Kia Carens 1.5L has a captain’s seat in Indonesia – 6-seater MPV costs RM 128 thousand, just over 2 trillion compared to a 7-seater car

The The fourth generation Kia Carens has been on sale in Indonesia since August last year. The familiar MPV name is now associated with a three-row car for emerging markets, and in Indonesia, the Carens is positioned as a more premium rival to rivals like New Honda BR-V, Toyota Veloz And Mitsubishi Xpander.

Kia offers two variants of the Carens KY in the republic, a 1.5L naturally aspirated version with 115 hp/144 Nm and an Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT, Kia’s name for the CVT) and a turbocharger. 1.4L with 140 hp, 242 Nm and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The 1.5L IVT is a 7-seater while the 1.4T is a 6-seater with two chief seats in the middle row.

Now a captain seat in a 2-2-2 layout is also available on the 1.5L. Priced at Rp 414.6 juta (RM127,793), the new 1.5L 6-seater splits into a 7-seater 1.5L (RM125,639) and a top-of-the-line 1.4T RM (RM143,949). Surprisingly, the premium for the 1.5L 6-seater is only around RM2,000, making it really worth it if you don’t need the extra seats.

For the 1.4T version, the two separate middle rows of the new variant have tray tables, backrests, armrests and a very interesting one-touch power adjustment function for easy access to the third row. Well, all you need to do is press a button, and this convenience sets Carens apart in Indonesia’s crowded MPV sector.

As for other features, the new variant follows its seven-seat sister, with ventilated front seats, a front sunroof, ambient lights, wireless charging, USB charging for all three rows of seats (Type C) , manual window blinds, 8-inch display unit with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, and wait for it, an eight-speaker Bose sound system. I guess we now know why it’s more expensive than the rest of the field.

As you can see in the photos below, the Carens also has fancy LED lighting on the outside and nice details in the cabin – check out the pattern on the dashboard/door panels and seats . What do you think of Carens, and is it relevant in Malaysia at the above price point? Also, will Malaysians pay more for a conventional B-segment powertrain if Does the car come with premium features?

LIBRARY: Kia Carens 2023, Indonesia-spec