News & Top Stories- 71 Kia Carens MPV: A public address system and high-intensity strobe lights are included with the specially customized Carens MPV.
- To power the extra equipment installed on the police version of the Carens, it is additionally outfitted with a larger capacity 60 Ah battery.
‘Dial 112’ body decals and unique Punjab police stickers are also included with the Carens.
The intentionally altered Kia Carens MPVs made their debut at the Auto Expo 2023 in two configurations: one as an ambulance and the other as a police car. Recently, the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024 included the Carens purpose-built vehicle (PBV) variant as well. The Punjab police have received 71 Carens MPVs from Kia that have been particularly customized. These will be used as emergency response vehicles, to help the public.
How It Appearances
Kia hasn’t altered the exterior of this specially designed Carens variant, but it does have unique Punjab Police decals on the doors, bonnet, and bumper in addition to ‘Dial 112’ emergency response decals. Moreover, the roof is equipped with powerful strobe lights, similar to those found on police cars. The big antenna, which is probably used for long-distance police radio operations, is also visible.
With its 15-inch steel wheels, the police version of the Kia Carens appears to be based on the base-spec Premium model.
Modifications Made to the Car
The Punjab police received a 7-seater version of the modified Kia Carens. The public address system is probably mounted to the center console, and the major alteration is the semi-leatherette seat covering. It has second-row seats with 60:40 split-folding, and, like the standard MPV, the third row can be split-folded into a 50:50 ratio. For increased convenience, the second and third rows of this police version of the Carens have roof-mounted AC vents, and all four windows have power windows. A 12V power socket, five USB Type-C ports, and adjustable headrests are also included in all three rows of seating.
To power the added equipment, the customized Carens model has a larger 60 Ah battery. Along with its safety kit that includes six airbags, all-wheel disc brakes, electronic stability control, and a tire pressure monitoring system, Kia has also fitted it with amenities like a semi-digital driver’s display and idle engine start/stop.
Specifics of Carens’s Powertrain
This police-specified Kia Carens has a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine with 115 horsepower and 144 Nm of torque. A manual transmission with six speeds is attached to the unit.
A 1.5-liter turbo-petrol engine (160 PS / 253 Nm) mated to either a 6-speed iMT (manual transmission without clutch pedal) or a 7-speed DCT (dual-clutch automatic transmission) and a 1.5-liter diesel engine (116 PS / 250 Nm) paired with either a 6-speed iMT or a 6-speed automatic transmission are the two additional engine options available to private buyers for the Kia Carens.
Prices & Rivals
Although the pricing range for the specially designed Carens model is unknown, the standard Kia MPV is available for between Rs 10.45 lakh and Rs 19.45 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). One may view the Carens as a high-end substitute for the Maruti Ertiga/Toyota Rumion, or as a more cost-effective option compared to the Toyota Innova Crysta and Toyota Innova Hycross/Maruti Invicto.