[ImranHyd]

Originally Posted by CityFamilyCar

1. ISG (Idle Stop and Go) issue 1 - In the AT version, we need to keep the brake pedal depressed to ensure that ignition stays off in a red light.
...

I too have D AT version (Aug 2022). I never noticed this feature. How should I know if I have ISG or was it introduced in newer versions?

[nightfury95]

Hi,

Long time Team BHP follower and first-time poster. Thanks to the moderators for welcoming me into this wonderful community.

I am planning to buy the Kia Carens as a family car. It will replace a 12 year old Innova which has served well and is still going strong after 175000 km but has started to show age and I felt it would be the right time to have another family car with more modern features but a little smaller and practical. The first thought was to go for the new Innova Hycross as it is the undisputed leader in the MUV segment but the waiting time of almost 2 years is a big let down and I have plans to buy the updated Thar down the road this year so dropped the idea and stuck to a budget of under 20L (ex-showroom).

After considering a few models, the deciding factor was how roomy the car is for carrying 7 passengers. Most of the driving will be done by my dad as I live abroad but travel back and forth every quarter. The new MG Hector Plus 7, Hyundai Alcazar and XUV700 were considered along with the Carens. The final say was between the Alcazar and Carens but the family liked the Carens better since it was more practical and roomy after taking a look at the car in the showroom.

I feel Kia powertrain options are confusing and the trim levels available in combination with the powertrain options complicate the choices even further. Personally, I am not a fan of DCT since my disappointing ownership experience with a Golf GTI. I have driven my friend's Seltos 1.4 with DCT and it did perform well out on the open road but was not really impressed by the performance inside the city plus the Bangalore traffic didn't help either and he complained that the transmission overheated a few times in the time he has owned the car. So the DCT option was out of the picture. I was offered a test drive when I went to check the Carens where I reside since it is available here too but the test car came with a CVT which was of no help but I liked the car overall, roomy with a lot of headroom (majority of my family members are tall and this was a criteria) and practical features perfect for the family.

I would love some feedback from fellow Carens owners about the choice of the powertrain that would be perfect since the car is going to carry 4 adults every time it is used. Currently, the choice is between the 1.5 Diesel AT and 1.5 TGdi with iMT. I have a 2013 i20 with 1.4 Crdi MT and never had a single issue in the engine over the 10 years I have owned the car after clocking around 130000 km that shows the reliability of the engine so the similar 1.5CRdi should be a no brainer but with the updated engines I have a few concerns. A few things I would like to know from the owners of Carens with diesel engine:

1. How is the performance with a fully loaded car? Is there a lack of power for highway rides and occasional hill station drives?
2. Have read about a few DPF issues in the forum but with the updated BS6.2 variant that comes with ADBlue, are the problems resolved?
3. The car won't be in continuous use the majority of the time (50km weekly at most if used) and I'm not concerned about the long-term cost saving so is diesel the right choice?

My other choice is the 1.5 TGDi. From my experience of driving my friend's car with the old 1.4 variant, it had plenty of power and was refined. This should suit the Carens better but since the DCT is not considered, iMt is my current choice with the petrol engine (if it had an MT option, would have gone with it). Plus the the Luxury Plus 7 variant is cheaper by 1.55L than the equivalent Diesel AT trim, feel this is a better value for money.

1. How reliable is the iMT? Having read it is easy to get used to and very convenient, does it perform well out in the real world?
2. How is the power delivery through the iMT? Is there a noticeable lag or any jerkiness when the power is delivered?
3. Performance on slopes? Kia is very vague about the presence of hill assist so it is good to know if I should be aware of any.

I'm planning to test drive both the Diesel AT and iMT Petrol variants in the coming week so that should give me a final idea but I would like to know your ownership experience since that would be a lot helpful in what I should look out for in the long run. Thanks.

[idoctor]

Originally Posted by nightfury95

1. How is the performance with a fully loaded car? Is there a lack of power for highway rides and occasional hill station drives?
2. Have read about a few DPF issues in the forum but with the updated BS6.2 variant that comes with ADBlue, are the problems resolved?
3. The car won't be in continuous use the majority of the time (50km weekly at most if used) and I'm not concerned about the long-term cost saving so is diesel the right choice?

