So, you’re incredibly fertile and have squeezed enough offspring from your loins to render your Ford Focus useless. You now have two options – pack the little blighters off to boarding school or buy yourself an MPV, something like the new Kia Carens, perhaps.
Pricing and specification for the latest model were unveiled today, along with a clutch of new pictures and word from Kia that it wants people to buy the thing because they like the way it looks rather than out of necessity. We can’t imagine bachelors rolling around in one, but it’s not bad looking at all, although that’s probably no real surprise seeing as it was designed by the bloke that penned the Audi TT.
The new Carens is shorter, narrower and lower than the old car, but has a longer wheelbase and lower seat positions, which gives more interior space. Kia promises a cooled glovebox as standard, under-floor storage, a centre console storage box, big front and rear door pockets and fold-up tables with cupholders fitted to the front seat backs.
The 2013 Kia Carens is available in three trim levels, handily named 1, 2 and 3. All come with seven seats, projection headlights with cornering lamps, LED day-running lamps, heated door mirrors, air conditioning, rear air vents, electric windows all round, cruise control with a speed limiter function, six-speaker radio-CD player with iPod connectivity and Bluetooth connectivity with audio streaming.
The 1 and 2 trim levels also have a rear conversation mirror to help you keep an eye on which kid started what argument, though this is replaced on the 3 spec by a panoramic sunroof. The Mid-spec 2 models benefit from 16-inch alloys, tinted glass, reversing sensors, chrome window trim, fog lights, roof rails, rain-sensing wipers, electrically folding wing mirrors with LED indicators, dual-one air conditioning, a luggage net and a portable torch.
The big-pimpin 3 spec gets bigger, 17-inch alloy wheels, the aforementioned sunroof, leather upholstery, 10-way adjustability on the driver’s seat, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, de-icing wipers, plus extra sun blinds and reading lights for the kids.
Kia provides a choice three engines including a 1.6 GDi 133bhp petrol unit and two 1.7-litre CRDi diesel engines that output either 114bhp or 134bhp. The entry-level petrol is nippy enough, registering 0-60mph in 10.9 seconds with a top speed of 115, while providing economy of 44.1 and CO2 emissions of 149g/km. The 1.7 CRDi is the most frugal of the bunch, delivering 60.1mpg with emissions of 124g/km.
Prices start from £17,895 for the entry-level petrol in 1 spec, rising to £23,895 for the top of the range 1.7 CRDi engine in 3 spec. Check out the full list of pricing possibilities below.
2013 Kia Carens pricing & spec
| Model | MPG (Comb.) |
CO2 | Ins. Group |
OTR |
| ‘1′ 1.6 GDi 133bhp 6-speed manual ISG 7-seat | 44.1 | 149 | 13 | £17,895.00 |
| 1′ 1.7 CRDi 114bhp 6-speed manual ISG 7-seat | 60.1 | 124 | 12 | £19,295.00 |
| ‘2′ 1.6 GDi 133bhp 6-speed manual ISG 7-seat | 44.1 | 149 | 13 | £19,195.00 |
| 2′ 1.7 CRDi 114bhp 6-speed manual ISG 7-seat | 60.1 | 124 | 12 | £20,595.00 |
| 2′ 1.7 CRDi 134bhp 6-speed automatic 7-seat | 46.3 | 159 | 16 | £21,995.00 |
| 3′ 1.7 CRDi 134bhp 6-speed manual ISG 7-seat | 56.4 | 132 | 16 | £23,895.00 |
2013 Kia Carens Pictures
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