[RahulNagaraj]

The Kia Carens was launched in India last month. The all-new 7-seater offering from the South Korean car brand has gotten off to a good start, recording 50000 bookings already.

The Carens carries forward the same engine and transmission options as its siblings. This includes a 1.5-litre NA petrol, a 1.5-litre diesel and a more powerful 1.4-litre turbo-petrol unit. To make matters more confusing, all three engine options are offered across most variants, while being priced competitively.

So, if you were to buy the Kia Carens, which engine option would you pick & why?



Starting off with the petrol, the Kia Carens comes with 2 options - the first is the 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol producing 113 BHP and 144 Nm, while the second is the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol unit churning out 138 BHP and 242 Nm. Both engine options come with a standard 6-speed manual transmission, while the T-GDI unit is offered with an optional 7-speed DCT automatic transmission.



The powerful turbo-petrol gives the Carens AT very long legs. It is punchy and fast on the expressway and will keep petrol-heads happy. Floor the accelerator and you'll see a bit of torque steer too. The mid-range is strong as is typical of turbo engines; this is very helpful during overtaking. The combination of this engine, smooth gearbox, light steering, excellent ergonomics, properly placed dead pedal and good frontal visibility make the Carens a breeze to drive. Read the full official review of the Kia Carens - here.



Coming to the diesel, the Kia Carens features a 1.5-litre unit producing 113 BHP and 250 Nm. It is paired with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission unit.

GTO recently drove the diesel-powered Kia Carens and here's what he had to say. "Excellent ride quality + space packaging + useable 3rd seat row + dashboard design + features + front styling. Drove the Diesel MT and found it practical as well as efficient. Power is adequate but will be strictly okay with 7 people on board". Read GTO's review on the Kia Carens diesel MT - here.

[GTO]

Wouldn't go for the 1.5L NA as it's the least impressive engine of the bunch. Doesn't make sense unless you are restricted by budget.

Between the turbo-diesel and turbo-petrol, the answer is simple. High running & quest for reliability = the diesel. Lower running & faster performance = the petrol.

I would personally go for the diesel as I have a heavy right foot, and turbo-petrol ATs guzzle like crazy at high rpm. I'm also not convinced about the long-term reliability of the DCT. Lastly, I feel a Diesel AT just suits a 7-seater more than a petrol.

In traffic, I prefer the low speed smoothness of a torque-converter to the inconsistent behaviour of a DCT. So, there you go.

[CEF_Beasts]

I would go with the 6 speed manual with the 1.4L turbo petrol and TC 6 speed automatic with the 1.5L Diesel.

As an all-rounder my choice would be the diesel.

[AutoNoob]

Originally Posted by RahulNagaraj

Drove the Diesel MT and found it practical as well as efficient. Power is adequate but will be strictly okay with 7 people on board".

Diesel anyday for me.
1. Excellent drivability
2. Better economics

As far as performance with 7 people on board, I try to think of usage pattern. How many times I'll be carrying 7 people ? If it's occasional then this engine is adequate.

[axe_deo]

I have not driven the carens. But still, I would prefer the diesel engine. Had the 2.0 NA petrol been on offer as in Alcazar I would have opted for that instead.
Why don't Hyundai/Kia offer the 1.6 TGDI engine which is available across their lineups internationally. It would have been apt for the cars like Alcazar/Elantra/Carens.

[neeraj08]

I test drove Carens Diesel AT before I got home the Petrol DCT. The 1.4 Turbo petrol of-course feels eager than the diesel when you drive it in traffic. The car just wants to get up and run when you take the foot off the brakes. Diesel AT launches sedately from a standstill if you compare it with that. The gearshifts are smoother too in the petrol DCT.
All in all, the petrol motor suited our needs given the not so high mile munching, and hence we went for it.

Diesel AT :
+ Refined engine
+ Meant for sedate driving
+ Good fuel efficiency
Turbo Petrol DCT :
+ Even more refined than the diesel
+ Lets you have fun while driving
+ Drinks more fuel than diesel

[deetjohn]

For Carens, my variant of choice is the Prestige Plus.

And Kia' best powertrain is the 1.5 Diesel AT.

But the D AT is restricted to the top variant. And at that price point, there are better options to chose from in the market.

So, it is not that clear cut.

[achintatri]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

For Carens, my variant of choice is the Prestige Plus.

And Kia' best powertrain is the 1.5 Diesel AT.

But the D AT is restricted to the top variant. And at that price point, there are better options to chose from in the market.

So, it is not that clear cut.

Hi @deetjohn, you have mentioned that Kia Carens diesel AT which is available in the top variant only, has better alternatives in the market. Could you please help me what alternative is available in the market at this price point that gives 6/7 seater Diesel AT with 6 airbags and other safety features?

Thanks in advance.

Best Regards,
Achint

[amol4184]

I like diesels and now a days prefer AT. But Kia has put that section of buyers in a difficult situation - shell out 21L for top end or get something else.

That is a difficult pill to swallow and hardly a VFM the way lower end variants are. No way I am going to spend 20L+ for bland looking car with puny wheels.

With that said, they have also limited choice for 1.5NA by not offering AT of any type. Hesitantly I will go for mid-spec 1.4 turbo with DCT. Thankfully my mileage/month is low so scary FE will not matter much. The DCT remains a concern but may be it will hold better than infamous units in VW.

[the.dogfather]

Voted for the 1.5 Diesel, for the more reliable TC AT option along better fuel efficiency and low end torque.

Also taking into consideration that the 1.4 Turbo Petrol and 1.5 Diesel are priced the same, diesel gives immediate saving even with the diminishing price difference in the fuel prices.

Low/mid variants with the AT would be welcome.

[TT-S]

Voted for 1.4 DCT, as my running will be less than 10K KM per year, car will be mostly self driven and only single occupancy most of the time, hence should have a spirited powertrain.

1.4 DCT should be more easy to drive up on the hills with full load, and the DCT I feel is less riskier to manage than DPF equipped diesel engine whether its crawling traffic or short city runs.

If automatic was not a consideration, the diesel would have been my choice.

[padmrajravi]

Diesel AT will be my pick. I am still not convinced about the DCT and will not touch one yet. I think concerns about low power in Carens diesel are overrated. In my opinion, It has enough to cover both city and highway use cases.

[84.monsoon]

Voted 1.5 NA Petrol. For city drives, this engine is butter smooth and noiseless in other similar Hyundai/Kia applications. (Though there are no reviews yet of this engine in the Carens). There is no turbo lag and low end grunt is very good. For highway drives, this engine will struggle when asked to put on a sudden burst of speed after slowing down, but the overall linear acceleration is very good and better than the Diesel (0-100 in 11.5 seconds based on Kia figures). The engine delivers excellent fuel economy for its size and is a proven powertrain with less complexity as compared to the 1.4 turbopetrol. Finally, the value equation is incredible on the 1.5 NA Prestige variant - pricing such a loaded car under 10 lakhs does not happen often in the industry! This pricing is hatchback territory for the kind of safety and convenience features on offer, which even top variants of competing cars in that segment do not offer.

[Nithesh_M]

Voted for the 1.5NA. It should be adequate for a people mover. Unless all your trips are fully loaded then go for the turbo petrol or diesel. I find the 1.5NA on my Creta decent performer. Its frugal and economical and on the highway runs manages to return 17 to 18kmpl fully loaded with ac on.

[vivekkp]

I would pick up the Diesel MT on any given day. I feel this is the most practical option according to my daily usage.