Own a Prestige Plus Diesel MT and have clocked 70000+ till date since Apr 2022. Car is ok with 4 people on board but if there is luggage apart from the 4 souls, it is underpowered and also if more than 4 passengers on board.

No experience with iMT. No DPF issues till date. I feel diesel is not a very good option in 2024 if you plan to keep the car for long since you may not have a very good resale value when the time comes to bid goodbye to it looking at the current scenario with our transport minister giving different scenarios in his speeches.

One advice before buying, test drive the exact same variant which you intend to buy. I made the mistake of test driving diesel AT and going in for diesel MT. If I would have test driven diesel MT, probably would have had gone for Turbo Petrol variant.

[furyrider]

Originally Posted by vvs29

I'm confused between the Prestige and Prestige Plus

So wanted to ask, if there is any significant drawback in terms of reliability or maintenance in going for manual AC. Also, will I be missing out on any subtler points when going for the prestige variant (like resale value, difficulty in sourcing parts in case of issues since this variant does not seem to be that popular, etc.)

If the 1.5 lakh difference is not an issue for you, I would suggest you to get the Prestige Plus. You will get Automatic climate control and rear wash/wipe. As you have mentioned, the rest of the kit you get for the price is a bonus for you.

I had a car with manual AC and never felt the need for having the need for ACC until I used one. You set the temperature and forget about the AC where as in my old car with manual AC, I always ended up fiddling with the AC controls to maintain the right temperature. ACC is very convenient during long drives. Also, the rear door of the Carens is a dirt magnet during rains. The rear glass picks up a lot of dirt leading to reduced visibility. The rear wiper is a must if you intend to take the car out on the highway during the monsoon. I have attached an image of my car below for reference.

I am not sure why you felt the lower variants are not popular, but where I live, almost half of the Carens I spot on the road are Prestige variants. In fact, Prestige Plus is pretty rare in my place. It is always Premium/Prestige or Lux+. You will have no difficulties sourcing parts for the manual AC if you pick up the Prestige variant.

Originally Posted by sou_3749

Go for prestige plus. Most important safety feature for a big car is rear defogger and wiper washer which is missing in prestige. The price difference is only 1.5lk but you will get additional stuff of atleast 2.5lk.

+1 to this. This is the reason why. I am not sure if the picture does justice, but the rear glass is a lot worse in reality.

[CityFamilyCar]

Originally Posted by ImranHyd

I too have D AT version (Aug 2022). I never noticed this feature. How should I know if I have ISG or was it introduced in newer versions?

This got introduced in the newer BS6 models. I think from April 2023.

[vvivek85]

Originally Posted by nightfury95

Hi,

Long time Team BHP follower and first-time poster. Thanks to the moderators for welcoming me into this wonderful community.

I have booked Luxury plus DCT and waiting for the car allotment here are my 2 cents. If your running is on the higher side, you can go for Diesel; I didn't test-drive diesel so can't comment.

Petrol, I drove iMT and DCT here is my feedback.

- iMT - Full marks to Hyundai / Kia for coming up with this technology. The main concern in the manual is holding the clutch, which is eradicated here. You just slot the gear and the car will gradually move. I drove the car with 7 on board, and no lag whatsoever. But you still have to slot the gear manually, which was a downer for me.

- DCT - The gear change was so seamless one can't feel anything inside the car and more importantly I know it is strange mileage based on MID, DCT gave better mileage than iMT, and I drove in the same route. Coming to the DCT issue, even I am kind of skeptical now, based on my limited research plan is to move the car to N whenever the car is at a halt for a long time, but only time will tell.

[nightfury95]

Originally Posted by idoctor

Own a Prestige Plus Diesel MT and have clocked 70000+ till date since Apr 2022. Car is ok with 4 people on board but if there is luggage apart from the 4 souls, it is underpowered and also if more than 4 passengers on board.

No experience with iMT. No DPF issues till date. I feel diesel is not a very good option in 2024 if you plan to keep the car for long since you may not have a very good resale value when the time comes to bid goodbye to it looking at the current scenario with our transport minister giving different scenarios in his speeches.

