Kia Carens Clavis

Kia has introduced the Carens Clavis in India. Like all other Kias, this car is no different in terms of features and new age technology. The Clavis is a technology packed wonder in all aspects. The price of the car is not yet announced but the pre booking is allowed in the website.

Exterior

The Clavis comes with a bold and refreshed exterior design, positioning it as a more premium and SUV-inspired version of the popular Carens MPV. It aims to turns heads with a futuristic stance while retaining its family friendly practicality.

The Clavis greets onlookers with Kia's signature 'Digital Tiger Face,' which has been updated for a more assertive look. A key highlight is the redesigned front end featuring striking triangular, three-pod LED headlamps, in some variants referred to as 'Ice Cube MFR LED Headlamps.' These are complimented by distinctive angular or inverted L-shaped LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) dubbed 'Star Map LED DRLs,' that lend aggressive edge. The grille takes inspiration from Kia's newer electric models like the EV5 and Syros, appearing largely blanked-off. A redesigned front bumper incorporates a contrasting black section and a robust faux silver skid plate, enhancing its rugged appeal.

While maintaining a silhouette similar to the existing Carens, the Clavis boasts several upgrades. Prominent black body claddings along the wheel arches and side sills emphasizes its SUV-like character. It rides on newly designed larger  wheels, available in 16-inch or 17-inch sizes, often featuring a crystal-cut dual-tone finish. Body coloured outside rear view mirrors with integrated turn signals, sleek black roof rails (integrated on certain trims), and conventional pull type door handles complete the side view. Subtle silver inserts add a touch of premiumness. Dimensionally, the Carens Clavis is slightly longer than the standard Carens by approximately 10mm, with the overall length of  4550 mm, width of 1800 mm, height of 1708 mm, and a wheelbase of 2780 mm.

The rear of Carens Clavis has undergone a significant transformation. It now features eye-catching connected LED taillights, referred to as 'Star Map LED Connected Tail Lamps,' which are linked by an illuminated light bar spanning the width of the tailgate. A redesigned rear bumper, also featuring a chunky silver skid plate, mirrors the ruggedness of the front. A 'Clavis' badge, a roof-mounted spoiler and a shark-fin antenna round off the modern rear aesthetics.

Interior

Step inside the new Kia Carens Clavis, and you are greeted by a significantly revamped and more premium interior compared to the standard Carens. Kia has focused on enhancing the ambiance, technology, and comfort levels, aligning with the Clavis's upmarket positioning.

The most striking change in the all-new layered dashboard design. It prominently features a dual-screen setup on higher variants, compromising  a large 12.3-inch floating touch screen infotainment  system  and an equally sized 12.3-inch fully digital driver's side display, reminiscent of the  setup in the Kia Syros. Lower trims are expected to feature an 8-inch touchscreen, often with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

A new two-spoke multi-function steering wheel, also borrowed from the Syros, adds a contemporary touch. Below the central screen, a sleek touch-enabled panel with physical knobs allows for intuitive control over both the climate control and media systems, featuring an "infotainment/temperature swap switch" for dual functionality. The center console has also been redesigned with contrasting silver accents and houses the gear selector, wireless phone charger, and cup holders.

The Carens Clavis retains its versatile three-row seating configuration, available in both 6-seater (with captain's chairs in the second row, typically on the top-spec HTX+ variant) and 7-seater (with bench seats) layouts. Kia has introduced new upholstery options to elevate the cabin feel. These include dual-tone themes like black and beige for entry to mid-level variants, and a sophisticated navy blue and beige combination for higher trims. Some variants feature an indigo-coloured dashboard with black metal trim, paired with the beige and navy leatherette seats, while others offer premium fabric with semi-leatherette seats in black. A vertical line design on the seats further enhances the premium look.

Passenger comfort is a key focus in the Clavis. A major highlight is the introduction of the panoramic sunroof, with higher turbo-petrol trims receiving a dual-pane version, while other variants get a single-pane electric sunroof. Front occupants benefit from ventilated seats and a 4-way powered driver's seat (though height adjustment often remains manual).

The cabin experience is further enriched by 64-colour ambient lighting, a wireless phone charger, and thoughtful additions like retractable seat back tables with integrated cup and IT device holders. Rear door sunshades are standard fitment from the base variant, and the second row seats feature a convenient one-touch electric tumble function for easy access to the third row. Practicality is maintained with roof-flushed second and third-row diffused AC vents, multiple USB Type-C charging ports, a smart key with push button start and remote engine start, auto dimming IRVM with Kia Connect controls, telescopic steering adjustment, cooled cup holders and even a cooled can holder for the second-row passengers.

