7 Things The Kia Carens Does Better Than Hyundai Alcazar (And The 1 Thing It Doesn’t)

The Kia Carens has been revealed, and while we thought it would be similar to the Alcazar (which it shares its platform with), that hasn’t been the case. The Carens has a unique identity, nothing really like the Seltos or the Alcazar. The latter, for context, is essentially an extended Creta with a few feature additions; it isn’t a brand new car. 

In this report, we tell you seven things the Kia Carens does better than the Hyundai Alcazar (and one thing that it doesn’t). 

Unique Design 

Except for the styling at the rear, there isn’t really much that distinguishes the Creta from the Alcazar. But that’s not the case with the Carens as it looks different vis-a-vis the Seltos, thanks to Kia’s ‘Opposite United’ design language that debuts in the former. What do you think of the Carens’ styling? Let us know in the comments. 

Longer Wheelbase 

Kia claims the Carens’ wheelbase is the longest in its segment, and considering it is based on the Alcazar’s platform, it will naturally be more extended than the Creta. This is also evident in its design – the Carens is visually longer and taller than the Alcazar. But just how much extra space has Kia managed to carve out for the second and third rows? Well, we can’t answer that just yet. That’s because, during the reveal, Kia let us see the interior but didn’t let anyone in the car. 

But we shall address that soon in our first-drive review. So stay tuned to ZigWheels.

Easy Third Row Access 

A people-mover is all about practicality. To that end, the Carens’ 6-seater variants get a useful and segment-first electronic tumble function for easier access to the third row. Of course, there’s the option of walking between the seats as well. With the 7-seater, though, the middle row tumbles manually, and you may need to transform into a gymnast, only for a little while, to get at the back. 

Practical Features 

A pop-out cupholder placed on top of the co-driver’s AC vents and cooled cupholders behind the gear lever means your favourite cold drink stays cold. And rear seat occupants don’t need to lose their cool as the Carens get dedicated roof-mounted ac vents for second and third-row occupants with a separate evaporator coil and blower controls. A dedicated air purifier also means the Carens will try its best to keep you protected from the virus that seems to have more variants than any car on sale today. 

There is also a big bin underneath the front seat so you can store some valuables and forget they are there. But if you want to remember where you kept your stuff, you might consider stashing them away in the door pads, which Kia claims can hold three large water bottles.

Turbo Petrol Power 

Kia was hush-hush about the Carens’ powertrains, but the presence of the DCT badge means it could come with the Seltos’ 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine instead of the Alcazar’s 2-litre petrol. There will also be the familiar 1.5-litre diesel engine, and the 1.5-litre petrol engine that could be offered as an entry-level option. 

Improved Safety 

Six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, and hill hold/descent control are offered as standard from the Carens’ base variant. So, apart from more room for the family, you have beefed-up safety. A more family-friendly alternative to the Seltos? Absolutely. More premium than the Alcazar? It could’ve been, But for the…

… Few Misses 

It’s surprising to see this from Kia, but the Carens misses out on some feel-good stuff like a panoramic sunroof, an electronic parking brake, a wireless phone charger for second-row occupants, and a 360-degree camera with a blind spot monitor. The digitised instrument is also not the full deal like the one in the Alcazar, and the wheels are smaller 16-inch units. If you can’t live without these things, then the Alcazar is for you. But if you are happy without these, then the next point could be good news. 

Likely To Be More Affordable 

It’s evident that this sacrifice in features means Kia will be positioning the Carens as a 7-seater alternative to the Seltos rather than an upgrade. And considering that the base variant could be decently equipped with all the essentials, we expect prices to start from around the Seltos’ mid-spec variant range, which is around Rs 12 lakh and go up to Rs 18 lakh for the top model with all the bells and whistles. 

This should pit it against other three-row rivals like the Maruti Suzuki XL6, Mahindra Marazzo, and select variants of the Hyundai Alcazar and Mahindra XUV700.

We expect the Kia Carens to go on sale in the first quarter of 2022.