Kia Carens Vs Kia Seltos – Detailed Spec-Sheet Comparison

Check out our detailed on-paper comparison of the recently-launched Kia Carens MPV with its SUV sibling, Kia Seltos

Kia Carens was launched in India just a few days ago, and it has already generated a lot of hype in the market. The MPV is brilliantly equipped, handsomely styled, and aggressively priced, which makes us believe that it would be a big hit in our country among new car buyers.

Here, we take a look at the spec sheets of the newly-launched Kia Carens MPV and Kia Seltos SUV, to see which of the two is better on paper.

Kia Carens Vs Kia Seltos – Dimensions and exterior design

Kia Carens has a sporty and futuristic design. It gets a pair of vertically split LED headlights, a large front grille, upmarket 16-inch alloy wheels, LED taillights with a single-piece design, etc. It also gets crossover-inspired design elements, like faux roof rails and black cladding all around.

As for Kia Seltos, it also has a sporty design, with a pair of bulbous LED headlights, sharp-looking 18-inch alloy wheels, LED taillights, roof rails, etc. It also gets black plastic cladding all around. In terms of exterior styling, both Carens and Seltos are attractive, with no clear winner between the two.

Kia Carens is significantly larger than Seltos, in terms of length, height, as well as wheelbase length. Thanks to that, the MPV can easily accommodate three rows of seats, with good space on all rows. Both cars have a good road presence, with the SUV being a little more eye-catchy.

Kia Carens Vs Kia Seltos – Interior styling and equipment

Kia Carens has a beautiful cabin with extremely premium styling. The dashboard has a flat fascia, with sleek AC vents running horizontally across. It also gets a flat-bottom steering wheel (multi-functional), along with a dual-tone interior theme with silver-finished interior embellishments.

There’s plenty of equipment and features on offer. This includes a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a digitised instrument cluster, electric sunroof, ambient lighting, all-LED lighting, cabin air purifier, ventilated seats, one-touch-tumble feature (second row), Kia Connect (connected car tech), etc. The MPV is available in both 6- and 7-seat configurations.

The interior of Seltos is also extremely attractive and upmarket, with dual-tone and black interior themes available. The dashboard is nicely sculpted with large AC vents, and the touchscreen housing flows into the instrument cluster housing. The steering wheel has a flat-bottom design, and there are soft-touch surfaces in the cabin, to elevate the premium feel.

Kia offers features like a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment, a 10.25-inch all-digital instrument console, ventilated seats, cabin air-purifier, ambient cabin lighting, electric sunroof, all-LED lighting, 360-degree camera, UVO Connected car tech.

Kia Carens Vs Kia Seltos – Powertrain comparison

Both the vehicles have the same engine choices available. The petrol options include a 1.5-litre NA motor (115 PS and 144 Nm) and a 1.4-litre turbocharged motor (140 PS and 242 Nm). A 6-speed manual gearbox is available as standard. On Seltos, a CVT, a 6-speed iMT, or a 7-speed DCT can be opted for, while on Carens, a 7-speed DCT is available.

The diesel engine option on both Seltos and Carens is a 1.5-litre turbocharged unit, with a maximum power of 115 PS and peak torque of 250 Nm on tap. Transmission choices here include a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox.

Kia Carens Vs Kia Seltos – Price comparison

Kia Carens is priced from Rs. 9.95 lakh to Rs. 18.19 lakh, which is quite a competitive price for an SUV in this segment. However, Kia Carens is much more aggressively priced, from Rs. 8.99 lakh to Rs. 16.99 lakh. Overall, the new Kia MPV is a much better deal between them, although the SUV still remains a very nice option.

All prices mentioned above are ex-showroom, New Delhi