December 2022 - Kia Carens Diesel Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

Update: Kia recently increased the prices of the Carens petrol and diesel variants. This Carens variants explained article includes the buying recommendations for all diesel variants based on the latest prices.

Also Read: Kia Carens Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

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What Are The Pros And Cons Of Kia Carens Diesel?

The pros or advantages of Kia Carens diesel are:

• Low starting price; overall, value-for-money pricing for higher variants too
• Option of diesel engine itself is becoming a luxury and the Kia Carens offers it with the option of an automatic transmission as well
• Fairly low incremental asking price of Rs. 90,000 for the automatic transmission
• Attractive starting price for the size of the car and a well-loaded mid-spec Prestige Plus variant
• Higher variants are loaded with features like sunroof, optional captain seats, electric tumble in second row, 2nd and 3rd row AC vents, cruise control, reclining 3rd row seats, TPMS, ventilated front seats, LED headlamps, Bose music system, etc.
• Good number of standard features like 6 airbags, all disc brakes, HSA, TPMS, ESC, front and middle row armrests, split 2nd and 3rd row seat backs, etc.
• Captain seats layout in the top variant costs Rs. 5,000 less than bench seat option

The Kia Carens diesel has the following shortcomings or problems:

• LED headlamps not available in the otherwise well-loaded mid-spec Prestige Plus variant
• Torque converter automatic transmission is the least efficient type of automatic and it drastically impacts the fuel efficiency in stop-and-go traffic
• Diesel-automatic is only available in the top variant
• The turbo diesel variants carry a Rs. 1.70 lakh price premium over the 1.5L normal petrol variants
• 16-inch wheels may look small on a car this large
• MPV-like styling may put off some buyers
• Captain seats are not available in lower variants and remain exclusive to the top-spec, Luxury Plus variant, just like the automatic transmission

What Is The Price Of Kia Carens Diesel Variants?

The 1.5L turbo diesel engine is available in all 5 variants with a manual transmission but the diesel-automatic powertrain is only available in the top model. The Carens diesel-manual range starts at Rs. 11.70 lakh and tops out at Rs. 17.10 lakh (ex-showroom). The diesel-automatic is available in the Luxury Plus variant for an additional Rs. 90,000.

The 6-seater layout is available as an option in the top-spec Luxury Plus variant. Surprisingly, it costs Rs. 5,000 less than the 7-seat version.

Should You Buy The Kia Carens Petrol Or Diesel?

The Carens diesel carries a premium of Rs. 1.70 lakh over the normal petrol engine models. Compared to the equivalent turbo petrol variants, the Carens diesel is only Rs. 30,000 - 40,000 more expensive. Besides the higher fuel efficiency and longer tank range, there aren’t many reasons to choose the Carens diesel over the turbo petrol. For Kia Carens automatic buyers, the petrol and diesel variants cost exactly the same.

Compared to the normal petrol engine, the turbo diesel engine offers considerably better torque and fuel efficiency. Considering the fuel savings alone, you can expect to recover the Rs. 1.70 lakh premium in about 87,000. But, if you also value the performance benefits, then 46,000km is the more realistic km-to-breakeven figure.

When comparing the turbo petrol and diesel engines with the manual transmission, the price difference is only Rs. 30,000 - 40,000. In this case, you can expect to recover this higher upfront cost for the diesel in about 20,000km. However, once you factor in the performance differences, this figure jumps to 24,000 because the turbo petrol engine has better power output although it has a slightly lower torque output.

For the Carens diesel-automatic, you’re paying Rs. 30,000 more than the turbo petrol-automatic. Because of the inefficient nature of a torque converter automatic transmission, the diesel-automatic offers a considerably lower mileage figure of 18.4kmpl. So, the km-to-breakeven figure for diesel-automatic goes up to 30,000. After factoring in the performance differences, the km-to-breakeven figure jumps to 36,500km.

Using this information, you can decide if you should buy the Carens diesel or petrol based on your usage.

Also Read: Kia Seltos Petrol vs Diesel - Which One Is Better?

Note: Check your Car EMI with our - Car EMI Calculator

Kia Carens Diesel Premium - Base Model Features

The base Premium variant of the Kia Carens diesel costs Rs. 11.70 lakh (ex-showroom). The turbo diesel engine carries a premium of Rs. 1.70 lakh more than the base model with the 1.5L normal petrol engine but only Rs. 40,000 more than the turbo petrol model.

