Kia Carens Clavis India Launch Date Announced

Kia India is all set to officially launch the Carens Clavis on May 23. Positioned as a more feature-rich and stylish alternative to the existing Kia Carens, the pre-bookings for the Carens Clavis are opened at an initial token amount of ₹25,000. Though based on the underpinnings of the current Kia Carens, the Carens Clavis sports a completely revised exterior design, drawing inspiration from the internationally available Kia EV5. 

The MPV’s front fascia features triangular three-pod LED headlamps flanked by sharp angular LED DRLs, eschewing the light bar trend seen in many modern vehicles. A blanked-off grille and a rugged-looking black bumper with a faux silver skid plate lend it a more adventurous aesthetic. The side profile retains the silhouette of the Carens but distinguishes itself with 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, black body cladding, silver roof rails, and body-coloured door elements. 

At the rear, the Carens Clavis adopts a new styling direction with connected LED tail lamps linked by an illuminated light bar, giving it a futuristic appeal. A redesigned black bumper and another faux silver skid plate complete the rear-end look.

The Carens Clavis will be available in eight monotone paint options, including a new Ivory Silver Gloss finish exclusive to this model. The rest—Pewter Olive, Imperial Blue, Glacier White Pearl, Clear White, Aurora Black Pearl, Gravity Gray, and Sparkling Silver—are also available on the regular Carens.

Inside, the Carens Clavis offers a dual-tone navy and beige cabin layout with three-row seating. The dashboard layout is entirely new and more in line with Kia’s newer SUVs, featuring a floating twin-screen setup with a 12.3-inch driver’s display and touchscreen infotainment system. The layout also includes a Syros-style two-spoke steering wheel, physical toggles for dual-function controls (infotainment and HVAC), and a modern centre console with a wireless phone charger, cupholders, and a gear selector stalk. Other comfort features include foldable trays on the backs of the front seats, reminiscent of offerings in the Hyundai Alcazar. 

Kia has packed the Carens Clavis with an extensive feature list, targeting premium family buyers, which include a 9-speaker Bose audio system, ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, and a 4-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat. 

On the safety front, the Carens Clavis ups the ante by offering Level-2 ADAS features, such as adaptive cruise control and driver attention warning. Standard safety features, shared with the Kia Carens, include six airbags, a 360-degree camera, disc brakes on all four wheels, electronic parking brake with auto hold, front and rear parking sensors, and ISOFIX child seat mounts. 

Under the hood, the Carens Clavis retains the same engine lineup as the Carens MPV, including two petrol and one diesel option. These are the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol, and the 1.5-litre diesel engine. The turbo-petrol variant will also offer a 6-speed manual gearbox in addition to the standard automatic transmission options. 

The Carens Clavis is expected to carry a slight premium over the current Carens, with prices starting around ₹11 lakh (ex-showroom). It will compete directly with the Maruti Ertiga, Maruti XL6, Toyota Rumion, and its sibling, the Kia Carens, while serving as a more affordable alternative to higher-end MPVs like the Toyota Innova Crysta, Innova Hycross, and Maruti Invicto.