New Carens marks a major advance for our compact MPV model. It incorporates a host of significant improvements in every category – design, comfort, performance, versatility, quality and safety. New Carens will certainly have great appeal to new and existing Kia customers across the world.
Room for seven with greater versatility
Making best use of the longer wheelbase and wider cabin, Kia engineers also created an innovative ‘shallow’ fuel tank mounted integrally with the rear suspension sub-frame, which allowed the rear cabin floor to be lowered by 40mm, boosting interior space and ensuring that the rear row seats in the seven-seater will accommodate two 1.8 metre adults in comfort.
In both versions, the middle and/or rear row seats fold down to create a flat-floored luggage area. With five seats occupied, luggage space is more than 400 litres and with just the driver and front passenger on board, up to 2,106 litres of cargo can be carried.
Two newly developed 2.0-litre engines, diesel engine with DPF
Kia is offering European Carens customers a choice of one diesel engine and one gasoline engine (both Euro4 compliant), with manual gearboxes or automatic transmissions, so they can choose the power train that best suits their motoring needs.
Kia’s upgraded four-cylinder 2.0 CRDi diesel engine features a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) that comes with a diesel particle filter (DPF) as standard. It generates 103kW and has a six-speed manual gearbox. The twin-cam four-cylinder 2.0-litre ‘Theta’ gasoline engine, with continuously variable valve timing (CVVT), produces 106 kW and is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.
Improved suspension, steering and braking
New Carens’ significantly wider track (up by more than 80mm), longer wheelbase (up by 130mm), and stiffer bodyshell have inherent benefits for the new model’s agility, ride, handling and safety.
The fully independent suspension systems, both front and rear, are designed to deliver responsive handling and a supple, comfortable ride. For agile handling in everyday driving, the New Carens model has a hydraulic power-assisted rack and pinion steering system with relatively high gearing, requiring just 2.86 turns of the wheel from lock-to-lock with the standard 16-inch wheels.
New Carens’ braking system has larger and thicker ventilated front discs and solid rear discs for powerful, secure and stable braking performance, backed up by ABS with EBD. Stopping from 100km/h is achieved in a braking distance of just 41.8 metres.
16 models in nine colours on sale from northern autumn 2006
