|
Kia Seltos (SP2i) |
Hyundai Stargazer }} |
Petrol: | 1.4 L
G4LD turbo GDi I4 | 1.5 L
G4FL I4 | 1.5 L
G4FS turbo GDi I4 |
Diesel: | 1.5 L
D4FA CRDi I4 }} | 6-speed
manual | 6-speed
automatic | 7-speed
DCT |
CVT }} }} The fourth-generation Carens was revealed in India on 16 December 2021. It was developed under the codename "KY". Based on a stretched
Seltos/
Hyundai Creta platform, it is mainly marketed for India and other emerging markets as opposed to previous generations. Instead of the previous generations' compact MPV configuration, the fourth-generation model is configured as a
compact crossover. It is marketed by Kia as a "recreational vehicle" (RV) with 6-seater and 7-seater configurations offered and was developed with an emphasis on space for third-row seat occupants. The model shared the same powertrain and gearbox options as the Indian-made Seltos, consisting of two
petrol engines and one
diesel engine. The petrol engines are 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine that makes paired with six-speed manual transmission or
CVT, and a 1.4-liter
Smartstream turbocharged engine that produces paired with six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The diesel engine is a 1.5-litre
U-Line unit that produces paired with six-speed manual transmission or six-speed
torque-converter automatic. In Indonesia, the fourth-generation Carens was first shown at the Gaikindo Jakarta Auto Week on 12 March 2022, and launched at the
29th Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show on 11 August 2022. The sole Premiere grade is offered with either a 1.5-litre petrol engine with CVT, or a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 7-speed DCT. The latter has a 6-seater configuration with captain seats. The Vietnamese-market Carens was launched on 11 November 2022, it is offered in four grades: Deluxe (6-speed manual and IVT), Luxury (IVT), Premium (7-speed DCT or 6-speed automatic) and Signature (7-speed DCT or 6-speed automatic). Like the ones on the Indian market, the Vietnamese-market Carens are available with three engines: The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated gasoline engine which is available on the Deluxe and Luxury grades, the 1.4-liter
Smartstream turbocharged gasoline engine and the 1.5-litre
U-Line diesel engine which is available on both Premium and Signature grades. Like other Kia models, it is assembled locally at THACO Kia manufacturing facility in Chu Lai Province. File:2022 Kia Carens 1.4 Luxury Plus (India) rear view.png|Rear view File:2022 Kia Carens 1.4 Premiere (Indonesia) interior.jpg|Interior
Carens Clavis In May 2025, Kia India introduced the Carens Clavis, a premium variant of the existing MPV lineup. The Clavis incorporates notable design and feature enhancements and is positioned as a more upmarket alternative within the Carens range. The Clavis features a redesigned exterior with a revised front and rear fascia,
LED headlamps, and connected LED tail lamps. The interior includes dual 12.25-inch displays—one for the
infotainment system and another as a digital
instrument cluster. Additional features include a
panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, a premium audio system, ambient lighting,
wireless charging, and a 4-way power-adjustable driver's seat. Safety upgrades on the Clavis variant include
Level 2 ADAS, a 360-degree camera, and six airbags. The Carens Clavis is offered with three engine options: a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated
petrol engine, a 1.5-litre
turbocharged petrol engine, and a 1.5-litre
diesel engine. Transmission choices include a 6-speed manual transmission, a 6-speed
intelligent manual transmission (iMT), and a 7-speed
dual-clutch transmission (DCT). The Carens Clavis gets 7 exterior colour options: Ivory Silver Gloss, Sparkling Silver, Pewter Olive, Glacier White Pearl, Imperial Blue, Gravity Grey and Aurora Black Pearl. The cabin of the MPV gets a single, two-tone Triton Navy and Biege colour. The Carens Clavis is available in both 6- and 7-seater configurations. The 6-seater version, featuring captain chairs in the second row, is offered exclusively in the HTX Plus trim level. Since the launch of Kia Carens Clavis, the Carens is now offered in single 7-seater, Premium (O) trim. File:2025 Kia Carens Clavis HTX Plus.png|Carens Clavis File:2025 kia Carens Clavis Facelift 1.5 T-GDi 7DCT (2).jpg|Rear view File:2025 kia Carens Clavis Facelift 1.5 T-GDi 7DCT (3).jpg|Interior
Carens Clavis EV The Kia Carens Clavis EV, Kia's first
electric vehicle manufactured in India, was launched on 15 July 2025, with bookings commencing on 22 July 2025. It is available in both base and long-range variants, featuring battery options of 42 kWh or 51.4 kWh, which offer a claimed range of up to 490 km (as per
ARAI standards). The electric motor delivers 169 PS (124 kW; 167 hp) and 295 N⋅m (218 lb⋅ft) of torque, paired with a single-speed automatic transmission. Its dimensions are 4,550 mm in length, 1,800 mm in width, 1,730 mm in height, and a wheelbase of 2,780 mm. Features include ADAS Level 2 with 20 autonomous functions, a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, a wireless smartphone charger, paddle shifters for
regenerative braking, and six standard airbags (dual front, front side, and curtains for the first and second rows). Pricing starts at ₹17.99 lakh (ex-showroom, India) as of October 2025.
Powertrain Safety The fourth-generation Carens for the Indian market is equipped as standard with two frontal airbags, two front-seat side body airbags, two head-protecting curtain airbags covering the first two rows, antilock brakes, Electronic Stability Control, hill-hold and a tyre pressure monitor. Dummy readings showed some limited chest compression and chest protection was further downrated to 'marginal' because the passenger compartment became unstable, load path failures indicating poor reproducibility of structural measurements. Pedal movement was high, which was the major reason for the low score. Kia also sponsored a regulatory side impact test according to the ECE Regulation 95 protocols and the Carens passed, but this could not be used in the assessment because the Carens did not reach the minimum points in the frontal impact for a five star result. In a bid to improve the Carens' star rating, Kia made changes to the structure of the Carens for Indian units produced from 2 May 2023, also adding three-point seatbelts to all seats and compatibility with i-Size child restraints. This updated version was retested by Global NCAP and assessed against updated evaluation criteria. In the first retest, the pedals still intruded excessively and the passenger compartment became unstable again. Moreover, the driver's airbag was still inflating as the dummy's head made contact, resulting in dummy values showing an unacceptably high risk of
serious or fatal neck injury, enough for Global NCAP to immediately award the Carens zero stars based on this alone. Child occupants were better protected than earlier because Kia selected new child restraints facing backwards. With unspecified changes to the restraint systems for units produced from 11 December 2023, dummy values in a subsequent retest indicated risk of serious or fatal neck injury, while other problems persisted. This version was awarded three stars for adult protection by Global NCAP. == Sales ==