Carens reloaded

Kia has repositioned its MPV lineup with the launch of the Kia Carens Clavis. The Carens now sits below this new model. So what has changed, and how will it affect the competition?

- Rahul Ghosh

The Kia Carens has been doing stellar numbers ever since its launch. However, with time, the MPV started looking a bit dated, and a facelift was surely on the cards. Kia, though, had other plans in mind. Instead of replacing the existing version with the new one, it seems like Kia decided to launch a new model instead and let the existing version of the Carens co-exist. Sure, they have trimmed down the variants of the Carens to give the Carens Clavis the edge as personal transportation. This move, though, is not a new one as Maruti Suzuki did the same with the Eritga and the XL6.

Kia says that the changes seen on the Carens Clavis are a result of the feedback the company received from the customers and media. As a result, it gets a redesigned front end complete with the new Kia Digital Tiger face LED DRL that sure looks smart. The headlamps have been redesigned too and get the ‘ice cube’ treatment. While the top variants get LED lights, the lower variants get halogen lights. However, all of them get the ice-cube treatment. The front bumper has been redesigned as well, with more prominent and larger skid plates. In profile, the 17-inch alloys make the Carens Clavis look sportier, and they do a good job of filling up the wheel wells. Adding to the look are the plastic claddings. At the back, the Carens Clavis gets a connected tail light set and a larger skid plate on the bumper as well. There is a new spoiler to show off as well. It will also be apt to mention here that the Carens Clavis is 10mm longer than the standard Carens although no change has been made to the wheelbase.