Category: Compact MPV 
Price Range: £11,495 to £16,995
Price, improved refinement and equipment, a thoroughly decent all-rounder.
Still not quite as sophisticated as some rivals.
Compact MPVs are never going to be trendy style statements, so you might as well buy one that gives good value, whatever its badge.
Kia is gaining a reputation for making mechanically robust vehicles, and all the Carens' powertrain and underpinnings are based on tried and tested components and formulae. The cabin quality - plastics and materials - is much improved over the outgoing model; it's a pleasant environment visually, if not one that provides much tactile satisfaction. The seats are still obviously nylon, and the plastic fascia hard and grainy (no rubber-effect or silicone-enhanced surfaces here) and this might not wear well in the long-term. Some of the switchgear, and features such as the glovebox, storage compartments and hinged bits, are a bit flimsy.
