Kia Carens Clavis Final Long Term Report: 7000 KM + Of Hassle Free Drives

The Kia Carens Clavis entered the CarDekho garage in October in its diesel manual powertrain, and after it was driven for close to 5000 km, it was replaced with the Clavis turbo-petrol DCT, which was further driven for almost 3000 km. 

I used both versions of the MPV as my personal vehicles for over four months. I used it for work, on shoots, for commutes in Pune, and most importantly, with my family for important events that have happened in the last few months. So, in this final report of the Kia Carens Clavis, I’ve listed down the Pros and Cons of the MPV, which I’ve found in my experience.

PROs

Comfortable For All

One of the most important traits of a big family car is the comfort that it needs to offer. While a lot of MPVs are good in terms of space, comfort is something that not all of them master. Clavis, on the other hand, does give you the best comfort you can ask for in this price.

I drove the Clavis in Pune most of the time. The roads are bumpy, filled with potholes, speedbreakers everywhere, and half of the roads in the city are constantly under construction. The Clavis handled these conditions very well, and the ride quality most of the time remained plush and cushioned.

Even on the highways, during my frequent drives to Mumbai, the Clavis handled itself well. You don’t feel most of the cracks and uneven patches, and the undulations are dealt with limited motion. Even while changing lanes suddenly or while driving in the ghat section of Lonavala, the cabin remains stable.

This means that no matter where you are driving, the movement of passengers inside the cabin will be limited, and whatever movement they do face while inside the city, will be slow and not jerky.

Loads Of Space & Practicality

When I was in Mumbai, I had to chauffeur around my family. Me, my parents, my relatives, and my cousins – seven people inside the Clavis. The space on offer was surprising at first, because everyone got inside with ease, even in the third row, and driving around Mumbai for an hour or two was a piece of cake.

Me and my father in the front, my mother, aunt and uncle in the second row, and my two cousins in the last. Everyone had enough space to sit comfortably, stretch their legs, and enjoy the drives.

In the third row, my tall cousins did feel a little cramped at times, but sliding the second row a bit forward helped them get comfortable. For tall passengers, the third row might not be the best place, but for two average-sized adults (around 5’7”) there is ample space even for long journeys.

Then comes the practicality. Bottle holders in all doors, a big glovebox, storage in the centre armrest, a tray to keep phone in the second row, seat back pockets for second row passengers, and cupholders in the third row. The only thing Clavis misses out on is cupholders in the second row’s centre armrest, and everything else is taken care of.

Even in terms of boot space there is no compromise. With all three rows up, I had enough space to keep two cabin-sized suitcases. This was enough for my solo trips to Mumbai. But for longer trips with more people, I added more space by folding the third row down. 

This gave me enough space to keep the luggage of five occupants. I made a trip from Pune to Chandrapur and back, around 1800 km, with four of us in the Clavis, and there was more than enough space for our four suitcases and small carry-on backpacks.

Great Diesel Fuel Efficiency

On this trip to Chandrapur, we took the diesel manual variant, and it was a great decision. While we did have other cars in the office, and our own vehicles as well, we chose the Clavis diesel for its proven fuel efficiency.

Around 900 km to Chandrapur, which involved driving through ghats, city routes filled with traffic, and the Samruddhi mahamarg expressway, we got a total fuel efficiency of around 17 kmpl on our entire trip.

When we returned after covering 1800 km, we did some calculations, and figured out that we only spent around Rs 9000 on diesel. And when we got back, the Clavis still had a range of around 200 km left. This meant our per kilometer cost was less than Rs 5.

The performance was also a big factor. Driving through ghats required a torque-y engine, which the Clavis diesel has, and on the Samruddhi Mahamarg, it was easily cruising at 120 kmph, which is the speed limit. Getting to high speeds took no time, and maintaining those speeds was not hassle. The Clavis diesel literally proved its worth. 

CONs

Turbo-petrol Mileage Drop

But the satisfaction of high fuel efficiency was short lived as the Clavis diesel was replaced with Clavis turbo-petrol shortly after this trip. This is a powerful engine, and paired with a DCT, it gives a very sporty drive experience which we have seen in the Seltos, Creta, and Verna.

However, in a family MPV, a sporty and exciting drive experience is the last thing I was looking for. The diesel engine used to give me around 12-13 kmpl in the city, and 17-18 kmpl and sometimes even higher on the highways.

With the turbo-petrol DCT, this changed drastically, as on the same routes, I got 8-9 kmpl in the city, and around 12-14 kmpl on the highway. This resulted in my running cost becoming significantly higher and my spendings on fuel became much higher.

See, I love this engine. It is powerful, pushes you back in the seat when you floor, gives you the thrill of driving even such a big car, and the DCT makes things even sportier with its quick shifts. However, to me, this engine does not make much sense in a family MPV. The diesel was powerful enough to challenge any terrain, and I never felt any lack in power or performance. So if you are going for the Clavis, I’d recommend you go for the diesel or even the standard petrol engine for a relaxed driving experience.

Small Issues

Honestly, in my experience, I did not notice major flaws in the Clavis. However, there were some small things that irritated me, and they might do the same to you.

Old Touchscreen UI: Even after being a Rs 20 lakh MPV, the Clavis still comes with the old Kia touchscreen user interface with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. This hurts a little more knowing the Kia Syros, which is a smaller and more affordable SUV that came before the Clavis, gets the new user interface with wireless smartphone connectivity. 

No one likes wires dangling around the cabin, and any small movement can disconnect wired Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

Less Storage Options In 2nd Row: As mentioned above, the second row of the Clavis does not get any cupholders. It does get a tray behind the front passenger seat which comes with one cupholder. However, there is no base for this cup holder, so you cannot put cylindrical cans here, and there is only one tray available, nothing for the passenger sitting behind the driver.

Position Of The Air Purifier Unit: Putting a proper air purifier in a car is always a good decision considering the rising AQI in most cities, and it’s good that the Clavis gets one. However, its position could have been made better. Since it is placed right behind the driver seat, and it is a bulky unit, it reduces knee room for any tall passenger sitting behind the driver.

Also, if it was a smaller unit placed behind the front centre armrest, like in the Hyundai Alcazar, the space behind the driver seat could have been used for another tray.

Verdict

Apart from these issues, there was no major flaw in my experience with the Kia Carens Clavis. This car is truly an all-rounder which has all the features you need in a modern car and all the traits you can ask for in a family MPV.

If you have a big family, if you drive a lot, if you want a comfortable commuter that can take you anywhere without any compromise, then the Kia Carens Clavis is a great option that you should definitely consider. 

Date Of Arrival: 15th October 2025

Kilometres On Arrival: 1940 (Diesel), 2604 (Turbo-petrol)

Kilometres Till Date: 6912 (Diesel), 5411 (Turbo-petrol)

Total Kilometers Driven: 4972 (diesel) + 2807 (Turbo-petrol) = 7779 km

Positives: Spacious, neat design, fuel efficient diesel powertrain

Negatives: Less features with top-spec diesel, low turbo-petrol fuel efficiency