Here’s how the 2025 Kia Carens Clavis fares against its rivals like the Hyundai Alcazar, Maruti Suzuki XL6, Toyota Innova Crysta and more
BHPian Ripcord09 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
Kia is lacking key
What you’ll like:
⢠Refreshed styling is more appealing than before
⢠A practical & sensible 3-row family car that’s well-built. 3rd row seat is actually useable
⢠User-friendly interiors look really good and have quality parts
⢠Fast and refined 1.5L turbo-petrol mated to smooth 7-speed AT and 6-speed MT & iMT
⢠Economical 1.5L diesel offers good driveability. Available in MT & AT variants
⢠Impressive ride quality with neutral car-like road manners
⢠Impressive kit (ventilated 1st row seats, captain seats, boss mode, digital key, drive modes, fully digital instruments, 360-degree camera, panoramic sunroof, rear window sunshades, all windows up/down through smartkey, remote engine start, electronic parking brake with auto hold, air purifier, dashcam with dual camera, paddle shifters, Bose sound system & loads more)
⢠Safety package includes Level 2 ADAS, hill descent control, 6 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, auto-hold etc.
What you won’t:
⢠1.5L NA petrol available only with a 6-speed MT. Kia isn’t offering the smooth CVT on the Carens Clavis (CVT is actually better than DCT in bumper-to-bumper traffic)
⢠2nd row legroom is good, not great (Kia has obviously prioritised the 3rd-row seat too).
⢠Dieselâs 114 BHP & 250 Nm â although adequate â are the lowest in the segment
⢠Turbo-petrol revs to just ~5,500 rpm. It’s a powerful motor with 158 BHP on tap, so we wish it went higher for driving pleasure
⢠Reliability of the 7-speed DCT is a concern. Dual-Clutch ATs have traditionally had patchy reliability in India
⢠Long brake pedal travel. We felt their stopping performance was just above average
⢠Competitors like the XUV700, Tata Safari, Hector Plus etc. offer way more spacious cabins
⢠A few misses (no full-size spare wheel, ventilated 2nd row seats like the Syros & Alcazar, wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay in the top variant, no dual tone colour options, etc.)
Hyundai Alcazar
What you’ll like:
⢠A 3-row family car that’s well-built inside out & now looks better (cleaner design than the pre-facelift)
⢠User-friendly interiors look really good and have quality parts
⢠Fast and refined 1.5L turbo-petrol mated to smooth 7-speed AT and 6-speed MT
⢠Economical 1.5L diesel offers good driveability. Available in MT & AT variants
⢠Comfortable ride quality with neutral road manners
⢠Unladen ground clearance of 200 mm is perfect for Indian roads
⢠The Alcazar’s safety package includes ADAS Level 2, hill descent control, 6 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, auto-hold, TPMS etc.
⢠Impressive kit (ventilated 1st & 2nd row seats, captain seats with extendable under-thigh support & bolstered headrests, boss mode, digital key, drive and traction modes, fully digital instruments, 360-degree camera, 2nd-row wireless charger, panoramic sunroof, rear window sunshades, paddle shifters, Bose sound system & loads more)
⢠Hyundai’s wide dealer & service network
What you won’t:
⢠2nd row legroom is mediocre (captain seat variant). Compromises have been made to accommodate the 3rd row & boot
⢠3rd row access is too difficult in the captain seat variant
⢠3rd row seat is best suited to kids only. Not really a place for adults
⢠Competitors like the Carens, XUV700, Scorpio-N, Safari & Hector Plus offer more spacious cabins
⢠No all-wheel drive option available for enthusiasts / overlanders
⢠Long-term reliability of the 7-speed DCT is a concern (related reading)
⢠Turbo-petrol revs to just ~5,750 rpm. It’s a powerful motor with 158 BHP on tap, so we wish it went higher for driving pleasure
⢠Dieselâs 114 BHP & 250 Nm â although adequate â are the lowest in the segment
⢠A few misses (no sunroof and spare wheel in the diesel, wireless Android Auto & Apple Carplay, illuminated window buttons etc.)
Maruti Suzuki XL6
What you’ll like:
⢠A 6-seater MPV at the price of C segment sedans & some compact SUVs
⢠Improved stance with upsized wheels + tyres and cosmetic exterior updates
⢠Comfortable captain seats & spacious cabin make it a fantastic car for the chauffeur-driven
⢠A competent BS6 petrol with excellent fuel efficiency. Convenient automatic available as an option
⢠Significant updates including DualJet engine, 6 speed AT with paddle shifters, ventilated front seats, telescopic steering, Suzuki Connect with voice activated controls, UV cut glass for windows
⢠Improved safety kit consisting of 4 airbags, ESP & Hill Hold Assist, integrated TPMS, 360 degree camera, etc.
⢠Marutiâs excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experience
What you won’t:
⢠Petrol-only. No diesel on offer.
