Kia Carens Clavis

The Kia Carens Clavis is the facelifted version of the Carens. If you’re unaware, the Clavis is a family MPV, just like the Maruti Ertiga. However, while the Maruti positions itself as a budget-friendly MPV that sticks to the basics, the Clavis is for the people who want more creature comforts, more performance, and more overall appeal. 

I’ve spent some time with the Kia Carens Clavis, and its immediate rival and platform sibling, the Hyundai Alcazar, as well. If I were to pick one of these two for my family, it would definitely be the Kia Carens Clavis. But what makes it a better family car, and are there any compromises in its package? Let’s find out:

Clean, unassuming, yet modern and premium. The Kia Carens Clavis is evidently a facelift of the outgoing model, which is still available for sale in its base variant. And while the changes might carry the typical mid-life facelift treatment with fresh lighting setups, tweaked bumpers and new alloy wheels, they deliver a package that makes the Clavis a handsome MPV. 

Unlike its platform sibling (Hyundai Alcazar), which tries to mimic an SUV, the Clavis embraces the MPV bodystyle with a sleek silhouette, clean lines, and a long wheelbase.

The front is dominated by the C-shaped pattern for the LED headlights and DRL elements, which give the Clavis a distinctive look. The LED reflector headlamps have nice detailing and have bright white lighting, both for the low beam and high beam. It gets a blanked-off grille, which makes it look like an EV, but you will find some horizontal air dams on the bumper. I also like the cladding on the lower side, which gives a nice contrast with their satin chrome finish.

In profile, the Clavis shares similarities with the Carens in terms of its overall shape. But the new 17-inch alloy wheels on the top-end models do look fresh and suit the stance of the vehicle. Lower variants get either 15-inch alloy wheels or 16-inch styled steel wheels, depending on the model. 

At the rear, the connected lighting setup looks similar to what you get on other Kia cars like the Sonet and even the Syros. Top variants feature LED elements here, whereas lower variants get halogen bulbs. The new rear bumper design looks rugged too, with similar cladding treatment as the front bumper, and now houses the sole reverse lamp in the centre.

Kia is offering the Carens Clavis in 8 monotone colour options, which include Ivory Silver Gloss, Pewter Olive, Imperial Blue, Glacier White Pearl, Gravity Gray Aurora, Black Pearl, and Clear White. There are no dual-tone colour options on offer with the Carens Clavis. That said, we expect Kia to launch a Carens Clavis X-line model, with a matte grey paint job, soon. 

Design and Quality

Just like the exterior, the Kia Carens Clavis sports a modern and clean-looking dashboard design, most of which is covered up via the dual digital screens. It sports Kia’s new steering wheel design, and the dual-tone treatment also extends to the rims of the steering wheel, which looks premium.

Another premium touch is the switchable touch-sensitive central control panel, which we have seen earlier on the Carnival. It can toggle between media and climate controls. This eliminates the need for a host of buttons, which makes the design look clean. Despite it, there is no compromise in functionality either, as you get knobs for fan and temperature control.

As for the theme, Kia has stuck to a rather unusual blue-beige colour theme for the interior. We’d have preferred to see a more sophisticated black-beige colour theme here, which you only get in the base-mid variants.

The dashboard does not get any soft-touch materials. The top is plastic, which is not hard, but not entirely smooth either. The panel above the AC vents is finished in fabric, but you do get soft-touch leatherette on the door pads, door armrest, central armrest and steering wheel. Overall, the quality is acceptable for the price, but the finish could have been better for a more premium experience.

Front seats

Getting in and out of the Kia Carens Clavis is genuinely effortless. The seat is placed perfectly for you to just slide into it without much effort, and you don’t even have to duck down much.

Driver’s seat height adjustment and tilt-adjustment for the steering is offered as standard on all models of the Carens Clavis. Telescopic steering adjustment is available, but only in the top two variants. As a result, finding a comfortable driving position is fairly easy. The seating itself is very beginner-friendly, which gives the driver a clear view of the edges of the bonnet.

There are no issues in terms of support, and the balanced cushioning maintains comfort on both short and long journeys.

Kia provides a front armrest as standard on all models, making long drives more comfortable, and I had no issues with the overall visibility as well.

Passenger comfort

Second row

The Carens Clavis HTX+ model gets the option of captain seats. All other variants are offered with a bench seat, i.e. in a seven-seater configuration only. With the driver’s seat set for a six-footer, there’s ample amount of knee room, footroom and headroom for another six-foot-tall occupant in the second row. The seats slide and recline as well in case there’s nobody in the last row, and you want to open up more space.

