Kia Carens road test reports and car reviews

Kia Carens LX 2004

I bought my diesel 2 litre automatic Carens new in March 2004. It has 39,900 miles on the clock and has an overall fuel consumption of 35 mpg. That is one of the few disappointments I have. It has been very comfortable and reliable. Looking at trading in prices it is considered to be worth only a fraction of the original price, but I rate it much more highly and would certainly consider it to be a very good second hand buy for anyone giving it consideration. I am not too happy with the dealership which is a multi agency company with big flashy showrooms but poor service to existing customers (certainly Kia customers) but that does not detract from the qualities of the car. Fortunately I have had little need other than annual MOT’s and servicing, . I like the basic but practical dials and controls (apart from the rear wiper switch which is a bit beyond reach.) The gearbox has been faultless and its function has been close to perfect. Many road reports criticise the amount of plastic in the cockpit but to me that is not a problem. I carry a lot of passengers to hospital appointments and have had a lot of praise of the comfort and the ride they have had - I don’t remember having had any bad remarks. The seats are much higher than most cars and getting in and out is quite simple. I think Kia name has had a lot of prejudice against it but to me the range and quality of cars is something that is not widely appreciated. But if you drive one you can soon become convinced and my experience is that most Kia owners are very satisfied with their choice.

Kia Carens CRDi 2.0 LS manual (7 seats).

I did a lot of research on the MPV class and almost turned into a bit of an Anorak in the process. Time and time again I kept coming back to the Carens because I simply couldn’t find anything else to suit our limited budget. It would be unfair to name names but it’s always the same 2 or 3 manufacturers that are most popular choices. I wish car buyers would ditch the ’badge’ snobbery and go for something like a Kia that in my opinion offers the same if not more. Whilst many people are tightening their financial belts and holding off on that purchase, more and more people will soon latch onto the Carens. I may not be fully qualified to review this car as I have only owned it for a few weeks but can safely say that I am loving the Carens as I knew I would. I have found that many of the reviews that I have read are most unfair and unjust. Of course you get what you pay for, but I honestly don’t think this is the case with the Carens. You get a lot of car for your money. Don’t be afraid to consider the LS version with the extra gadgets on board. I bought my 2 year old for £8,500 which is considerably cheaper than most GS models. The ride, handling, economy, space, practicality, looks all score highly for me. One other thing; ’boxy’? ’boring’? - certainly not!

Kia Carens gs crdi 2008

Excellent all-round car. Just as good at touring round town as motorway trips to Scotland. However, CHOOSE YOUR DEALER CAREFULLY! the ’cheapest’ discounted deal, may mean naff service; it did in my case.

Kia Carens CRDI GS5 2008

Excellent car; good performance, good mpg. Lots of room and well built. However, I WOULD NOT buy from Perry’s again.

Kia Carens LS 2006

After driving a 1993 Toyota Previa for 8 years and 145000 miles, we bought a 2002 Renault Scenic. The Scenic was too small; used too much petrol and within 2 months we have just bought a 56 Carens LS and it is packed with stuff. 18000 miles 2L diesel Auto for £9500; we test drove numerous cars including the Ford C-Max, Zafira , C4 , Megane Estate, Jeep , Honda CR-V etc... The Carens beats them all in ride, fuel consumption and space inside. I think it looks pretty good in its LS livery. In the USA its called a Rondo and has accessories which are not available in the UK can be bought over the net. We have just experienced a grumbling rattle noise when turning left , but with the remaining 3 and a bit years left on the warranty it’s going in to Kia. The Kia garage we bought it from said that if the warranty did not cover the fault , they would deal with it. Seems like good service so far.

Kia Carens 2.0 GS 7Seater 2008

This is the second Kia Carens I have owned. The new model is by far the best to date. I can truthfully say they represent good value, all round. Roll on the next one...

Kia Carens 2008

Reading some of the reports above makes me think some people don’t know a thing about cars. the Kia Carens is a well built MPV, 5 or 7 seats, good spec, even for the entry S model. The ride is good and steering is positive, very little roll on corners. Interior is very spacious, and gives the feel of a big 4x4. 5 year warranty is a good tempter, which other cars don’t have. A good all round car, I say it beats the Zafira, on comfort and ride. I’d certainly buy another Carens, and I don’t have anything bad to say about it.

Kia Carens 2lite diesel 2006

I’ve had my Kia Carens 2lite diesel for 2 years now. It’s OK but would not buy another Kia. Yes, it was cheap to buy but I know a man who has one for a taxi and its done 230,000 miles - 2004 model; so they cant be all that bad.

Kia Carens 2005

my carens runs on in gears 2-3-4-5 when i slow down to 26mph it starts to stall then it picks up to a speed of about 32mph as if it went into auto drive i have reported it to kia uk and the kia dealer i had it from they test drove it with me they say its the engine management doing its job giveing power to the engine when its needed i think there is a fault on the management as i have driven a wide range of diesel vehicle in the past and this has never happened before i have spoken to a few kia owners they say theres dont do it i have read a magazine where a another kia owner in selby has had this problem with a serento could someone adise me on my next move thank you r chamberlain

Responses to this review

I have had my Kia Carens from new; it has now completed about 4000 miles. It hesitates a little in 2nd gear at about 2000 revs. KIA ADMIT IT HAS A PROBLEM WITH SOFTWARE AND SAY THEY ARE WORKING ON IT. Otherwise the car runs realy well and returns about 37 to the gallon - Michael Cummings from Lincolnshire