Beyond infotainment, the Clavis's interior is packed with technology. Higher variants boast an 8-speaker Bose premium sound system and Kia Connect for connected car features with Over-The-Air (OTA) updates.

For safety and driver assistance, a Level 2 ADAS (Advance Driver Assistance Systems) suite is available on the top-spec DCT variant. Other notable interior safety and convenience features include a 360-degree camera system, Blind View Monitoring System in the instrument cluster, a factory installed dual-camera dashcam (on HTX and HTX+ variants), a Smart Pure Air Purifier with an AQI display, an electronic parking brake with auto-hold, and front and rear parking sensors. As standard, the Clavis comes with six airbags.

While offering a more luxurious environment, the Carens Clavis doesn't compromise on the practicality that the Carens is known for. It continues to offer a spacious three-row layout with good headroom and legroom, particularly in the first and second rows. The third row remains usable, especially for short journeys. With all three rows in place, the boot space is a practical 216 liters.

Overall, the interior of Kia Carens Clavis represents a significant step up, with a clear emphasis on a more premium design, enhanced material quality, a wealth of new technology, and improved comfort and convenience features, making it a more sophisticated and inviting space for families.

The Kia Carens Clavis  will be offered with three distinct engine choices:

• 1.5-liter Naturally Aspirated Petrol Engine: This unit is tuned to produce approximately 115PS of power and 144Nm of torque is  available  with a manual transmission and potentially an automatic option, focusing on smooth city drivability and efficiency.
• 1.5-liter Turbo-Petrol Engine: For those seeking a more spirited driving experience, this engine delivers a robust 160PS and 253Nm torque. It will likely be paired with multiple transmission choices, including a 6-speed (intelligent Manual Transmission) and a 7-speed DCT (Dual-Clutch Transmission), offering a blend of performance and convenience.
• 1.5-liter Diesel Engine: A staple for long-distance cruising and fuel economy, this engine generates around 116 PS of power and 250Nm of torque. Buyers can expect this engine to be mated with both manual and a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

The turbo-petrol variant is the most performance-oriented of the lot, providing brisk acceleration suitable for both urban commutes and highway journeys. The diesel variant will continue to be a strong choice for its torque delivery and fuel efficiency, while the naturally aspirated petrol will serve as an accessible entry point into the Carens Clavis range.

 Kia Carens Clavis aims to elevated overall ownership experience with an updated design, enhanced interior features and the inclusion of  Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in higher trims, positioning it as a more upmarket offering compared to the standard Kia Carens.

Note: All images used in this blog has been taken from Manufacturer's website for a general information.

KIA SONET

Korean automobile giant KIA has updated its hot selling SUV Sonet. Now the Sonet is available with  diesel variants and also comes with ADAS Level 1 features. Ex-showroom price of the base HTE variant  starts at Rs.7.99 lakhs and goes up to Rs.14.69 lakh for the top end X line variant.

The previous version of the Sonet was beautiful, with this iteration, that beauty is elevated to a next level. Now it comes with an updated grille, LED headlamps, LED fog lamps and DRLs. The raised bonnet with power bulges and the large air dams and skid plate are making this car an SUV from the front.

From the sides you can see beautiful 16 inch alloy wheels of the car. Large black cladding starting from the front bumper is going all the way through the sides is perfectly syncing with the overall design of the side profile of the Sonet. With all these things the higher ground clearance with roof rails are making it an SUV from sides.

When come to the back, you will be mesmerized by the overall beauty of the Sonet. The long LED light bar connecting both  LED tail lamps making the car a really beautiful one in the segment. Roof rails high mounted stop lamps, shark fin antenna and rear wiper are provided. The car is having a boot space of 585 liters , is a very practical boot space for a family of four in long journeys.

As the exterior, Kia has updated the interior of the Sonet as well. Now the car is provided with 10.25 inch touch screen infotainment system and Driver information display. The touch screen system is provided with the car houses Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, media control and several connected features of the car. Even you can operate the single pane sun roof of the Sonet by the voice assist feature of this system. Touch response and display quality are excellent. 