One advice before buying, test drive the exact same variant which you intend to buy. I made the mistake of test driving diesel AT and going in for diesel MT. If I would have test driven diesel MT, probably would have had gone for Turbo Petrol variant.

Originally Posted by vvivek85

I have booked Luxury plus DCT and waiting for the car allotment here are my 2 cents. If your running is on the higher side, you can go for Diesel; I didn't test-drive diesel so can't comment.

Petrol, I drove iMT and DCT here is my feedback.

- iMT - Full marks to Hyundai / Kia for coming up with this technology. The main concern in the manual is holding the clutch, which is eradicated here. You just slot the gear and the car will gradually move. I drove the car with 7 on board, and no lag whatsoever. But you still have to slot the gear manually, which was a downer for me.

- DCT - The gear change was so seamless one can't feel anything inside the car and more importantly I know it is strange mileage based on MID, DCT gave better mileage than iMT, and I drove in the same route. Coming to the DCT issue, even I am kind of skeptical now, based on my limited research plan is to move the car to N whenever the car is at a halt for a long time, but only time will tell.

Thank you guys for your input.
I went for a test drive today. Got in touch with my Kia dealer earlier last week and requested to test drive two models of the Carens and they arranged all the cars promptly for my convenient date at the dealership. They did offer to bring the car home but said could only get one vehicle at a time and I didn't want to create a big hassle for either doing it for multiple days so I asked if they could just have the vehicles ready at the showroom and the salesperson I am dealing with made sure all the variants were available at the said time. I test-drove the Diesel AMT, Petrol iMT and Petrol DCT (it was a last-minute choice).

I ended up test-driving all three models along with my dad who took turns mid-way. We had another two of our family members along with the salesperson so the car was almost fully loaded which gave a good real-world use scenario for my case. I finalised my booking for the DCT variant.

A little ironic since I said DCT was out of the picture but I was surprised too after my final decision. Why?

-The model I drove first was the iMT petrol variant. Found it as a nifty solution if you want the fun of driving a manual but don't want the hassle of pressing the clutch. It was easy to get used to from the get-go after figuring out the sensitive brake pedal and the little delay in power delivery after pressing the accelerator. I was sold on the variant but waited to make a decision.

-Second was the 1.5 Diesel Auto. Coming right after driving the petrol, first thing I noticed was the lack of power but it does get going once the turbo kicks in and the torque felt healthy but was nowhere near as nippy and responsive as the petrol. Surely does struggle to get going initially with the car full and not the best option if the car is going to be full. The engine did feel very refined and the cabin felt quite silent. Long-term thoughts about changing regulations and fuel prices becoming similar plus the car won't be used too frequently made me drop the diesel option right away.

-Finally, got to drive the Petrol DCT variant. My friend suggested me to try the DCT too since the previous three days I spent driving my friend's Seltos 1.4 Turbo petrol DCT while attending a wedding in Bangalore giving a little heads up on what to look out for and comparing the new 1.5 powertrain in the Carens. With the recent experience, I set out for the test drive and the getaway felt smooth and just normal like a torque converter automatic, unlike the slightly jerky getaway I felt with my friend's Seltos. I chatted with the salesperson while driving and he was quite honest saying the older DCT from the 1.4 was not refined at lower speeds and had a few issues but this is not the case with the ones in the 1.5 variants. He also told me I could do a more brief test drive to see how I felt with a few more minutes in the car so I took a little longer route with few signals, a little highway distance and the moderate Chennai traffic gave it a bit of test and I did feel the difference, the gear shifts felt seamless all the way and even at lower speeds which are DCTs vain(the Carens tuning seems to be on the gentle side rather than sporty). Swapped mid-way with my Dad taking over the wheels to drive back to the dealership and within a few minutes he said "This doesn't feel like the horrible VW you had" which was bitter but also honest words and he liked the convenience of the automatic and not wanting to still shift without a clutch so this sold me on the DCT variant. Dad is going to be using it the majority of the time so his thoughts were the priority.