The most notable features of the Carens Premium base model are:

• All power windows
• 2nd and 3rd row AC vents
• 16-inch steel wheels with turbo diesel
• Full wheel covers
• Split folding 2nd and 3rd row seat backs
• Height-adjustable driver seat
• All wheel disc brakes
• Front and middle row armrest
• 2nd row slide and recline
• 3rd row recline
• 2nd row electric tumble
• Tyre pressure monitoring system
• 5x USB ports
• Thorax side and curtain airbags
• Hill start assist (HSA)
• Electronic stability control (ESC)
• Auto door lock

This variant doesn’t get a few important features like:

• Power mirrors
• Cooled glovebox
• Remote central locking
• Rear defogger
• Washer wiper
• Steering-mounted controls
• Music system

This variant lacks several key features and gives us enough reasons to not recommend the Carens Premium.

Kia Carens Diesel Premium vs Prestige Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Prestige variant of the Carens diesel costs Rs. 12.90 lakh, which is Rs. 1.20 lakh more than the base Premium variant. It adds the following features over the base Premium variant:

• Rear camera
• 8-inch touchscreen
• Wireless Android Auto
• Wireless Apple Carplay
• Steering-mounted controls
• Remote central locking
• Power mirrors
• Digital instrument cluster
• Fabric leather upholstery
• Auto headlamps

The Prestige variant of the Carens doesn’t get features like:

• Auto AC
• Rear washer wiper
• Rear defogger

From a feature perspective, this variant seems reasonably loaded with almost all must-have features. So budget buyers should consider this variant instead of the base Premium variant or stretch the budget for a higher variant.

Kia Carens Diesel Prestige vs Prestige Plus Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Carens Prestige Plus variant is also only available with the diesel-manual powertrain and costs Rs. 14.40 lakh (ex-showroom). For the Rs. 1.50 lakh incremental price over the lower trim, this variant adds the following notable features:

• Rear defogger
• Rear washer wiper
• Auto AC
• Keyless entry with push-button start/stop
• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Cruise control
• Remote engine start with keyfob
• Power folding mirrors
• Rear door curtains
• LED tail lamps
• LED DRLs
• Cooled cup holders in 1st and 2nd row

The Prestige Plus variant has almost all of the must-have features we expect from a car of its class. We wish the Prestige variant also had LED headlamps and the option of captain seats in the second row. This variant seems very well loaded as it’ll offer a good ownership experience. The only notable feature missing in this variant is the LED headlamps. While the Carens Prestige Plus isn’t a great value-for-money option, it offers some must-have features, which most Carens buyers will appreciate. For this balanced feature set and somewhat reasonable price tag, we will still recommend the Prestige Plus variant to most Carens diesel buyers.

Kia Carens Diesel Prestige Plus vs Luxury Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Luxury variant of the Carens diesel costs Rs. 15.50 lakh (ex-showroom), which is 1.45 lakh more than the lower Prestige Plus variant. The Luxury variant gets the following additional features over the Prestige Plus trim:

• LED headlamps
• LED fog lamps
• Larger 10.25-inch touchscreen
• Telematics
• Dual-function LED DRLs
• Telescopic steering
• Multi-colour ambient lighting
• Folding tables for 2nd row
• Auto-dimming inside mirror
• Air purifier
• Under seat tray
• Leather upholstery

The Luxury variant seems properly loaded for personal use. It justifies the upgrade over the Prestige Plus with the additional features, but we’ll instead suggest stretching a bit more for the full luxurious cabin experience. Besides, the leather upholstery is not breathable and will make a big difference in occupant comfort, especially if you live in a hot and humid region. If you want leather upholstery, then it’s better to have it with ventilation, which is available in the Luxury Plus variant.

Kia Carens Diesel Luxury vs Luxury Plus Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

With the 7-seat layout, the top-spec Luxury Plus variant of the Carens diesel-manual costs Rs. 17.10 lakh while the automatic costs Rs. 18.0 lakh. It carries an incremental price of Rs. 1.25 lakh over the lower Luxury variant. The automatic transmission itself only adds about Rs. 90,000 over the Luxury Plus diesel-manual.