Both the front seats are ventilated seats. The driver seat having power slide adjustment but height adjustment is possible by manually only. Also the steering. Sonet having a manually adjustable steering wheel with tilt function, having controls of cruise control and audio system. Paddle-shifters are also provided with automatic variants of the car. You will get wireless mobile charger along with 12V and USB chargers. Two cup holders are provided. A driver arm rest with storage space is also available.

It has an improved back seat comfort with extended under thigh support and legroom. Mobile phone charging sockets and A/c vents with air purifier are provided. Manual sun blinds are also available for back seat passengers. You will get an arm rest with two cup holders also in this seat. The back seat is ideally fit to accommodate two adults in long journeys.

As part of entertainment, the car is provided with 7 speaker and a subwoofer Bose music system, which is an excellent system in the segment.

ENGINE OPTIONS

The Kia Sonet is available in 3 engine and 3 transmission variants. With this update the Kia is provided with a Diesel variant too.

• 1.2 Liter Petrol (Power-61kW/6000 rpm and Torque-115Nm/4200rpm)
• 1.0 Liter Petrol (Power-88kW/6000 rpm and Torque-172Nm/1500-4000rpm)
• 1.5 Liter Diesel (Power-85kW/4000 rpm and Torque-250Nm/1500-2750rpm)

TRANSMISSION OPTIONS

• 5-Speed Manual
• 6-Speed IMT (Intelligent Manual Transmission)
• Automatic (7-Speed DCT/6-Speed Torque Converter)

Also the car is provided with three driver modes, Eco, Normal and Sports. It is a car which provides adequate performance and luxury. 

DIMENSIONS

SAFETY

The Sonet is a well built car with lot of active and passive safety equipment. It is provided with 4 air bags as standard across the variants. Apart from this, you will get several features and additional airbags on higher variants. ADAS Level-1 features are also provided on higher variants. Some of the features are giving below.

• 7 Airbags
• ABS with EBD
• Emergency Stop Signal
• BAS (Brake Force Assist System)
• ESC Electronic Stability Control
• Hill Start Assist
• VSM (Vehicle Stability Management)
• Front & Rear All Seat 3-Point Seat Belts with Reminder
• Speed Sending Auto Door Lock
• Impact Sensing Auto Door Unlock
• Rear Parking Sensors
• Front Parking Sensors
• ISOFIX Child Anchorage
• Rear Disc Brakes
• 360 Degree Camera with Blind View Monitor
• ADAS Level-1 with 10 Autonomous Features
• Forward Collision Warning
• Forward Collision-Avoidance 
• Lane Keep Assist
• Lane Following Assist
• Lane Departure Warning
• High Beam Assist
• Driver Attention Warning
• Leading Vehicle Departure Alert
• Rear Wiper
• Rear Defogger

In conclusion, the Kia Sonet is a well packaged vehicle with wide variety of options to choose. It is available in petrol and diesel variants with Automatic,IMT and Manual transmission options. Moreover, the top variants of the Sonet comes with ADAS Level-1 features too. Definitely it can be a good choice if you are in search of a vehicle of its price range.

As always, Drive safe & Happy Driving. 

Note: All images used in this blog has been taken from Manufacturer's website for presentation purpose

KIA Seltos

KIA has launched the updated version of its most popular SUV 'Seltos' in India. Now it is available with three engine and four transmission options. Price of the base Seltos HTE 1.5 Petrol MT variant starts at Rs.10.90 Lakh and goes up to Rs.20 Lakh for the top end Seltos X Line 1.5 Diesel AT variant.

KIA has beautified the Seltos with this update. At the front you can see a set of beautiful LED headlamps and DRLs. Stylish sequential LED indicators are provided.

Seltos looks very stylish from the sides too. The boxy design of the car gives a sense of space even from outside. Chrome finished window line starting from the front window goes back and joins with the roof looks really nice. Door handles are also provided in chrome finish.

Rear view mirrors are fixed with turn indicators. Roof rails are also provided. 18inch alloy wheels and thick wheel arches with cladding are making the Seltos a  muscular vehicle from sides. 

Seltos is even beautiful from rear too. Its connected LED strip and beautifully designed LED tail lamps and indicators gives a sense of an Electric Vehicle from the rear. KIA badging can be seen on the middle of the LED strip. Thick bumper and a skid plate with dual exhaust can be seen from the rear. A spoiler with LED stop lamps and shark fin antenna are also provided. The Seltos has a boot space of 433 liter, which is very good for a family car of this size. A spare wheel is provided and is placed well without hampering the boot space.

By entering into the cabin you will be welcomed by the premium and class leading features of the Seltos.

