2013 KIA Carens 2.0L GDI 6MT FWD (166 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Kia introduced the third generation of the Carens/Rondo in 2013 and made it more friendly with the environment by following the downsizing trend and dropping the V-6 engine.

The new generation replaced both the Sedona and the Carens and showed a styling that matched the rest of the Kia lineup. While the MPV segment was shrinking, there were still enough buyers to convince a few carmakers to build a small or compact-sized MPV in a world dominated by crossovers and SUVs.

At the front, the angular headlights swept-back to the sides resembled the ones found on the Kia cee’d. The entire car looked like an oversized cee’d, with a taller greenhouse. That led to a steep hood that tried to connect to the raked windshield. The taillights showed a similar shape to those installed on the compact hatchback cee’d in.

But most people are buying seven-seat vehicles for their interiors. In that aspect, the Kia significantly improved the Carens. It offered plenty of headroom and legroom for the front and middle-row passengers. Five people could sit inside without any worries, but those two flat-folding seats in the back were too cramped to be used for more than a five-minute drive.

Under the hood, Kia offered the Carens with a wide range of engines, depending on the market. While the Canadians loved the gasoline units, the Europeans and the U.K. buyers ticked the boxes for the turbo-diesel versions.