Coming to DCT concerns, even though decided I did think for a while before making the final booking.
-The ownership experience with my VW Gold GTI was quite a mess. I replaced two gearboxes under warranty within the first 10000km and I don't never pushed the car to its max. The initial one failed due to electrical issues while it was parked and the second one due to overheating while on the highway and my Dad was driving it so it sums up his feelings about my VW. The third one lasted without issues till I sold after a year of ownership but was jerky and did have transmission fluid cooling issues which got corrected by an aftermarket part and a small remapping.
-I drove my friend's Seltos initially when it was kind of new and drove again after two years again this time which was already at 6 digit odometer reading. He said he learned to live with the initial jerks but hasn't experienced overheating issues after the couple of initial ones and mentioned very heavy traffic may be an issue which won't be a problem for me since I live in the outskirts of the city and won't be experiencing a lot of traffic daily. Seeing the car that has held up well over the last four years, did give me a bit of a relief it was quite reliable. So it did make my decision easier, while the iMT felt good but the automatic just felt more convenient considering the idea of clutch is not present in both cases. Slotting the gear into N or P in an automatic gearbox during a long halt is always a good practice whether is a TC or DCT. The torque converter is still better and more reliable for day-to-day use but it here had to go for the option available. Like you said Vivek, only time will tell.

Ended up booking the Luxury Plus 7 1.5 T-GDI DCT variant and got a promised delivery window between March 3rd and 4th week. Now got to wait for the car.
A very good observation, Carens is really spacious for a small-looking car from the outside and even the third row felt comfortable for a tall adult.

[07CR]

Originally Posted by nightfury95

[*]How reliable is the iMT? Having read it is easy to get used to and very convenient, does it perform well out in the real world?[*]How is the power delivery through the iMT? Is there a noticeable lag or any jerkiness when the power is delivered?[*]Performance on slopes? Kia is very vague about the presence of hill assist so it is good to know if I should be aware of any.[/list]I'm planning to test drive both the Diesel AT and iMT Petrol variants in the coming week so that should give me a final idea but I would like to know your ownership experience since that would be a lot helpful in what I should look out for in the long run. Thanks.

I own a 2021 Sonet Turbo P HTX iMT. I also have a Seltos GT Line DCT (Facelift 2023). Answers to your questions-

1) iMT is very easy to get used to. The gearshift is pinky finger light and the car never stalls come what may. Been using for 2.5 years now, it has been an excellent experience.
2) 95% times its spot on. You rev it, shift gear, rev again and the cycle goes on. For remaining 5% if you would be extremely aggressive with shifts, you might face slight resistance from gearshifts. Even for hard acceleration it doesn't disappoint. It's just that you are repeatedly shifting at 4+ K Rpm, at that instance this gearshift shows a little lag.
3) My car gets the hill start assist feature. iMT performs like any car on steep inclines, hill start assist makes it even more easier. Carens Luxury plus too gets it.

That said, having extensively considered the Carens DCT turbo before buying Seltos GT Line DCT (and my experience of same engine gearbox combo in Seltos), I would suggest to go with Turbo DCT. This engine is best enjoyed with the DCT. You also get drive modes, which will help you tune your driving further. Hyundai-Kia DCTs have been far more reliable than VW-Skodas, and the support provided by their SVCs is also way better. Kia has also added ISG to Carens and Seltos now, so that should take gear of gearbox even in bumper to bumper traffic. Also if you are stuck in dense traffic for a lot of time, just make sure to shift to neutral, and you should be ok.

Edit- Just saw that you went with DCT. Good choice, happy revving!

[kaustavguha]

I have a question for the Carens Luxury/Luxury(O)/Luxury Plus owners.

Do you think the headlights are enough for highways at night? I personally am facing quite a lot of issues regarding this.

Did a lot of research on the internet, and the best solution seems to be to get an auxiliary light installed, but I have concerns regarding the warranty being void.

Any suggestions?

[ImranHyd]

Originally Posted by ImranHyd

Thanks. I did raise the issue on Twitter with Kia India and they replied back asking for details. They opened a ticket and I requested them for the part (DPF Assembly) to be made available.

Is there any other better way to contact them or escalate the issue?

Finally the problem seems to be resolved.

After escalating with Kia over Twitter multiple times, I finally got a response from the SC to give back the car to resolve the issue.

During the last couple of months, the jerks had increased. The moment I moved leg away from accelerator, the car used to jerk. Sometimes, the car didn't even respond to accelerator pedal.

