The Kia Carens has been a popular MPV in India ever since its launch. The car tapped a segment that had a lot of potential but never saw a good product in the market. Something that is more premium than the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga or the Maruti Suzuki XL6, but not as expensive or big as the Toyota Innova Crysta. The Kia Carens filled that gap in 2022 when it was first launched in our market. After three years and lakhs of sales, Kia updated the Carens with the Kia Carens Clavis and the Clavis EV last year.
The Kia Carens Clavis came with a modernised design, updated tech, and more premium elements to the cabin and the overall look and feel of the Kia Carens. The Kia Carens Clavis was one of the first modern MPVs that I thought looked good enough to even drive around in. It looks decent and has all the features – but is it a good car to own? We got in touch with Kia India and got our hands on the Kia Carens Clavis to spend a couple of weeks with the car and in this review, I will answer just that question – does the Kia Carens Clavis justify the premium over the likes of the Maruti Suzuki XL6 or are you better off saving some money? Let’s find out!
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Kia Carens Clavis Review – Styling and Design
Starting with how the Kia Carens Clavis looks, the silhouette of the car is that of a typical MPV. The shape and size will tell you that this is a 6 or 7-seater MPV from a distance. However, the Kia Carens Clavis looks different than the crowd. It looks good. I like how the car has all the modern design and styling elements with the aggressive front, the modern rear-end, and a very easy-to-the-eye side profile.
I especially like how the Carens Clavis looks from the front. Kia’s latest design language is on display with this face. We are getting the triangular LED setup with the connecting LED DRLs. The headlights are below the inverted V-shaped DRLs, and the front bumper with its dual-tone claddings gives this front a slightly bulky look. There aren’t many lines and angles running through the front and this has a plain design for both the bonnet and the quarter panels.
The side profile is that of a typical MPV, but the Kia Carens Clavis has its own distinct silhouette with a very edge and angular shape, but in an MPV form factor. The rear also looks modern. We are getting connected tail-lamps with the sharp C-shaped tail lamps. There isn’t much to talk about here, apart from the fact that the rear part of the car comes together really well and nothing seems out of place.
The only thing about the design that I feel looks a little off is the wheel size. The Kia Carens Clavis comes with 17-inch alloy wheels as standard, but the wheel arches are huge and this car would have done great with 18-inch wheels. Apart from that, the Kia Carens Clavis is probably one of the best looking MPV in its segment. While I would get some flack from the car community for saying this, but from a pure design perspective, the Kia Carens Clavis even looks better than the Innova Crysta.
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Kia Carens Clavis Review: Interior and Comfort
Coming to the interiors and comfort, this is also an area where the Kia Carens Clavis really justifies its value. The cabin is not only spacious, it is premium. Not only in terms of what we get, but also the quality of materials, the fit and finish of everything, and the layout of the cabin just feels like a nice place to be in. The seats are nice and plush with proper cushioning and it is a comfortable place to be in. It is the driver’s seat that has a little confusing adjustment and finding the perfect placement for my seat was a bit of a tricky affair.
However, once you find your best-suited seating position, the Carens Clavis is a very good car to be in. I especially like the fabric trim on the dashboard with the thin aluminium strip running from the middle, along with the ambient light coming from the bottom of the fabric trim, it is a well-designed dashboard that doesn’t look bad from any angle.
The second row is where most buyers will spend their time, and the Carens Clavis delivers here. There is generous legroom and headroom, the floor is almost flat, and the seats offer good under-thigh support for long journeys. We got the 7-seat configuration with the bench seat and it is wide enough to comfortably fit three full-size adults. The third row is usable for adults on short drives and children on longer journeys, which is exactly what buyers in this segment expect. The third row also gets dedicated AC vents and charging ports, which means Kia has thought enough about the third-row passengers.
We also get a small sunroof with the HTX Diesel variant, and the expansive 12.3-inch dual screens add to the whole tech-heavy premium feel of the cabin. The only two things that I may not have liked in the interiors are the touch panel for air conditioning and car controls and the steering wheel size and design. I am not a fan of these two-spoke steering wheels from Kia, they are confusing.
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Kia Carens Clavis Review — Performance and Drivability
So we got the HTX Diesel manual variant of the Kia Carens Clavis, which comes with a 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine, mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. Now, the turbo diesel engine is not only punchy, it is super efficient. During my time with the Kia Carens Clavis, where I drove the car close to 1,000 kilometers, the car gave me a very good average of above 17 kmpl in the city! This is very good for any kind of car or user. Given that I only drove the Kia Carens Clavis in the city, the car can easily put out an average of around 20 kmpl on the highway if driven wisely.
Now while the diesel is super efficient and fairly punchy, it sort of reaches its maximum very soon. In the city it feels sufficient for quick overtakes once the turbo lag is done with. However, it doesn’t feel super quick. On the highways this diesel might leave you asking for more, but only if you are someone who makes a lot of overtakes, since a high speed overtake is the only time I feel this engine will struggle.
The transmission is super slick and very easy to get used to, like every manual transmission on any Kia or Hyundai car. The Kia Carens Clavis has a 6-speed manual and this is a very smooth transmission. The clutch is super light and gears just slot into place effortlessly with perfect precision. Even the gear ratios are long enough that users don’t need to press the clutch too often. I think this 6-speed manual transmission is my favourite thing about the drivability of the Kia Carens Clavis.
Coming to the ride quality, here also I didn’t feel anything wrong with the Carens Clavis. Be it the driver, or any of the five or six passengers, the Kia Carens Clavis is a smooth ride. The suspension is soft enough to absorb the potholes and bumps rather easily without making any noises or making the passengers tumble too much in their seats. At times the bumps felt a bit harsh, but that is also because of how long the car is, and has nothing to do with the tuning of the suspension. If anything, the suspension takes good care of the car’s length.
Kia Carens Clavis Review — Tech and Features
This is an area where the Carens Clavis truly flexes its premium positioning over the other MPVs in the market. The 12.3-inch dual-screen layout gives the dashboard a modern appeal. Both displays are also very good quality. The infotainment panel especially. It is not only bright and crisp, it’s smooth, responsive, and easy to navigate.
You get wireless charging, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a premium Bose sound system, ambient lighting, a 360-degree camera, and a fully digital instrument cluster. Apart from this, the Carens Clavis also gets a sunroof, automatic climate control, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), cooled cupholders in the front, and many more such useful features.
Furthermore, safety has also been taken seriously in the Kia Carens Clavis with multiple airbags, electronic stability control, hill-start assist, all-wheel disc brakes, and ADAS features in higher variants.
Kia Carens Clavis Review — Verdict
Overall, the Kia Carens Clavis is a very good MPV for the price. It offers fantastic value for money, given that all of the six or seven passengers in this car will be absolutely comfortable. The car looks good. Like I said in the beginning of the review, it is one of the only MPVs in the market that I wouldn’t mind driving around. I quite like this design. It is also very practical given the amazing fuel efficiency this car was able to put out even in the city. It may not be the quickest or may not be the most fun to drive, but it most definitely justifies the value, especially with the diesel powertrain.
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