Kia Carens Vs Maruti Suzuki XL6; The Definitive Comparison

Kia recently introduced the Carens at an astonishingly competitive price in a bid to take on the Maruti Suzuki XL6 head on

The Kia Carens joins the niche party of premium compact MPVs currently ruled by Maruti Suzuki XL6. We compare the two to find out which one is the better deal.

Overview

The Maruti Suzuki XL6 came in 2019 based on the tried-and-tested formula of Ertiga, but with a dash of style and SUV design elements. Three years after that, Kia has brought in the Carens in the same space, with a wide choice of variants and powertrains to meet more diversified requirements of modern buyers.

Kia Carens vs Maruti Suzuki XL6

With the Carens, Kia is offering a more modern take on premium compact MPVs, a space that has a limited number of players but is witnessing a high demand for the versatility and practicality they offer. Has it got the edge over its direct rival, the Maruti Suzuki XL6? Let’s find out.

Exterior Design

The initial starting variants of the Carens get a competitive price tag

It is evident from the body cladding all around, front and rear skid plates, and roof rails in both the MPVs.

Both Kia Carens and Maruti Suzuki XL6 are three-row MPVs trying hard to look as rugged and stylish as any other midsize SUV.

Maruti Suzuki XL6 gets essential features

In terms of design elements on the outside, both the MPVs here come with LED headlamps, fog lamps, and tail lamps. But then, the Kia Carens has an edge over the Maruti Suzuki XL6, as the former also offers a stretched LED light bar between the tail lamps and more stylish 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, compared to the 15-inch black alloy wheels on the XL6. Also, given that the XL6 has remained unchanged for three years now, the Kia Carens enjoys the novelty factor over the former, which makes it more appealing to look at.

Kia Carens Vs Maruti Suzuki XL6 Dimensions

In terms of dimensions, we have a clear winner out of the two MPVs here. Compared to the Maruti Suzuki XL6, the Kia Carens is 95mm longer, 25mm wider, and 8mm taller, thus making it a bigger vehicle out of the two.

Not only this, the wheelbase of 2,740mm of the Kia Carens is not only better than that of the XL6 but is also more than the bigger Toyota Innova Crysta. With a ground clearance of 195mm, the Kia Carens sit higher than the Maruti Suzuki XL6, which has a ground clearance of 180mm.

Interior Design Highlights

On the inside, the differences in the desirability between Kia Carens and Maruti Suzuki XL6 widens even more. The Carens has a much more premium appeal in the layout of the dashboard and seats and a longer list of comfort and convenience features.

The now-familiar all-black cabin with dark chrome inserts in the XL6 is no match to the dual-tone black and beige leather upholstery with 64-colour ambient lighting in the Carens. In addition, the fully-digital instrument console and a bigger and more informative touchscreen infotainment system in the Carens look more modern than those of the XL6.

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Features

The Kia Carens also gets ventilated seats justifying its price tag for the high-end variants

Kia has a tradition of offering best-in-class features with its vehicles, and the Carens follow it too. Compared to the Maruti Suzuki XL6, it has a much longer equipment list.

The feature list of Maruti Suzuki XL6 includes

• 4.2-inch coloured-MID integrated into the instrument console
• 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto
• Steering-mounted audio, Bluetooth, cruise control, and voice command buttons
• Tilt-adjustable steering wheel
• Automatic climate control
• Roof-mounted AC vents for the second and third row of seats
• Leather upholstery
• Push the start-stop button

On the other hand, the Kia Carens get a much longer and more modern feature list compared to the XL6. Here is what you get with the top-end Kia Carens.

• Fully-digital instrument console
• 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto
• Steering-mounted audio, Bluetooth, cruise control and voice command buttons
• Ventilated front seats
• Tilt and telescopic adjustable steering wheel
• Wireless charger
• Automatic climate control
• 64-colour ambient lighting
• Roof-mounted AC vents for the second and third row of seats
• Air purifier
• Leather upholstery
• Retractable tables with cup holders behind the front seats
• Push start-stop button
• Electrical tumble-down operation for the second row of seats
• Cooled glove box
• Kia Connect telematics

Kia Carens Vs Maruti Suzuki Ertiga powertrians

Compared to the Maruti Suzuki XL6, which comes with only one engine option of a 1.5-litre four-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine, the Kia Carens offers a broader choice of powertrains.