Intelligent fully automatic dual zone airconditioner with smart air purifier with virus and bacteria protection are making the cabin environment cool and hygiene.

A large 10.25" touch screen infotainment system which joins with the 10.25" color LCD Multi-information display is the main attraction of this cabin. This infotainment system is configured with Android Auto and Apple Carplay. Also it houses the controls of eight speaker Bose music system, rear view camera,onboard navigation etc.

Front seats are very comfortable and are ventilated seats. Driver seat is provided with 8-way power adjustment feature, which is really a nice feature. Rear seat comfort is also very good. You will get two A/c vents at the back. Manual sunblind and mobile charging points are also provided. It is an ideal vehicle for long journey.

A large Panoramic Sunroof provided on the car is making the cabin more spacious. It can be operated with voice assist function. With all the tech and comfortable features, this sunroof making the car more premium from inside.

When come to the engine and driving department, variants of KIA available in three engine options.

1. A Turbo Petrol engine with 160PS power and 253Nm Torque
2. A normal Petrol engine with 115PS Power and 144Nm Torque
3. A Diesel Engine with116PS Power and 253 Nm Torque.

The car feels very refined with all its engine options. 

Important Figures

• Length: 4365mm
• Width: 1800mm
• Height: 1645mm
• Drive system:2W
• Cargo Volume: 433 L
• No.of Doors: 5

Safety

Seltos is a 3 star rated car as per the GNCAP crash test ratings. It is provided with lot of safety features. 

It is provided with Six airbags 

Hill hold assist, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) & Vehicle Stability Management System (VSM) 

360 Dgree camera with Blind View Monitor 

All wheel Disc Brakes

Attentive Front and Rear Parking Sensors.

Apart from these regular safety features the Seltos is packed with ADAS level 2 features like..

• Smart Cruise Control
• Front Collision Warning and Avoidance Assist (FCW and FCA)
• Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
• Blind Spot Collision Warning (BCW)
• High Beam Assist (HBA)
• Driver Attention Warning (DAW)
• Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (RCCW)
• Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist (RCCA)
• Safe Exit Warning (SEW)
• Leading Vehicle Departure Alert (LVDA)

In conclusion, the KIA Seltos is a very stylish and powerful vehicle with lot of active and passive safety features. Most of the comfort features available with the Seltos is still missing on some  premium vehicles which comes a segment above of the Seltos. Moreover with Seltos, KIA giving you the freedom  to select  the desired variant with petrol and diesel engines with automatic and manual transmission options. Definitely you can consider the Seltos if you are in search of a vehicle of its category or a segment above. It is a technology packed car.

As always, Drive safe & Happy Driving. 

Note: All images used in this blog has been taken from Manufacturer's website for presentation purpose.

KIA EV6 GT Line AWD

 

EV6 is a new vehicle from the Korean Manufacturer Kia. It is a super styled vehicle in all senses. It looks elegant and sporty and it is very much sportier with its  performance too. With style and performance, it excels in one more area, and that is with the range. The EV6 claims 528km range in single charge, it is a confidence giving figure to take this car to long distances without the range anxiety. Let's look it in details.

EXTERIOR

EV6 looks like a sports car from front angle. The automatic LED headlights and DRLs are looking good. The DRLs provided on the upper portion of the headlight will also work as sequential indicators. Slopping bonnet and thin airdam are well designed to enhance its sporty look and aerodynamics of the car.

EV6 is a long car and you can feel that 4.69meter length and 2.9meter wheelbase  from its sides. 19 inch alloy wheels provided looks nice. The 178mm ground clearance is sufficient to cruise in Indian roads. ORVMs are also provided with turn indicators.

Flush door handles are provided in body colour. These seamlessly designed auto door handles pop out as you approach it with the smart key.

The rear portion of the car is also beautiful like the front. Long connected LED tail lamps with sequential indicators are giving it a sleek and futuristic look. Apart from this, the car comes with a roof spoiler and shark finn antenna. In short it is a very beautiful vehicle from all angles.

EV6 comes with an electrically powered tail gate. It has a boot space of 520 liter, which can be enlarged to a massive 1300 liter space by folding the rear 60:40 split seats. However this car don't have the spare wheel on offer, instead it comes with a tire puncture kit. Additionally, there is a small storage space of 21 liter is provided in the bonnet, which can fit a small bag with ease.

