Kia Carens Premium Variant Analysis: Should You Consider The Base Variant?

Modified On Feb 28, 2022 05:30 PM By Sonny for Kia Carens

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It gets six airbags and one-touch electric tumble seats in the middle row as standard

The introductory prices for the Kia Carens surprised a lot of people as they even undercut the Seltos compact SUV. It is a well-equipped offering and a serious contender in the MPV segment. The Carens can be seen as a premium alternative to the likes of the Maruti Ertiga without having the budget excessively. But is the most affordable base-spec model good value? Let’s find out.

Variant	1.5-litre petrol	1.4-litre turbo-petrol	1.5-litre diesel
Premium	Rs 8.99 lakh	Rs 10.99 lakh	Rs 10.99 lakh
Stretch to Prestige	Rs 9.99 lakh	Rs 11.99 lakh	Rs 11.99 lakh
Difference	Rs 1 lakh	Rs 1 lakh	Rs 1 lakh

Why consider Carens Premium?

One of the strongest characteristics of the Kia Carens is its standard safety package. It comes with six airbags, stability control, hill assist, ISOFIX, and a tyre pressure monitor in every variant, making the base-spec Carens Premium easily worth considering. This trim also comes with electric one-touch tumble function for the second row of seats, semi-leatherette upholstery and a height adjustable driver’s seat. It offers the most value with the 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines.

These Are The Top 10 Features That Come On The Kia Carens

Here are the features on offer in this trim:

	Exterior	Interior	Comfort and convenience	Infotainment	Safety
Highlight features	Halogen lighting 15-inch steel wheels (1.5P) 16-inch steel wheels (1.4T and 1.5D)	2nd row one-touch electric tumble Semi-leatherette upholstery Height adjustable driver’s seat	Manual AC Roof integrated AC vents for 2nd and 3rd row seats	7.5-inch LCD instrument cluster	6 airbags ESC, VSM Hill assist Downhill brake control ISOFIX
Other features	Body coloured bumpers	60:40 split fold 2nd row 50:50 split fold 3rd row Front armrest	Power sockets 5 USB Type C ports		ABS Rear parking sensors Tyre pressure monitor Disc brakes all around
Upgrade to Prestige if you want	Shark fin antenna Integrated roof rails	Passenger seat back pockets Retractable tray and cup holders	Keyless entry Power-adjustable ORVMs with LED turn indicators	8-inch touchscreen infotainment system Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay 12.5-inch LCD cluster	Rearview camera

Why skip the Carens Premium?

While we appreciate Kia’s initiative in offering an extensive set of safety features as standard, the base-spec Carens misses out on too many basic features to be an easy car to live with. On top of that, the premium for the turbo-petrol or diesel engine options is steep, and their prices are even harder to justify for what this variant offers. We’d recommend you stretch your budget to the Prestige variant for a better Carens package.

Variant	Verdict
Premium	Well-equipped for safety but lacks other basics, preferable to skip to the next variant.
Prestige	Best variant with the 1.5-litre petrol-manual, worth considering on a tight budget.
Prestige Plus	Recommended for premium features that add value for the price. It is also the entry-level petrol-automatic option.
Luxury	All the premium comforts you’d need but for a steep premium.
Luxury Plus	Buy for 6-seater layout and choice of diesel-automatic.