In the bench versions, there’s enough width to accommodate three occupants in the second row comfortably, too. Only taller occupants might feel a lack of support for the upper back in the captain seat version. 

There are many conveniences here, including AC vents with dedicated fan speed control, a foldable tray behind the passenger seat that also houses a cupholder, manual adjustment of the front passenger seat for ‘boss mode’, window sun shades and armrests.

I just wish Kia would have repositioned the air purifier system of the vehicle, which intrudes into the knee room in the second row on the driver’s side, and also takes up the space for the tray. 

Third row

Getting into the third row is very easy thanks to the one-touch tumble functionality in the second row. Simply pressing a button makes the second row move out of the way. In case you’re already inside the vehicle and want to move about, the space in between the seats (in the captain seat version) is more than enough even for adults to do so without any issues. 

Once inside, the third row offers a rather usable space even for tall adults. Even if the second row is pushed all the way back, a 5ft'8 tall adult can sit comfortably without their knees brushing into the seats. Headroom is a bit tight for taller adults, though, and foot room isn’t adequate under the captain seats. You will be far more comfortable keeping one leg in the centre.

The seats can also be reclined for a more leisurely seating posture if the boot isn’t packed to the brim. Overall, it is a row that you won’t have to reserve just for the kids or pets. An adult of average height and build will actually be fairly comfortable travelling in the third row.

Practicality

The Carens Clavis offers more than enough space to store the phones, bottles, and other loose items of the entire family. The front door pockets are generous with space for two 1-litre bottles, one 500-ml bottle and even a slot for an umbrella. For your sunglasses, there’s a retractable slot on the roofliner. The rear door pockets are good enough for a single 1-litre bottle and some wash clothes.

The front armrest has a tiny tray that can be used to store the car’s keys, and the deep cubby hole underneath will happily accommodate your wallet and keys. There’s more storage space in the central area for your phone, and you get twin cooled cupholders too. Kia is offering a chilled glovebox, and the can storage area for the rear occupants is cooled as well.

Second row occupants get seat back pockets, a cupholder in the foldable tray, and a slot below the fan speed control. Even third row occupants get dedicated cup and phone holders.

Charging options

With 5 USB Type-C charging ports, one at the front, and two in every other row, I think there won’t be any fighting over who gets to charge their phone first. There’s also a wireless phone charger, a 12V and USB port for the front passengers. 

Features

Kia offers a lot of features with the new Carens Clavis, and you can check out all the highlights in the table below.

The main 12.3-inch infotainment system operates smoothly, without any lag. The resolution is sharp, and navigating between the different menus is easy too. However, there is no wireless Android Auto or Apple CarPlay here. You have to use a type-A USB cable, which is a bummer. An 8-inch touchscreen is offered in the one above base model [called HTE (O)], which gets wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The other display on offer is the 12.3-inch digital driver’s unit, which features a crisp resolution and snappy graphics. Themes can be linked to the drive modes or the weather. It relays information in a clean manner, and also shows the display for the blind view monitor.

An 8-speaker Bose branded audio system delivers a punchy audio experience. While there is a panoramic sunroof on offer, it is only available with the turbo-petrol engine. 

Overall, the Clavis offers you a good feature package. Yes, it does miss out on things like rear seat ventilation, powered co-driver seat or even 6- or 8-way adjustment for the driver, but not having those features won’t mean that you’re missing out on any real functionality.

While the Kia Carens Clavis does not have a crash test safety rating to its name, the pre-facelift version did receive a three-star rating from Global NCAP. As for features, it gets a lot of equipment as standard, and you can check out all those features in the table below.

Features like a 360-degree camera with blind view monitor, electronic parking brake with auto hold, dual camera dashcam, front parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, rear wiper and washer with rear defogger and Level-2 ADAS features are available in the higher variants.

Its ADAS kit includes features like front collision avoidance assistance, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and high beam assist. These features work well on expressways with proper markings, but you can turn them off, too, if you want, from the infotainment system.

With all rows in place, the Carens Clavis offers 216-litres of space. With the third row folded, 645-litres of space is available.

The third row gets a 50:50 split functionality, whereas the second row can be folded in a 60:40 ratio, making it easy to carry more luggage if required. 

Both the second and the third row fold flat, giving you access to a huge space if needed for transporting larger items such as furniture or appliances.

The Kia Carens Clavis gets a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol, a 1.5-litre diesel engine, and a 1.5-litre NA petrol engine, all of which are available in the Seltos in the exact same tune.

