Kia Carens Clavis Now Gets Automatic In Lower Variants!
The automatic gearbox options will be a great option for people who don't want all the frills in the more expensive variants.
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Kia India has decided to further democratise the automatic transmissions available on the Carens Clavis. Earlier, the DCT and AT gearboxes were available only from the mid HTK Plus variant onwards for the turbo-petrol, while the diesel only got it in the same trim. Now, Kia has decided to make the automatics available from the lower HTE Optional Variant onwards, making it more accessible to urban buyers on a budget. Let’s explore the new variants and the price:
New Automatic Variants And Price
| Variant |
Powertrain |
Transmission |
Price (Ex-showroom) |
| HTE (O) |
1.5-litre turbo-petrol |
DCT |
Rs 14.67 lakh |
| HTE (EX) |
1.5-litre turbo-petrol |
DCT |
Rs 15.22 lakh |
| HTE (O) |
1.5-litre diesel |
AT |
Rs 15.82 lakh |
All prices are ex-showroom pan-India.
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The HTE Optional DCT variant is priced at a premium of Rs 2.33 lakh over the manual gearbox variant. This is because the automatic comes with the 1.5-litre turbo petrol, which is more expensive and powerful than the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol which comes in the manual gearbox variant.
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These new variants also include some added features specific to the automatic powertrain, such as keyless entry with push-button start/stop, an electronic parking brake (EPB) and drive modes.
About The Kia Carens Clavis
The styling is modern and funky without being too offensive or polarising. The L-shaped LED DRLs with the triple LED headlamps give the Carens Clavis its distinctive look.
On the side, the Carens Clavis bears a typical MPV silhouette. The stretched look, the lengthy rear doors and the large windows give it the quintessential people carrier shape.
Over to the rear, the large connected LED tail lamps are an instant giveaway that you’re looking at a Carens Clavis. The tastefully designed rear end also includes a sporty rear spoiler, the Kia badge proudly sat on the centre and a chunky black bumper on the lower half.
Step inside, and the MPV welcomes you with a good sense of airiness thanks to the generous amount of space and light in the cabin. The low-set dashboard aids good visibility and has a well-placed floating dual-screen setup.
Rear seats are the main highlight of the Carens Clavis. Both the 6- and 7-seater configurations get sliding and reclining options, which help you get comfortable and also free up space for the third-row occupants, who will be reasonably comfortable for short journeys.
The top-end variant of the Carens Clavis, comes with a generous list of features including a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. This comes paired with an 8-speaker Bose sound system as well. Meanwhile, the driver also gets a 12.25-inch digital display with customisable modes.
Other highlights include a panoramic sunroof, automatic climate control, connected car technology, and a wireless charger.
Safety package includes safety features like 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, hill-hold control (HHC), tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), ISOFIX child seat mounts, all-wheel disc brakes, integrated dashcam, front and rear parking sensors a 360-degree camera and Level-2 ADAS features.
Powertrain
The Carens Clavis comes with a choice of 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, turbo-petrol and diesel engine options. Powertrain specifications are as follows:
| Engine |
1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol |
1.5-litre turbo-petrol |
1.5-litre diesel |
| Power |
115 PS |
160 PS |
116 PS |
| Torque |
144 Nm |
253 Nm |
250 Nm |
| Transmission |
6-speed MT |
6-speed iMT / 7-speed DCT |
6-speed MT / 6-speed AT |
MT - Manual Transmission, iMT - Intelligent Manual Transmission, DCT - Dual-Clutch Transmission (automatic), AT - Torque Converter (automatic)
The Carens Clavis is set to get a CNG option soon, which will help bring down the running costs for those who use their cars regularly.
Price And Rivals
The Kia Carens Clavis is priced at Rs 11.39 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards. It goes against the likes of the Maruti Ertiga and XL6, Toyota Rumion, and the Toyota Innova Crysta on the upper end.
When it comes to SUVs, the Mahindra XUV 7XO, Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar and the MG Hector are available in the same price bracket.
CarDekho Says…
Until less than a decade ago, automatic gearbox options were reserved for the upper variants of the models. Nowadays, the adoption of automatics has grown to a great extent, making manufacturers provide automatic gearbox options to the lower variants as well. For people looking at a simple car with not many features but with the convenience of an automatic, the Carens Clavis in the HTE variants in automatic guise will make a great option. Moreover, this will also be an attractive option for taxi drivers who predominantly spend time in city traffic.
The new cheaper automatic variant options help it compete against the segment favourite Maruti Ertiga and the XL6.
Would you put the Carens Clavis on top of your car shopping list? Let us know in the comments.
