Kia Carens 2 1.6 GDi ISG 5dr Car Review - June 2013

The Kia Carens 2 1.6-litre GDI shares the same petrol engine as other models in the Kia family. It produces an adequate 133bhp and 122 lb-ft of torque at 4850rpm, but doesn’t feel as flexible and refined at lower revs as some of its rivals. The Carens will do 62mph from a standing start in 10.9 seconds, and reaches a top speed of 115mph. The ride is generally very comfortable, although body roll becomes more intrusive on twisty roads while the steering doesn’t feel as responsive as you would like. Kia have made excellent progress with the quality of their cabins, and the dash and controls are clear and precise. There are plenty of adjustment options for the driving position, while the large windows afford an excellent panoramic view.

Kia’s styling has come on leaps and bounds compared to the cheap and cheerful image of the past, and the Carens is every bit as contemporary as the offerings from its more established European rivals. The front end largely shares the same corporate face as the smaller Cee’d, but the mini-MPV Carens has a more upright stance overall and much deeper windows. Equipment levels are good, with power steering, central locking, electronic stability control, alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric front and rear windows, cruise control, rear parking sensor, alarm, immobiliser, bluetooth, satellite navigation, and CD player with MP3 connectivity all included as standard. This is an impressive level of standard kit for a car costing under £20,000.

The Kia Carens is accompanied by the Korean car maker’s famous 7-year, 100,000-mile manufacturers warranty, which puts most other manufacturers offerings to shame. Practicality is a strong point for the seven-seater Carens, with the middle row of three independent seats capable of accommodating a trio of six-footers. It’s not quite so impressive for the rear two seats, which are only really suitable for children or smaller adults and are somewhat cumbersome to access. The rear two rows of seats do fold flat to create a luggage space of 1650 litres, and even with the seats raised there is an impressive 492 litres of boot capacity.

With a price tag of £19,195 the Kia Carens 2 1.6 GDi ISG offers a practical motoring solution for larger families and comes with a level of standard equipment which is the envy of its rivals. Running costs for this particular model are reasonable, with a combined fuel economy of 44.1mpg and CO2 emissions of 149g/km seeing the Carens 2 1.6 GDi ISG fall into Road Tax Band F. However, those figures are bested by the diesel-powered models, which can offer 60.1mpg combined and a lower Road Tax Band due to their reduced CO2 emissions. The diesel feels more flexible and capable when pushed too. For these reasons, the petrol-powered Carens 2 GDi is not the pick of the range, and the diesels will be cheaper to run and are more likely to find a buyer when it comes to sell.