Buy Or Hold: Wait For The 2025 Kia Carens Clavis Or Pick Its Rivals

Although there are a lot of mass-market MPVs already on sale, does the added design premiumness and a loaded feature suite make the Clavis worth the wait?

The 2025 Kia Carens Clavis debuted recently as the carmaker’s second MPV with the Carens nameplate as a more premium rival to the Maruti Ertiga, Toyota Rumion, Maruti XL6 and even the Kia Carens. It gets a lot of design changes and feature updates in comparison to the existing Carens. The Clavis is set to be launched on May 23, 2025.

So, if you are in the market currently for a 3-row MPV, here's a detailed account of whether you should wait for the 2025 Kia Carens Clavis or buy one of its rivals. Let us start with the prices, the details of which are as follows:

All prices are ex-showroom, pan-India

The Kia Carens Clavis is expected to have a starting price of Rs 11 lakh, which will make it fall in the price bracket of its rivals. However, as seen with the Carens, it is expected to have a higher price tag for the top variants.

That said, let us now take a look at whether you should wait for the upcoming MPV or go with one of its rivals.

Maruti Ertiga: BUY for exceptional fuel efficiency and value-for-money

The Maruti Ertiga has been one of the best-selling MPVs in India for a long time owing to its affordable price tag and the exceptional value it has to offer. It gets all the basics sorted right from a refined and efficient 103 PS 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine to essential features including a 7-inch infotainment with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and automatic climate control. It also gets a CNG option for an enhanced fuel efficiency of 26.11 km/kg. If you are looking for a budget-friendly MPV that is frugal, trust worthy and has a decent feature suite, you should buy the Maruti Ertiga.

Toyota Rumion: BUY for shorter waiting periods and an Ertiga-like efficiency

One caveat of the Ertiga’s popularity is the high waiting periods that it commands that ranges up to 3 months this May 2025. In comparison, the Toyota Rumion is more readily available. Moreover, the Rumion comes with the same features and safety suite as the Ertiga, but commands a slightly premium price than the Maruti sibling. So, if you are looking for the same package as the Ertiga, but want the MPV a bit early, you can go for the Toyota Rumion.

Also Read: 2025 Kia Carens Clavis Top-end HTX Plus Variant Gets Only Turbo-petrol Engine

Kia Carens: BUY for a turbo-petrol or diesel engine option

Apart from the upcoming Kia Carens Clavis, the Kia Carens MPV is the only option in its segment to get a diesel engine that is known to provide a good balance between power and fuel efficiency. Moreover, it also gets a turbo-petrol and a naturally aspirated engine options that cater to varied driving needs. That said, Kia recently discontinued all variants of the Carens except the one-over-base Premium (O) trim, meaning that you will have to compromise on a lot of features if you choose the Carens. So, if you want a turbo-petrol or a diesel option and are okay to let go of some features, you can go for the current-spec Kia Carens.

Maruti XL6: BUY for an SUV-like design and captain seats in the 2nd row

The Maruti XL6 is essentially an Ertiga that has a more premium SUV-like premium design and some more features. These additional features include ventilated front seats, 360-degree camera and captain seats in the 2nd row (6-seater layout). It gets the same engine as the Ertiga, but it also gets a cruise control feature with the CNG option, something that is missing on the Ertiga. So, if you want a MPV that looks bold, while not skimping on fuel efficiency or features, you can go for the Maruti XL6.

Kia Carens Clavis: HOLD for A Premium MPV Experience

The Kia Carens nameplate has always been known for offering a premium MPV experience with a lot of segment-best features including powered driver’s seat, sunroof and a digital driver’s display. While the discontinuation of multiple variants from the Carens’ lineup has made it look like a barebones offering on paper, the Kia Carens Clavis is set to launch soon to fill the gap. Like the Carens, it will be a feature-rich offering with amenities including dual 12.3-inch screens, panoramic sunroof, electrically-adjustable driver’s seat and a level-2 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). All of this, with a wide range of engine options, including a turbo-petrol and diesel engine option that also get automatic transmission choices. So, if you want a feature-rich MPV with a varied range of powertrain options, you should wait for the Kia Carens Clavis.

What will you do? Wait for the Kia Carens Clavis or go for one of its rivals? Tell us in the comments below.

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