Following are the additional features of the Luxury Plus variant:

• Optional captain seats (for Rs. 5,000 less)
• Puddle lamps
• Sunroof
• LED cabin lights
• 2 extra speakers
• Bose sound system
• Ventilated front seats
• Paddle shifters with automatic transmission
• Auto wipers
• Wireless phone charger

The top variant offers a few good-to-have features including the option of captain seats in the second row. This is suitable for buyers who want all the features in the car. For buyers who are comfortable stretching their budget beyond the Prestige Plus variant, the Luxury Plus is a good upgrade as it not only offers more features, but also offers better value for money over the lower Luxury and Prestige Plus variants.

The Luxury Plus variant is also available with the option 6-seat layout, which gets you captain seats in the 2nd row. Surprisingly, it costs Rs. 5,000 less than the 7-seat model. If you’re buying this variant, then we strongly recommend getting it with the captain seats for the superior 2nd-row comfort.

Which Variant Of The Kia Carens Diesel Should You Buy?

With the diesel engine, the base Premium variant is worth skipping as it doesn’t offer several must-have features. The Prestige diesel is suitable for you if you don’t want to stretch your budget any further. Otherwise, the Prestige Plus for another Rs. 1.50 lakh is a solid package with a balanced feature set. However, it doesn’t justify the incremental price jump in terms of value for money. This variant still earns our recommendation for Carens diesel buyers.

The Luxury variant adds just enough value to justify the price jump from the Prestige Plus variant but if you’re comfortable stretching the budget just a bit more, then the top-spec Luxury Plus variant is a better option. The top variant offers all the features for a no-compromise ownership experience while offering better value for money than the Prestige Plus and Luxury variants. Moreover, it gets the option of captain seats in the second row, which costs Rs. 5,000 less than the 7-seat version. So, you’re better off stretching your budget just a little bit more for the top-spec Luxury Plus variant, especially with the 6-seat layout.

With the automatic transmission, there’s not much choice as the Carens diesel-automatic is only available in the top variant. Between the 6-seat and 7-seat versions, though, the 6-seat one is an easy recommendation considering that it’s also a bit cheaper.

What Are The Engine Specifications Of The Kia Carens Diesel?

The 1.5L turbo diesel engine of the Kia Carens sits towards the bottom of the list in comparison to its rivals with 3-row seating configurations. The Mahindra Marazzo, MG Hector Plus and Toyota Innova Crysta’s respective diesel engines make more power than the Carens diesel. The Hyundai Alcazar shares the engine with the Carens and has identical spes. We expect this engine to have adequate but not explosive performance for ferrying 6-7 adults.

There’s one area though, where this engine shines and that is fuel efficiency. With an official ARAI-tested figure of 21.3kmpl, this engine has a better mileage figure than even the Alcazar, which is the only other car in this comparison with a 20kmpl+ figure. The other noteworthy specification of the Kia Carens diesel is the inclusion of automatic transmission. The Alcazar and Innova Crysta are the only other cars in this comparison with a diesel-automatic combination. The sad part about this combination is that the Carens-diesel-automatic is only available in the top variant and will remain out of reach for many buyers.

On the positive side, it carries a nominal incremental asking price of Rs. 90,000 over the Luxury Plus variant. Please note that it suffers a bit with a lower mileage figure than the Carens diesel-manual because of the torque converter automatic transmission. It’s a tried-and-trusted piece of hardware but quite inefficient, especially in stop-and-go traffic involving a lot of idling.

You can use our Fuel Cost Calculator to see how much any petrol, diesel or CNG car will cost to run based on the latest fuel price in your city.

Fuel Cost Calculator India

What Are The Dimensions Of The Kia Carens?

The Kia Carens is longer than the Alcazar but shorter than all other diesel-powered 3-row cars. It’s also wider than only the Alcazar but it has the segment-best wheelbase of 2780mm, which is slightly longer than even the Innova Crysta and Mahindra Marazzo.

*Estimated

What Are The Colour Options Of The Kia Carens?

The Carens is available in the following 8 colour options:

• Flat white (Prestige and lower)
• Silver (all variants)
• Grey (Prestige and higher)
• Metallic white (Prestige Plus and higher)
• Red (Prestige Plus and higher)
• Blue (Prestige Plus and higher)
• Brown (Prestige Plus and higher)
• Black (Prestige Plus and higher)

Note: Here is a quick look at our length-based segmentation of cars to give you an idea of how we classify cars based on their size.