The growing family often faces a dilemma—do we buy a sedan and squeeze in, or stretch the budget for an SUV? There may be a third option many overlook—the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). Balancing space, efficiency, and affordability, MPVs like the Kia Carens aim to be the Goldilocks solution.
But how does it fare against established names like the Maruti Ertiga and Toyota Innova? We’ll analyse the specs and features of Kia Carens and its rivals to help you identify the vehicle that’s just right for your needs and budget.
An Overview of Kia Carens
The Kia Carens is a compact multi-purpose vehicle manufactured by Kia Motors. It’s a functional family car with three rows of seating, decent cargo space, and a choice of petrol or diesel engines. The Carens provides good value for money as an affordable and practical people mover.
An Overview of Maruti Ertiga
The Ertiga is Maruti Suzuki’s compact and versatile 7-seater MPV. It has a spacious cabin, fuel-efficient engines, and a smooth ride. The middle row slides to balance legroom and luggage space. Overall, the Ertiga offers great value as an urban family car. ACKO Drive website provides the details on Maruti Ertiga features, pricing and color options available.
An Overview of Toyota Innova Crysta
The Innova Crysta is Toyota’s popular minivan model that was explicitly designed for Asia-Pacific markets. It’s spacious, comfortable, reliable, and very versatile, making it an ideal family carrier. The Innova Crysta offers good looks and safety features and has petrol and diesel engine options. Its reasonable pricing also makes it great value for money.
Kia Carens vs. Maruti Ertiga vs. Toyota Innova
1. Design and Aesthetics
The Kia Carens has the most modern and stylish exterior design of the three models. It looks sleek with a sloping roofline and dynamic character lines. Overall, the Carens focuses more on style and creating a premium family vehicle. The Maruti Ertiga has a contemporary front fascia with projector headlamps and LED DRLs, giving it a bold look.
However, the overall exterior design is simple and functional. The Toyota Innova Crysta has an understated and functional exterior design that optimises cabin space and practicality. The boxy shape provides maximum interior room rather than style.
2. Seating Capacity
The Carens offers good flexibility with seating options. It comes in 6-seater (2-2-2 layout) and 7-seater (2-3-2 layout) configurations. So buyers can choose to opt for space or extra seats as required. The Ertiga offers seats for 7 occupants in a 2-3-2 layout. It has a spacious cabin but doesn’t have the option of a 6-seater variant like the Carens.
The focus is on maximising seating capacity for large families. The Crysta is available in 7-seater (2-2-3 layout) and 8-seater (2-3-3 layout) versions, so it offers maximum flexibility if seating capacity is the top priority. Buyers can choose between space or extra seats based on their needs. However, it needs to include a 6-seater variant.
The current Kia Carens price in Chennai is 13 lakhs. The price increases are expected to vary based on the model variant.
3. Engine and Performance
The Carens offers multiple engine options – a 115BHP 1.5-litre petrol, a 160BHP 1.5-litre turbo-petrol, and a 116BHP 1.5-litre diesel engine. The petrol engine is paired to a 6-speed manual while the turbo-petrol and diesel get transmission options like 6-speed iMT, 7-speed DCT automatic, and 6-speed automatic. The Carens offers strong performance, especially with its turbo-petrol engine.
The Ertiga has a single 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine tuned for efficiency, offering 86BHP in the CNG version and 102BHP in the petrol version. It is paired with manual and automatic gearbox options. Performance is adequate for city usage but lacks punch for highway drives. The automatic variant offers smooth and refined performance in city conditions.
The Innova Crysta has a 2.4-litre diesel engine capable of producing 150BHP power and 343Nm torque. It is paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Thanks to the diesel engine, performance is strong, and the car is very driveable. However, there is no automatic option available.
4. Safety Features
The Kia Carens offers the most comprehensive safety package with six airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, and tyre pressure monitoring as standard across variants. This shows Kia’s strong focus on safety.
The Maruti Ertiga comes standard with dual front airbags, ABS, EBD, brake assist, and ISOFIX child seat anchors. Higher variants add four more airbags and parking sensors. While the basics are covered, advanced safety tech like electronic stability control must be included even in the top variant.
Finally, the Toyota Innova Crysta has up to 7 airbags, vehicle stability control, hill start assist, parking sensors, and brake assist. Toyota is known for its strong build quality, and the Innova lives up to those standards. However, traction control and tyre pressure monitoring would have made it even safer.
The Bottom Line
Deciding between the Kia Carens, Maruti Ertiga, and Toyota Innova Crysta will depend on your priorities. If style and driving experience matter most, go with the Carens. Its exterior looks modern and dynamic, while its turbo-petrol engine delivers energetic performance. Safety is also strong, with features like electronic stability control fitted as standard.
Choose the Ertiga if you want a practical and efficient 7-seater at a reasonable price. There’s adequate power for urban driving and room for the whole family. Just don’t expect exciting performance or luxury features.
The Innova Crysta shines for cabin space, durability, and flexible seating arrangements. It feels solidly built and can handle tough conditions. But the boxy shape prioritises function over style.
