Skip advert
Advertisement

Kia Carens

It’s official! Kia is not only the world’s fastest-growing motor manufacturer, it’s on track to prove itself the planet’s most improved car firm, too

Overall Auto Express rating

3.0

How we review cars
Find your Kia Carens
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

While it’s not for eager drivers, the new Carens shows how seriously Kia is taking its success. The model looks and feels as good as most of its European and Japanese rivals, too. If prices are pitched towards the budget end of the scale, the Carens will be more than £7,000 cheaper thana Toyota Verso, yet with comparable versatility. And the Kia is the more powerful contender.

Advertisement - Article continues below

It’s official! Kia is not only the world’s fastest-growing motor manufacturer, it’s on track to prove itself the planet’s most improved car firm, too.

By building a colossal new European factory, recruiting the man who designed the Audi TT and producing a rival to the Ford Focus, the Korean organisation hopes to prove it’s a global force to be reckoned with.

But although its impressive-looking family hatchback – named ED – is its most eagerly awaited showroom pro-duct, it’s not the only car in Kia’s line-up that’s aiming to tempt families away from more established brands. And the first to arrive is the new seven-seat Carens, which goes on sale in the UK in October.

The new compact MPV is such a huge improvement over the frumpy five-seater it replaces that it’s difficult to believe the two models actually come from the same manufacturer. Kia hasn’t merely taken a step forward with its next-generation Carens – it has made a giant leap by designing and building a vehicle that can truly be judged world-class.

And while it is not as desirable or of the same exceptional quality as more expensive rivals such as Toyota’s Corolla-based Verso or the Mazda 5, it does show the gap between the Japanese and the chasing Koreans has never been smaller.

Looking as fresh as any other car in the compact MPV sector, the front-wheel-drive machine has a comparatively small engine range, comprising a 2.0-litre petrol unit producing 143bhp, or a 138bhp 2.0 diesel. The performance of these models is virtually identical, with both variants sprinting from 0-60mph in 10.6 seconds.

We drove the oil-burner and were impressed by the wider track, longer wheelbase and stiffened suspension. There are improvements in just about every other department, as well, from six-speed transmissions to big weight savings. These provide further evidence that the incoming car is in a different league from the outgoing version.

However, there’s still some room for improvement. That’s because the latest Carens is based on the platform for the brand’s humble and unremarkable Magentis saloon, which also comes with the tried-and-tested 2.0 petrol and diesel powerplants.

If you drive with enthusiasm and are more interested in raw power and dynamics than anything else, then this compact MPV isn’t for you.

It’s aimed squarely at the bargain-seeking mums and dads who are more concerned with carrying the children and all their kit than pulling away sharply from the traffic lights or im-pressing the neighbours.

Having said all that, however, the 47mpg fuel returns we achieved while at the wheel of the diesel Carens are hard to ignore. Surely this model could be a wise investment for the British family on the move, already facing traffic-choked roads on a daily basis and paying £1 a litre for fuel at the pumps? Overall, the new Carens is massively better than the model it replaces, even if it’s not the best car in its class. Prices have yet to be announced, but if Kia can bring in an entry version for less than £11,000, it could be the best compact MPV for the money.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Chief columnist

Mike was one of the founding fathers of Auto Express in 1988. He's been motoring editor on four tabloid newspapers - London Evening News, The Sun, News of the World & Daily Mirror. He was also a weekly columnist on the Daily Telegraph, The Independent and The Sunday Times. 

New & used car deals

Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,019 off RRP*Used from £11,895
Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £25,915Avg. savings £1,743 off RRP*Used from £18,900
Toyota Yaris Cross

Toyota Yaris Cross

RRP £26,495Avg. savings £2,028 off RRP*Used from £12,500
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £5,924 off RRP*Used from £12,275
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Flawed hybrid car efficiency data to stifle UK EV sales and propagate pollution
Connecting charger to Hyundai Tucson PHEV

Flawed hybrid car efficiency data to stifle UK EV sales and propagate pollution

Half a million extra PHEVs could reach UK roads by 2030 in place of cleaner EVs due to changes surrounding the ZEV Mandate
News
19 May 2025
New Ford Fiesta: latest details on supermini’s potential return
Ford Fiesta exclusive image

New Ford Fiesta: latest details on supermini’s potential return

The Ford Fiesta could be coming back as an electric car, and here’s everything we know so far
News
20 May 2025
Kia is returning to its 'Keeping It Affordable' roots
Opinion - Kia

Kia is returning to its 'Keeping It Affordable' roots

Mike Rutherford thinks new cars are simply too expensive, but some manufacturers are starting to do something about it
Opinion
19 May 2025