INTERIOR

When step into the interior, you will be welcomed by a  feature rich cabin of the EV6. This car is loaded with latest technologies.

You can see a nice dashboard with 12.3 inch infotainment system. It can support wireless Android Auto and AppleCarplay. The 360 Degree camera is also integrated with this system.

The 12.3 inch infotainment system and  the 12.3 inch driver side display together forms a massive screen. The interior looks really great with the flat bottom steering wheel with this massive screen.

The driver side display is also very clear and intuitive. Various information like vehicle range, battery status and navigation etc can be accessed from this display. A head up display is also available with this AWD version.

You can find the gear knob,start/stop switch and switches of seat ventilation, auto-hold  and electric parking brake are on the center console. Two cup holders are also provided on the centre console. Apart from this you will get a small storage space under the front arm rest and a fairly large space under the center console too. Also there is a decent storage available in the cooled glove box. All doors are provided with bottle holders.

Front seats are very comfortable and are ventilated. These seats can be electrically adjusted.

These front seats can be reclined to zero gravity position by the press of a button.

Another factor is that the most of the materials used inside this car is made from recycled materials. For powering mobile devices, a wireless charger, a 12V and two USB charging slots are provided at the front.

The rear seat of the EV6 is also good to travel long distances. You will get good legroom and sufficient headroom here, what it lacks is the under-thigh support because of the raised floor. This is due to the long battery pack placed under the floor.

As it is an EV and lack of central tunnel, makes it to sit three people comfortably. A/c vents are provided on the side pillars. Two USB charging sockets and a central arm rest with two cup holders are also made available for rear passengers.

An electrically operated single pane sunroof is available in the EV6 making the cabin more airy. 

Moreover the car is equiped with the 14 speaker Meridian Surround Sound system, which is one of the best sound system available in the world.Overall the interior of the car is excellent. It is a well furnished cabin.

PERFORMANCE

EV6 comes with an electrifying performance. The 77.4kWh battery provides 325PS and 605Nm Torque, makes it sprint from 0 to 100kmph in 5.2 seconds. The Dual Motor  All wheel drive technology provides excellent grip on all four wheels. Switch between AWD and RWD can be enabled as needed within 0.4 seconds. The top speed of the car is limited to 192km. All disc brakes on all wheels provides excellent braking too. 

The car is provided with Normal,Sports and Eco modes. As every EV it provides maximum range in Eco mode. The EV6 can be charged from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes with 800V ultra fast charger but with 50kW charger it will take 73 minute to charge from 10% to 80%. The common 25kW and 15kW chargers will take little more time and charging by home socket from 0 to 100% will take 36 hours.

The fully charged EV6 can be used as a power bank. It offers 3.6kW of power to run multiple devices to run inside and outside by attaching Vehicle-to-Load connector. This same feature you can find with the new BYD ATTO 3.

IMPORTANT FIGURES

Battery Capacity: 77.4kWh Lithium-ion

Range: 528km

Charging time:18min(in350kW charger)

Max.Power: 325hp

Max.Torque: 605Nm

Performance: 0-100kmph in 5.2 Seconds

Vehicle length: 4695mm

Wheelbase: 2900mm

Ground clearance: 178mm

SAFETY

The EV6 comes with several connected safety features along with more than 10 ADAS features like Lane keep assist, Forward Collision Avoidance System, Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist, Driver Attention Warning, Blind Spot Detection, Smart Cruise Control with  Stop & Go Functionality etc. Apart from these ADAS features, the car is equipped with 8 Airbags, Hill start assist,Vehicle stability management, All wheel disc brakes, Front & Rear Parking sensors, 360 Degree camera, ABS, ESC, Multi collision brake assist, Brake assistant system, Emergency stop signal and ISOFIX Child Anchor.

PRICE.

The price of the EV6 starts at Rs.59.95Lakh and goes up to Rs.64.95 Lakh for the fully loaded All Wheel Drive variant.

CONCLUSION

The EV6 AWD is a great car by design and it's  powerful twin electric motor provides excellent driving experiance too. The 528km claimed range and the shorter charging time making this car an excellent option over other luxury cars coming under its price range.In short, EV6 is a nice and powerful car with long range capability.

If you want to compare the EV6 with another EVs of similar features,  then check Hyundai Ioniq 5, BYD ATTO 3 and Volvo XC 40 Recharge .

Happy Driving.

" Don't hesitate to follow traffic signals"

Note:All images used in this blog has been taken from Manufacturer's website for presentation purpose.