2022 Kia Carens (4th Gen)

Kia Carens brings 7 seats and diesel power to South Africa under the R400k mark

Driving

I felt the seats of the Carens to be fairly hard, but with less than 500 kilometres on the odometer, it’s to be expected. Once they have been more “run-in” over time, no doubt they will be more comfortable.

The steering wheel is rake and reach-adjustable, and adjusting the electric seat provides a decent driving position.

Our route covered the area around Lanseria and Hartebeespoort with a variety of road conditions, with the obligatory potholes.

While 85kW may not sound like a lot, it’s the 250Nm that makes a difference to the Carens, which will be appreciated once it’s fully loaded.

It pulls away comfortably with smooth gear changes and has a decent turn of speed, as we found out when a bakkie insisted on creeping up on us without passing.

Handling is as you would expect from an SUV-type MPV with MacPherson struts at the front and a coupled torsion beam at the rear.

Steering is light and direct, which should make parking with the family loaded easy in tight spaces.

Overall, the interior build quality, ride and handling impressed enough to make it a real contender in the market that includes the Suzuki Ertiga and Across, Toyota Rumion and Mitsubishi Xpander.

Warranty and pricing

It comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, including roadside assistance, as well as a three-year/ 45,000km service plan.

Carens 1.5D LS 6MT: R399 995.
Carens 1.5D LX 6AT: R459 995.
Carens 1.5D EX 6AT: R499 995.
Carens 1.5D SX 6AT: R599 995.

 
Kia Carens (2026) Price & Specs

The Kia Carens has touched down in South Africa, boasting smart practicality and punchy diesel power. Here’s a look at pricing and specifications.

The sharp-looking Carens from Korean brand Kia has just gone on sale in May 2026. Kia reckons it blends 7-seater MPV practicality with SUV styling and based on these images, we’d agree.

There’s just one engine available across the range and that’s the 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel 4-cylinder motor. It makes 85 kW and 250 Nm, and it is worth noting that peak torque is coming in at just 1 500 rpm. It’s said to consume 5 L/100 km when paired to the 6-speed manual gearbox, while 6-speed auto has a claimed economy of 5.3 L/100 km.

How much does the Kia Carens cost in South Africa?

All Carens models are sold as standard with 5-year/unlimited kilometre warranty (inclusive of road side assistance) as well as a three-year/45 000 km service plan.

Carens 1.5D seven-seater LS 6MT R399 995
Carens 1.5D seven-seater LX 6AT R459 995
Carens 1.5D seven-seater EX 6AT R499 995
Carens 1.5D seven-seater SX 6AT R599 995

 
How well did the new Kia Carens sell in its launch month?

The new Kia Carens officially hit the market in South Africa in the opening week of May 2026. So, how many units of this 7-seater MPV were sold locally last month?

- New Carens falls just short of 50-unit mark
- Still outsells Carnival, Sportage & Sorento
- Local range comprises 4 turbodiesel variants

On 4 May 2026, the new Kia Carens officially hit the market in South Africa, with the local line-up numbering 4 derivatives. So, how well did this fresh-faced 7-seater MPV sell in its launch month?

Well, according to figures reported to industry-representative body Naamsa, Kia SA registered 48 units of its new Indian-built Carens in May 2026, with all sales made through the dealer channel. That means the Carens outsold the Carnival (22 units), Sportage (7 units) and Sorento (3 units).

Still, the top sellers for the Seoul-based firm’s local division in the passenger-vehicle segment in May were the Sonet (684 units), Seltos (186 units), Picanto (153 units) and Pegas (72 units). A further 137 units were registered in the light-commercial vehicle (LCV) space, where the K2700 led the charge with 68 sales.

For the record, in April 2026 – ahead of the turbodiesel-powered Carens’ market launch – Kia SA also reported 17 units as so-called “single” registrations (that is, vehicles kept and licensed for the brand’s use), along with 2 more in February 2026.

 
Are you sure it's not a Kia Karens? Looks like the kind of vehicle a Karen would drive.
Has to be solid because she'll demand to see the manager
 
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