I had to give the car for 4 working days. SA reported that the mechanics at first cleaned the fuel injectors and the exhaust, collected the telemetry data and sent it over to Kia. After approval, they replaced the DPF assembly.

Now the car is smooth to drive. No jerks during gear change or when removing pressure from the accelerator (What is antonym of depressing?). Now need to look out for mileage after driving few tank-fulls.

I suspect the problem to be either with Indian Oil XtraGreen (it has bio-fuel) or the gas station where I used to get it.

The SA reported that there were 3 more cars having the same issue and the DPF assembly is being replaced for them. This looks like a pretty common problem with Kia Diesel vehicles. I guess people need to look out for this factor too before purchasing Kia diesel vehicles.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by ImranHyd

I suspect the problem to be either with Indian Oil XtraGreen (it has bio-fuel) or the gas station where I used to get it.

The SA reported that there were 3 more cars having the same issue and the DPF assembly is being replaced for them. This looks like a pretty common problem with Kia Diesel vehicles. I guess people need to look out for this factor too before purchasing Kia diesel vehicles.

I would recommend that you stick to regular diesel and preferably from reputed fuel bunks. The additive laced diesel have not gone well with the Kia diesel since pre-BS6 launch days and had been discussed at length on the Seltos thread back in the day.

[blogslogger]

Originally Posted by mahesh27

I drove from Bangalore to Chennai last night, it was raining all through. I stopped for food after about 4 hrs, and was unable to lock the car with the keyless entry button on the driver side door handle. Every time I tried, I heard a long beep but nothing happened..So I ended up locking using the remote on the key. This morning I am able to lock the car again normally without any issues. Would anyone know what might have caused the glitch last night and should I be worried?

I had the same issue. The problem was my wife was carrying the spare key and left it in the car. Please do check if you have the spare key in the car as well as that would not allows you to lock the doors.

[quasimodo]

Hi all,
Apologies if this has already been asked in this thread-

I am a satisfied owner of a 10-month-old Kia Carens 1.5T-GDI 7DCT Luxury Plus 7. There are lots of good things to talk about- Luxurious interiors, humongous space, and an incredible DCT transmission. However, I am facing two issues with my car (neither serious)-
1. When I start to reverse my car from my covered parking after having parked for a long time (3 to 7+ days), I get a thud before the car moves. Almost feels like there was a lever or a rock that was kept to stop the car from rolling backwards. I have heard about rainwater getting in which can cause the issue but my parking is covered and it has not been raining in Mumbai. Anyone else faced the issue and how did you resolve it?
2. When I retract the inside cover (not the external glass but the inside softcover) of the sunroof, sometimes water falls from the roof. While the parking is covered, I realize that this could be water that was logged during the daily cleaning of the car. But it's quite unacceptable that there will be seepage of water from the roof in a car that costs 22L OTR. Anyone else has faced the issue and how did you go about resolving it? Thanks so much in advance.

[85kmph]

Originally Posted by quasimodo

1. When I start to reverse my car from my covered parking after having parked for a long time (3 to 7+ days), I get a thud before the car moves. Almost feels like there was a lever or a rock that was kept to stop the car from rolling backwards. I have heard about rainwater getting in which can cause the issue but my parking is covered and it has not been raining in Mumbai. Anyone else faced the issue and how did you resolve it?

I have experienced the exact same issue, especially during monsoons in Mumbai. Mine is a Kia Carens 1.5 D AT. only difference is that I get the this sound when I start to move forward in my parking. Haven't heard it recently in the past couple of months at least. I thought it must be the disc brakes that get rusty during monsoons.

[Knightrider]

Originally Posted by quasimodo

Hi all,

1. When I start to reverse my car from my covered parking after having parked for a long time (3 to 7+ days), I get a thud before the car moves. Almost feels like there was a lever or a rock that was kept to stop the car from rolling backwards. Anyone else faced the issue and how did you resolve it?

Originally Posted by 85kmph

I have experienced the exact same issue, especially during monsoons in Mumbai. Mine is a Kia Carens 1.5 D AT. only difference is that I get the this sound when I start to move forward in my parking.

Yes, even I have experienced the same, whenever the car has been parked for many days. I hope it is normal.