cluster now benefits from new graphics, while new personalization options mean the driver can glean more pertinent information without being bombarded.
A strength of the original model, already spicy in the seating comfort department, gets more love with revised cushioning for better long-distance support.
Second-row captain’s chairs in certain trims get more travel in the adjustment range and the third row receives redone padding to make it slightly less of a torture chamber for anyone forced to use them for longer than a ride around the block.
Technology Enhancements
There are big enhancements to the technology package in the Carens facelift, with many of the items previously offered only on Kia’s higher-end models now being included on this lesser family-wagon:
New Kia Connect system with more advanced connected car features
Smartphone Integration for wireless unlocking and more
Arkamys 4 speaker hi-fi system was also replaced by Bose 8-speaker audio unit as part of the premium package.
Improved voice recognition and processing with natural language commands
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) enhancements including Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist on higher trims
These new inclusions not only competitively pressure the Carens’ newcomers, but will also give the Carens a lot art of modern technology to woo the tech-savvy family buyer.
Powertrain Refinements
The Carens facelift retains its forebear’s wide range of powertrains but with a few tweaks in drive calibration to enhance refinement and economy:
1.5L NA Petrol (115 PS/144 Nm)
Formula: 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol (160 PS/253 Nm)
1.5-litre diesel (116 PS/250 Nm)
The transmission options are the same 6-speed manual and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic (for turbo-petrol), as well as 6-speed automatic (for diesel) that make for apt options as per one’s driving style and conditions.
The most substantial mechanical changes relate to recalibrated suspension tuning, which retains the original version’s cushiness; indeed, the suspension calibrators even reigned in the body control to improve the handling feedback that some owners deemed too soft during them enthusiastic cornering.
Practical Enhancements
Practicality is still the key to the Carens’ appeal, and the facelift ushers in some neat additions to make living with this MPV even easier:
Redesigned easy access storage pockets
Extra charging ports with USB-C ports for your convenience, because today’s world does not want our device to die out!
Improved glove box cooling for beverage cooling
Easier-to-use third-row entry and exit system
Stronger interior materials chosen for greater family durability
These tweaks show that Kia has listened to feedback from customers and has a good understanding of how families actually use their vehicles day to day.
Kia Carens facelift:
The Kia Carens facelift is an evolution of a very successful recipe rather than a revolution. By retaining strengths of the original — roomy three row seating, attractive and equipment exterior and a distinct exterior — but addressing some of the areas where it has long lagged the competition,
Kia has shown it can offer a more compelling package that can keep the Sportage competitive in what has grown into a crowded MPV/crossover segment.
“With family buyers looking for cars that satiate their rational – and emotional – needs, we’ve evolved the new Carens to offer enhanced practicality as well as desirability in equal measures.
