2013 Kia Carens price & specification. Costs from £17,895.

The new 2013 Kia Carens MPV will costs from £17,895 in the UK, have a choice of three engines and all versions get seven seats.

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It’s hard to get too excited about MPVs and people carriers in general; they do a job of transporting families and stuff but they’re not generally the most stylish transport on the planet. But the 2013 Kia Carens is, according to Kia, the only MPV to offer that elusive style in an MPV.

That’s a subjective call, but the new Carens is a decent looking effort from Kia at a sensible price point with decent equipment levels and offers plenty of family lugging abilities in to the bargain.

All Carens models in the UK come with 7 seats and yet is 20mm shorter than the old Carens, But thanks to an extra 50mm in the wheelbase Kia reckons it offers all the space if bigger rivals and, with a flexible configuration for the seating, means the new Carens can accommodate the needs of a mix of load and people carrying with alacrity.

The new Carens comes in three trim levels – catchily named 1, 2 and 3 – with 7 seats, cornering lights  LED running lights, electric heated door mirrors, AirCon, electric windows, Cruise, Radio/CD with iPod connectivity and Bluetooth and a rear conversation mirror.

The Carens 2 adds in 16″ alloys, privacy glass, chrome window trim, fogs, roof rails, auto lights and wipers, electric folding mirrors, Climate and reversing sensors, with the range-topping Carens 3 adding a panoramic roof, 17″ alloys, leather, heated seats and steering wheel, second row sun blinds and reading lights and a colour reversing camera.

Engine options are the 1.6 litre petrol with 133bhp with 44.1mpg and 149g/km and the 1.7 litre diesel with either 114bhp or 134bhp with economy and emissions at 60.1mpg and 124g/km and 56.4mpg and 132g/km respectively with both six speed manual and auto boxes available.

The new Kia Carens is now available to order from Kia’s UK dealers, priced from £17,895.