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2025 Kia Carens Clavis vs Rivals: Which One Would You Pick?
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 Carens Clavis
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).
• Diesel’s 114 BHP & 250 Nm – although adequate – 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
• Diesel’s 114 BHP & 250 Nm – although adequate – 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.
• Maruti’s 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 “premium” 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, ISOFIX…
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
• Diesel’s 113 BHP & 250 Nm – although adequate – 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
• Maruti’s 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
Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
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