India Car of The Year 2023 Winner: KIA CARENS
The winner of the Indian Car of The Year (ICOTY), one of the most prestigious awards in the automotive sector, was announced today by a jury of 18 automotive journalists. The Indian Car of the Year 2023 title was given to the Kia Carens MPV. Early last year, Kia introduced the Carens MPV to the market. The popular mid-size SUV Seltos shares the same platform as the MPV. However, it appears quite dissimilar to it. Vehicles like the Skoda Slavia, Mahindra Scorpio N, and Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara were also up for this prestigious award.
In order to draw customers looking for an MPV that is cosy, roomy, and includes high-end features, Kia Carens was introduced in 2022. Another element was the cost. The then-available Toyota Innova Crysta carved out a niche for itself, but it was becoming more and more expensive every year. On the other hand, although they did not have as many features as other manufacturers, MPVs like the Ertiga and XL6 were available. Kia was able to strike gold by providing customers with a product that was comfortable, feature-rich, and affordable. This is among the factors that contributed to its rapid rise in popularity among consumers. The Kia Carens now has an ex-showroom price range of Rs 10.20 lakh to Rs 18.45 lakh.
Premium features offered by Kia include leatherette upholstery, captain seats, automatic climate control, roof-mounted air vents, an electric sunroof, a touchscreen infotainment system, ventilated front seats, wireless phone charging, multiple drive modes, cruise control, and more. Kia offers both gasoline and diesel engine options for the Carens. A 1.5-liter, normally aspirated gasoline engine with 115 PS and 144 nm of maximum torque is included. There is a 6-speed manual gearbox option for this powerplant. The 1.5 litre turbocharged diesel engine produces a maximum torque of 250 Nm and 115 Ps. Both a 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmission are compatible with this engine. Carens offers a 1.4 litre turbocharged petrol engine option, just like Seltos. 140 PS and a maximum torque of 242 Nm are produced by this engine. This engine is available from Kia with both a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed DCT transmission.
Like the Seltos, the Kia Carens is an Indian-made vehicle and is offered in a total of 19 variations. This year, Kia attended the Auto Expo and the company unveiled two new products. The fourth-generation Kia Carnival, which Kia now refers to as the KA4 for some reason, was on display. The Carnival MPV that is available in the Indian market is actually a fourth-generation vehicle, which has been offered for sale globally for the past few years. At the Auto Expo 2023, Kia also displayed the EV9 concept in addition to the KA4. This electric SUV, which is anticipated to enter production by the end of 2023, will serve as the company’s flagship model.
Bringing it back, Carens: At the Auto Expo, Kia displayed two PBVs, or purpose-built vehicles. This well-liked MPV was modified by Kia to meet the requirements of emergency services like the police and an ambulance. In contrast to other cars, Kia will be producing these officially to prevent people from using aftermarket parts and extras.
