In-depth reviews

Kia Carens MPV (2013-2019) - Interior & comfort

The Kia Carens has a spacious interior and is quiet on the motorway

Carbuyer Rating

3.7 out of 5

Owners Rating

4.7 out of 5

Read owner reviews
Interior & comfort Rating

3.5 out of 5

The Carens’ interior has been well thought out and comes with plenty of cubbyholes and power sockets. The controls make the car very easy to drive smoothly as well. The interior is nicely designed – not something you could say of Kias of old – and the materials used feel very durable.

Kia Carens dashboard

The Carens’ interior has been well thought out and comes with plenty of cubbyholes and power sockets. The controls make the car very easy to drive smoothly as well. The interior is nicely designed – not something you could say of Kias of old – and the materials used feel very durable.

Equipment

The Kia Carens has four main trim levels, simply called 1, 2, 3 and 4. All Carens get an excellent amount of equipment, with even the most basic version boasting seven seats, air-conditioning and cruise control. The stereo has six speakers, a radio, a CD player with MP3 compatibility and Bluetooth, plus USB and auxiliary ports for connecting MP3 players.

The entry-level 1 gets cloth seats and 16-inch steel wheels. Move up to 2 and you get better, woven cloth seats and alloy wheels instead. There’s also the addition of reversing sensors, extra trim details, roof rails, automatic headlight controls, rain-sensing front wipers and better air-conditioning. The stereo also gets a 4.3-inch touchscreen.

Upgrading to 3 trim adds leather seats, 17-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats and steering wheel, sun blinds for the second-row windows and a 10-way adjustable driver’s seat. It also has a sat-nav system that replaces the smaller touchscreen with a seven-inch one, plus an external amp and subwoofer for better quality audio from the stereo system. Do note a forthcoming facelift will see the Carens' trims receive improvements, so consider waiting for these to arrive before placing your order.

Options

Many of the features that come as standard on the higher trim levels are available as options lower down the range, including the panoramic sunroof and blinds for the rear windows.

Richard is a former editor of Carbuyer, as well as sister site DrivingElectric.com, and he's now Deputy Editor at Auto Express. Having spent a decade working in the automotive industry, he understands exactly what makes new car buyers tick.

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