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Kia Carens (00-06)

Ratings

2 stars

Summary

Not recommended. Another unmemorable mini-MPV, the Carens offers reasonable space but lacks much in the way of versatility. Solidly constructed but completely unmemorable.

Review

Kia's big problem is the number of talented compact people-carriers on the market, a fact which serves to make its insipid offering appear even more dull and unattractive. The cabin is spacious and light, but the interior plastics and trim feel very low quality. Dynamic prowess doesn't feature on the menu, the Carens suffering from a sometimes lumpy ride and poor cornering. The 136bhp 2.0 petrol has decent pulling power but the 118bhp turbodiesel offers more mid-range performance and better economy. Pricing undercuts mainstream compact MPV rivals but it's hard not to conclude that even the European 'people vans' (such as the Citroen Berlingo) offer a better deal.

Ratings Breakdown

Styling

star

Handling

2 star

Comfort

2 star

Quality & Reliability

3 star

Performance

3 star

Roominess

4 star

Running Costs

4 star

Value for money

4 star

Stereo

2 star

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