The Carens comes with a 1.5-litre petrol engine offered in the Maruti Suzuki XL6 produces 105 PS of power and 138 Nm of torque and is available with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic gearbox.

The direct competition to this powertrain in the XL6 is the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine in the Carens, which produces 115 PS of power and 144 Nm of torque and is available with a 6-speed manual.

The Carens is also available with two other four-cylinder engines – 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol (140 PS of power and 242 Nm of torque) with 6-speed manual and 7-speed DCT, and a 1.5-litre diesel engine (115 PS of power and 250 Nm of torque) with 6-speed manual and 6-speed torque converter.

The Kia Carens is available with a more powerful and diversified choice of engines and gearbox options, giving buyers a wider base of options and better performance.

Kia Carens Vs Maruti Suzuki XL6 Safety Kit

Kia has simply hit out of the park with the Carens in the department of safety equipment. It is the most affordable vehicle in India to offer six airbags as standard across its entire lineup.

Here are some safety features which are available with both Maruti Suzuki XL6 and Kia Carens

• Dual front airbags
• ABS with EBD
• ISOFIX mounts for child seats
• Reverse parking sensors and camera
• Electronic Stability Program
• Hill Hold Assist
• The additional features which are further available in Kia Carens are
• Side and curtain airbags
• Hill Descent Control
• Front parking sensors
• Drive modes
• Tyre Pressure Monitoring System

Maruti Suzuki XL6 Vs Kia Carens Pricing

The Maruti Suzuki XL6 is available in only four variants, which are priced as follows:

• Zeta MT – Rs 10.14 lakh
• Alpha MT – Rs 10.82 lakh
• Zeta AT – Rs 11.34 lakh
• Alpha AT – Rs 12.02 lakh

The price list of the extensive variant lineup of Kia Carens is as follows

1.5-litre petrol MT

• Premium – Rs 8.99 lakh
• Prestige – Rs 9.99 lakh
• 1.4-litre turbo-petrol MT
• Premium – Rs 10.99 lakh
• Prestige – Rs 11.99 lakh
• Prestige Plus – Rs 13.49 lakh
• Luxury – Rs 14.99 lakh
• Luxury Plus – Rs 16.19 lakh
• Luxury Plus 6S – Rs 16.19 lakh

1.4-litre turbo-petrol DCT

• Prestige Plus – Rs 14.59 lakh
• Luxury Plus – Rs 16.99 lakh
• Luxury Plus 6S – Rs 16.99 lakh

1.5-litre diesel MT

• Premium – Rs 10.99 lakh
• Prestige – Rs 11.99 lakh
• Prestige Plus – Rs 13.49 lakh
• Luxury – Rs 14.99 lakh
• Luxury Plus – Rs 16.19 lakh
• Luxury Plus 6S – Rs 16.19 lakh
• 1.5-litre diesel AT
• Luxury Plus – Rs 16.99 lakh
• Luxury Plus 6S – Rs 16.99 lakh

Out of the entire variant lineup, the 1.5-litre petrol and 1.4-litre turbo-petrol variants of the Kia Carens are direct competitors to the variant lineup of the XL6. Kia has nailed it with the introductory prices of the Carens.

The price-to-package ratio Carens is offering right now, the vehicle has simply made the XL6 feel like an overpriced product for what it offers.

Final Thoughts

The Maruti Suzuki XL6 backs on the tried-and-tested mechanical underpinnings shared with the Ertiga and a much wider after-sales and service network. At the same time, prospective customers, especially from urban regions, expect much more from their vehicles.

It is where the Kia Carens appear like a much better deal in almost every aspect. The Carens offers a wider choice of engine and gearbox options, a much longer equipment list, and better space management on the inside for all three rows. Compared to the XL6, the Carens also looks much fresher and premium in and out, which makes its premium over the former very much justified.

Which one of the two appeals to you more? You can drop in your comments below.

Keyword: Kia Carens Vs Maruti Suzuki XL6; The Definitive Comparison