Kia Carens 2.0 LS Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Kia Carens 2.0 LS
Prices: £15,050– on the road
Insurance Group: 10
Emissions: 193g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 11s / Max Speed 118mph
Fuel Consumption: (urban) 25.4mpg / (extra urban) 40.9mpg / (combined) 33.6mpg
Safety: Twin front & side airbags, ABS WILL IT FIT IN MY GARAGE?: length/width/height 4545/1820/1720mm

LUCKY SEVEN?

Our Rating: 6.9 / 10

Kia’s Carens 2.0 LS offers seven seat versatility and a decent slug of equipment. Andy Enright takes a look

Identifying the drawbacks of the Kia Carens isn’t too taxing, but this 2.0-litre LS model has to be commended for offering solid value for money, strong equipment levels and the capacity to seat seven, albeit for shorter journeys. The 2.0-litre petrol engine offers respectable performance and the interior has more than its fair share of versatility.

Although it’s neither the most progressive nor impressive vehicle in Kia’s range, the Carens is nevertheless one that more than makes a case for itself. It has carved out a sizeable niche for itself as the cheapest seven-seat MPV money can buy and while cheap isn’t always cheerful, the Carens has always had enough about it to satisfy a good many owners up and down the country. Many of these customers then went on to buy the bigger and plusher Sedona people carrier, staying loyal to the Kia brand. File that one under good brand management. In a bid to bolster Carens sales, Kia has introduced the LS seven seat version, with improved equipment levels, an improved warranty arrangement and a reassuringly Kia sticker price.

The twin-cam four-cylinder 2.0-litre ‘Theta’ petrol engine, with continuously variable valve timing (CVVT), produces 142bhp and is nothing to get too excited about. It’s an inoffensive unit that revs without a great deal of flywheel effect and the five-speed manual gearbox that comes as standard with the Carens LS is similarly vice free but largely unexceptional. This after all, is not going to be the kind of vehicle sought after by keen drivers. The Carens LS is the preserve of the cash-strapped family man or the self-employed minicabber and when fitted with the optional automatic gearbox, it makes an excellent city hopper.

Visibility is reasonably good, with only the thick rear three-quarter pillars marring the all-round view. The light steering makes parking easy and the four-speed auto gearbox is largely vice free, only getting a little confused if you start getting a bit sporty, a temptation that you should avoid, for the Carens’ suspension setup is geared towards ride comfort rather than outright handling ability.

The ultimate test of how well these vehicles are packaged comes when you try to lever an adult into the back row of a seven seat model. With most mini-MPVs, their knees will be up around their ears. Next time you get in any other seven-seat mini-MPV, get a tape measure and check the height between the top of the seat cushion and the floor. It’s often around four or five inches which is frankly laughable. Kia has got around this problem by designing a shallow petrol tank that sits inside the rear suspension subframe. This drops the floor height by some 40mm, allowing for a more relaxed seating position. The Korean company reckons that adults of 5’11" will be comfortable in the rearmost row of seats in the seven seat model, although that may be pushing it.

For added space in the seven seater, the cushions of the centre-row seats tip forwards, enabling the backrests to fold down to create a flat floor free of interruptions. The rear row then folds and dives in the base leaving a totally flat surface. A foot-operated parking brake allows for more storage space around the driver and front passenger. There is a large compartment beneath the centre armrest; cup holders in the front and rear of the centre console, a sunglasses holder in the headlining, large door pockets with bottle holder storage and a generous glove box. Rear door pockets and lidded compartments with cup holders above the rear wheel arches provide useful spaces for passengers in the rear to store loose items.

The price is £15,050 for an LS trim level that represents the top of the Carens hierarchy and as such, it comes with an equipment list that appears quite incongruous at this asking figure. Standard items across the range include front and rear electric windows with an auto-down facility, electrically-adjustable door mirrors, an underfloor storage box and underseat tray on the front passenger's side. On this petrol LS model you will get full climate control along with electric folding door mirrors