More details on Kia's new Carens have surfaced, now that the mini MPV has debuted in Madrid. The five-to-seven seater is widely expected to show up in U.S. dealers as the 'Rondo' where it will mix it up with everything from the Mazda 5 to Chevrolet HHR and Toyota Matrix.
A marked improvement in the visuals over the previous iteration will help the Carens case, as will the fact that it's bigger in virtually every dimension: length, width and height. For the Europeans, at least, a 142 brake horsepower 2.0-liter gasoline engine will be available paired with a five-speed manual, along with a turbodiesel of identical displacement latched to a six-speeder. A four-speed slushbox will be available with either transmission. U.S. consumers can dream, but if the Carens crosses the pond, we imagine expecting the derv-burner would be a stretch.
The Carens is expected to base at around £12,000 ($22,300 USD).
A U.S. on-sale date has not been announced, but the model is slated to hit UK dealers this August.
[Sources: Reuters; Kia]
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