1.5-litre NA Petrol

The NA petrol unit of the Kia Clavis is refined and delivers power smoothly. It is the least powerful engine in the lineup. Don’t expect a fun-to-drive experience, but its performance is adequate for all city commutes and relaxed highway cruising.

City Performance

This engine is meant for city runabouts only. It feels calm and relaxed in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and even overtaking with a full load doesn’t need planning. 

It only gets a manual transmission, which is easy to use with a light clutch action. Finding the release point isn’t tough either, and even new drivers won’t have any trouble using it. 

In the city, you can get a fuel efficiency of around 10-12kmpl.

Highway Performance

As long as you take it easy on the highway, this engine won’t trouble you. It’ll even cruise at triple-digit speeds without being loud or stressed, but if you want quick overtakes at those speeds, that just won’t happen.

It takes time to build speed beyond speeds of 70kmph, and the acceleration further tapers if you have a full load of people in the car. You will have to be patient, downshift, and plan your overtakes accordingly. 

If you’re driving with a light foot and not trying to overtake from time to time, you can expect a fuel efficiency of around 12-14kmpl.

1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine

This engine is the most exciting of the lot. Refinement is good and performance is strong, even with the car fully loaded.

City Performance

With ample performance, this engine feels easy to use in the city. It crawls smoothly from a standstill, doesn’t feel jerky in bumper-to-bumper traffic, but when you need an overtake, it delivers all the power in a strong but linear manner.

The acceleration isn’t overwhelming, but more than adequate for all overtakes in the city. The manual transmission won’t give you any troubles, but if you don’t want to engage the clutch and still want some manual control, you can opt for the clutchless manual transmission (iMT).

However, the dual clutch automatic transmission (DCT) suits the nature of this engine the best. It feels smooth when you’re driving regularly and keeps you in the right gear too. But when you need a quick overtake, all you need to do is flex your right foot, and the transmission drops multiple gears without any hesitation.

For all its performance praises, the turbo-petrol is not great when it comes to fuel efficiency. In heavy city traffic, you might not get an efficiency figure any greater than 10kmpl.

Highway Performance

You will enjoy driving this engine on the highway. It builds speed quickly and continues to do so even beyond the 100kmph mark. Cruising at triple-digit speeds is effortless, and if you’re one to leave the slow-moving traffic on expressways behind and continue on the speed limit, then the DCT will suit you the best

The DCT even gets paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, which can be used to drop a gear just before you’re about to make an overtake. Even with a full load, you will rarely ever have to plan any overtake.

If you’re easy on the throttle and just cruise at speeds of 80-100kmph, you will get a fuel efficiency of around 12-14kmpl.

1.5-litre diesel engine

This is the all-rounder of the Kia Clavis’ powertrain range. You will have to sacrifice on refinement, but it is still pretty good for a diesel. What you will get for that sacrifice is a balance between performance and efficiency.

City Performance

Driving the Kia Carens Clavis diesel in the city is easy. You never have to push the engine to keep pace with the traffic. Most of the torque is available in the lower range of the RPM band; hence, performance is ample for all city commutes and overtakes.

If your usage involves very heavy city traffic, then the manual might not be the right option for you, as the clutch can feel a bit hard and might cause fatigue in those really long traffic jams. The automatic is a good option for convenience with its easy-going nature and smooth shifts.

The diesel engine will return you an efficiency between 12-14kmpl in the city, but this figure can vary depending on how many people you are carrying.

Highway Performance

While this engine won’t feel as exciting and effortless on the highway, it gets the job done. Building and maintaining speeds of 100kmph is easy. If you want a quick overtake at a higher speed, the engine does get a bit loud, but it still has enough power to make a quick move before that overtaking window shuts down.

I would recommend going for the torque converter automatic only, as it offers butter-smooth shifts. In case you’re feeling a bit enthusiastic, you can put the car into Sports mode, wherein the gearbox will hold onto a higher RPM, which allows you to remain in the engine’s peak output band. Otherwise, using the manual won’t be much effort on the highway either. 

Fuel efficiency on the highway with the diesel engine can range between 14-17kmpl.

Overall, the Clavis has multiple engine and transmission pairings, which cater to different needs. If there’s anything missing, it would only be the option of a CNG kit.

Ride Quality

The Kia Carens Clavis has a rather comfortable ride quality. The suspension cushions you over regular speedbreakers and potholes really well. The bump absorption is appreciable even over deeper and sharper imperfections, and the car does not throw its occupants around much. 