⢠Updated engine lacks outright grunt. Tuned for fuel efficiency and suitable for relaxed cruising only
⢠Cabin updates have not significantly upped the premium factor over the outgoing car
⢠Captain seat layout means just 2 people on the middle row
⢠Build, quality & refinement are ordinary for a car costing well over a million rupees. Not a âpremiumâ Ertiga
⢠3rd-row isn’t for everyone as the 2nd-row doesn’t tumble forward, making ingress / egress tricky
⢠Some missing features like auto-dimming IRVMs, sunroof etc.
Toyota Innova Crysta
MG Hector Plus
Tata Safari
Mahindra XUV700
What you’ll like:
⢠Handsome styling matched to solid build quality. Has street presence, feels robust
⢠Very spacious interiors with comfy seats and sorted ergonomics. 6-footer passengers welcome!
⢠182 BHP turbo-diesel & 197 BHP turbo-petrol make for a potent line-up
⢠Smooth 6-speed torque converter Automatics available with both engines
⢠Sorted suspension with good road manners & high speed stability
⢠AWD available for the adventurous, unlike most FWD crossovers in the segment
⢠Loaded with features like radar-based driver assistance system, pop-out door handles, panoramic sunroof, driver memory seat, 360-degree camera, 10.25″ infotainment & instrument cluster etc.
⢠12-speaker Sony audio system is fantastic! You’ll enjoy its sound quality
⢠Safety features include 7 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, hill hold, hill descent control, driver drowsiness detection, TPMS, ISOFIXâ¦
What you won’t:
⢠Negligible boot space with the 3rd-row seat up. Either 5 onboard, or 7 with a roof-top carrier
⢠Cramped 3rd-row seat is best suited to children only. A sliding middle row is sorely missed
⢠Petrol AT is thirsty due to its hefty weight, 197 BHP & torque-converter AT
⢠Some cabin plastics & a few rough areas don’t feel premium in an otherwise loaded SUV
⢠Missing features such as paddle shifters, full-size spare wheel, rear sunblinds…
⢠Mahindra’s after-sales service is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble
⢠AWD is available just with the Diesel AT, and not the MT or petrol motor
Mahindra Scorpio N
Mahindra Marazzo
What you’ll like:
⢠A clean looking Mahindra (for a change!) with a robust, abuse-friendly build
⢠Nice & roomy cabin. 1st & 2nd seat rows are spacious, while the captain seats are terrific
⢠A 3rd-row seat that can actually be used by adults
⢠1.5L diesel offers good driveability & fuel economy. 6-speed MT is smooth to use
⢠Compliant ride quality with neutral road manners for an MUV
⢠Impressively refined & more carlike-to-drive than other body-on-frame UVs
⢠Dual airbags, all-wheel disc brakes, Isofix & ABS are standard
⢠Features such as 2 front armrests, adjustable lumbar support, cruise control, rear window sunshades, rest reminder, economy mode etc.
⢠Scored 4 stars in the GNCAP crash test
What you won’t:
⢠With the 3rd seat row in place, the boot is rather small for a vehicle of this size
⢠No automatic variant on sale. Almost all competitors have an AT in the line-up
⢠Some design errors such as the cramped engine bay (try accessing the battery) & hard-to-use handbrake
⢠Mahindra’s after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble
⢠Many important features missing (auto-dimming IRVM, telescopic steering adjustment, auto headlamps & wipers etc.)
Kia Carens
What you’ll like:
⢠Fresh styling that will appeal to a larger audience (unlike the polarising Alcazar)
⢠A practical & sensible 3-row family car that’s well-built. 3rd-row seat is actually useable
⢠User-friendly interiors look really good (blue shade is awesome) and have quality parts
⢠Impressive ride quality with neutral car-like road manners
⢠The Carens’ safety package includes 6 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, TPMS etc as standard.
What you won’t:
⢠3-star GNCAP safety rating is disappointing (related discussion)
⢠2nd-row legroom is just ordinary, despite the seat travel of the 1st-row being restricted
⢠Dieselâs 113 BHP & 250 Nm â although adequate â are the lowest in the segment
⢠Available only as manual with all petrol and diesel engine options
Maruti Suzuki Ertiga
What you’ll like:
⢠A 7-seater MPV at the price of a C segment sedan. Sub 10-lakh petrol variants are well-priced
⢠Practical & spacious cabin, now with a usable 3rd row & larger boot
⢠A peppy petrol & convenient automatic on offer
⢠Car-like to drive and city-friendly size (unlike most other 7-seater MPVs)
⢠Dual airbags, ABS + EBD, Isofix anchors & parking sensors are standard. Automatic gets ESP too
⢠Marutiâs excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experience
What you won’t:
⢠Build, quality & refinement are strictly average for a million-rupee car
⢠3rd-row isn’t for everyone as the 2nd-row doesn’t tumble forward, making ingress / egress tricky
⢠Some missing features such as an auto-dimming IRVM + wipers
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