Recent developments at Kia’s stables suggest that the company is working on Carens facelift or it could be Carens EV too
Carens has been one of the popular premium MPVs on sale in India. Initially marketed as an RV, Kia Carens has shown great potential in people-mover segment. The company is working on a Carens refresh and test mules were spotted in South Korea some time ago. Now, Carens facelift test mules have been spotted in India for the first time.
Kia Carens Facelift Spied In India For The First Time
If we take Kia’s Indian portfolio, Seltos and Sonet were recently updated with new fascia and other design tweaks. Kia is on the verge of launching Carnival in India too, which is newer facelifted version of 4th Gen model. 2025 Kia EV6 was recently unveiled globally and is likely to make it to India.
Leaving Carens the only model that has stayed the same (design-wise) since it was launched back in February 2022. With Carens facelift spotted testing in India, we can only grasp what the company is going for, in terms of design, from the rear. We can see an all-new tail light design with more aggressive appeal.
These new tail lights get a more pronounced C-shaped design, reminding us of recently launched Mahindra XUV3XO. Going with Kia’s recent trends, tail lights will be connected by an LED light bar and will be advertised as ‘Star Map’ LED tail lights. There is a tiny possibility of this being a Kia Carens EV test mule too.
Kia is going for a subtle design revision. Unit spied in South Korea looked like it was a base or mid-spec variant as it donned a single-pod halogen headlight. Maybe like Seltos’ single halogen projector setup seen with lower variants. Revised front and rear bumpers, new alloy wheels, tweaked headlights and other changes are expected on the outside.
Where features are concerned, Kia is highly likely to offer a panoramic sunroof with Carens facelift along with dual 10.25-inch horizontal screens on the dashboard. Primary highlight of Kia Carens facelift might be the inclusion of ADAS suite. Is Kia offering Level 1 or Level 2 driver assistance systems, only time will tell.
When will it launch?
Hat tip to automotive enthusiast Sitanshu who spotted this test mule in Delhi. Where powertrains are concerned, Kia is not likely to make any changes to Carens facelift and carry over existing setups. Kia Carens facelift could launch around the festive season or early 2025. We can expect a slight price hike when launched.
The 1.5L NA Petrol engine developing 113 bhp and 144 Nm mated to a sole 6-speed manual gearbox, 1.5L Turbo Petrol engine kicking out 158 bhp and 253 Nm mated to either a 6-speed iMT or 7-speed DCT and the 1.5L Diesel engine churning 113 bhp and 250 Nm mated to either a 6-speed manual, 6-speed iMT and a 6-speed torque converter will be carried over.