Even over rough, non-existent roads, the Clavis maintains comfort while keeping the movement inside the cabin controlled. It feels planted at higher speeds and goes over any sudden undulation or expansion joints really well, too. 

The ground clearance is enough for you to tackle sharp speedbreakers without any stress, but if the car is fully loaded, you might want to drop your speed over such imperfections.

Handling

The Kia Carens Clavis is a family MPV tuned for comfort. Hence, there is noticeable body roll around a corner, and it is best to take things easy if you are on a winding stretch of tarmac with your family in the car. It doesn’t feel unstable or out of control, but your passengers won’t be too happy in the rear. 

That being said, it changes lanes at high speeds with poise and gives you confidence to maintain triple-digit speeds on expressways. Drive it like the family-friendly MPV it is, and you won’t have a thing to worry about.

Which variant of the Kia Carens Clavis is value for money?

The Kia Carens Clavis 2025 is offered in the following variants: HTE, HTE (O), HTK, HTK+, HTK+ (O), HTX and HTX+

Kia Carens Clavis HTE Variant

• This variant is offered only with manual transmission options. Notably, the turbo-petrol engine is not available in this model. 

• Safety isn’t skimped on at all: 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat mounts, electronic stability control, tyre pressure monitoring system are offered. 

• Looks are basic with body coloured bumpers and door handles and halogen lamps. The petrol version gets 15-inch alloy wheels, whereas the diesel gets 16-inch steel wheels.

• On the inside, the focus is on functional features such as seat-height adjustment, tilt-steering, one-touch tumble for the second row and air-conditioning for all three rows.  

Kia Carens Clavis HTE (O)  Variant

• The turbo-petrol engine is available in this variant, but only with a manual transmission. 

• The major additions to the feature list include an 8-inch touchscreen (with Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), a 6-speaker audio system, steering-mounted audio controls and a reverse parking camera. 

Kia Carens Clavis HTK Variant

• The looks are slightly improved with LED daytime running lights, and roof rails on the outside and black-beige dual-tone interiors. 

• There are minor feature additions such as automatic climate control, and front parking sensors. 

Kia Carens Clavis HTK+ Variant

• This is the base version for the automatic variants. 

• A lot of functional features get added here, including powered mirrors with auto fold, rear wiper and washer, keyless entry, push-button start-stop and cruise control. 

• Drive modes are also offered in the automatic models.

Kia Carens Clavis HTK+ (O) Variant

• Looks get an upgrade with 17-inch dual tone alloy wheels. 

• Major feature additions include a single pane sunroof (turbo-petrol and diesel only), wireless charger and electronic parking brake (DCT only).

Kia Carens Clavis HTX Variant

• This variant looks identical to the top model with full-LED headlights, and satin chrome finishes on the bumper. Interior too features a unique beige-navy theme. 

• Feature additions include: swappable panel for climate control, auto-dimming IRVM, tilt-telescopic steering adjust, cooled cup holders (first row) and cooled can holders (second row). An air purifier, 360° camera and a dual dash camera are also offered.

• The infotainment package is significantly better with a 12.3-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital driver’s display. 

• The turbo-petrol version gets a panoramic sunroof in this variant. 

Kia Carens Clavis HTX+ Variant 

• Captain seats are available only in this variant. 

• Feature additions include front seat ventilation, 4-way powered driver’s seat, rain-sensing wipers and an 8-speaker BOSE sound system. 

• Level 2 ADAS with features such as adaptive cruise control, auto emergency braking and blind spot monitoring are available only in the petrol-DCT model. 

CarDekho Recommends

• Those on a tight budget can consider the HTE (O) variant. It offers all the must haves that are expected at the price point. 

• For those wanting an automatic with all the necessary convenience features, the HTK+ variant can be considered. This variant feels like the most value for money overall. 

• The HTX variant is for those seeking a better infotainment experience and a few more feel-good features.

The Kia Carens Clavis takes the typical formula of a family MPV, which revolves around having a practical, versatile and spacious cabin with a comfortable ride quality and adds aspirational traits like modern-day features, hi-tech safety equipment and multiple engine and transmission options to the mix. If you want a car that can seat adults comfortably in all its rows without looking or feeling utilitarian or breaking your bank, then the Clavis is the best option in the market currently.

Other Cars To Consider Instead Of Kia Carens Clavis

Hyundai Alcazar

Reasons to consider

• Packs more features

• Some might prefer its SUV-like looks

• Captain seats offer a better chauffeur driver experience

Reasons to ignore

• Ride quality isn’t as comfortable with the 18-inch alloys

• Limited space in the third row

• No option of a naturally aspirated petrol engine