ANOTHER SIX

Kia’s new three-row offering has the makings of a crowd puller

- Rivan RS

Since late December last year, Kia Carens memes have been blowing up Internet forums and the like, indicating that some people will joke about anything — and that there’s some serious interest around this new offering. The three-row segment has seen an influx of new models, and Kia’s thrown its hat in the ring with what the company calls a Recreational Vehicle. PR-speak aside, Kia has taken a slightly different route to the three-row concept, especially when seen in light of the beefier, SUV-esque Hyundai Alcazar, Tata Safari and MG Hector Plus.

Not that the Carens suffers from a lack of musculature. Sure, it’s shaped more like an MPV — which the body cladding and roof rails don’t mitigate — but it’s still a good looking car. There are but a handful of design elements that link the Carens to other Kia cars, which means the Korean brand has put in a bit more effort to make it distinct. And this shows. The Carens is based on a stretched version of the Seltos platform (like the Alcazar is based on the Creta), but other than the powertrain options and an extensive features list, the MPV is its own person.

For once, I’m not put off by the amount of chrome used, and the sharp headlights and tail-lights are eye-catching. There’s little pretence of being an SUV, and the large glasshouse and slim horizontal elements — from the grille to the lights — contrast to make it look larger than it is, especially in length. That’s not to say the Carens isn’t big. It’s 225 mm longer overall, 160 mm longer in its wheelbase and 80 mm taller than the Seltos; I did say it’s based on a stretched version of the midsize SUV. The 16-inch wheels do look sporty, though a bit small for the wheel wells.