Comparo: Kia Carens Luxury Plus vs Toyota Innova GX

The Carens offers a whole lot more features for the price, that’s a given. But what do you really miss if you chose a base-spec Innova HyCross instead?

Kia’s Carens is likely to be the default choice if you’re looking at spending a little over Rs 20 lakh for a family-oriented seven-seater. For around a lakh more, you get to jump to the big car league and get home a Toyota Innova HyCross. The HyCross’ GX variant is well within reach for anyone looking at the Carens’ top-spec Luxury Plus model. Should you? 

Bling vs BIG!

Toyota’s Innova HyCross stands shoulder to shoulder with 2XL SUVs such as the Safari and the XUV700. Not surprising then, that it towers over the Kia Carens. Even in the base spec with the comically small 16-inch alloy wheels, the sheer size of the HyCross stands out. 

It is absolutely devoid of any ‘premium’ touches though. No silver contrast elements, no chrome, nothing! Other than the full-LED headlamps and tail lamps, there’s no real highlight to speak of. You’d be looking at spending another Rs 40-50,000 to add some bling (and possibly bigger tyres) if you intend on bringing this variant home. 

The Carens makes up for the lack of size with bling. The mascara effect for the headlamp cluster, clever integration of the fog lamp module and the snazzy two-tone alloy wheels make it stand out. You also get to choose more from younger and vibrant colours with the Kia. 

Also Read: Toyota Innova Crysta Through The Ages - Undefeated Even After 18 Years!

Quality Matters

Surprisingly enough, the Kia scores a massive point over the expensive Toyota when it comes to interior quality, fit and finish. 

The HyCross gets Toyota’s staple hard-but-will-last-forever variety of dull black plastic on the dashboard and door pads. In this base variant, there’s absolutely no contrast-coloured elements anywhere save for tiny dabs of dull silver on the dashboard. What is a real downer with the Innova however is the sub-par fit and finish quality. Iffy quality of the cupholders, flimsy stalks and ill-fitting panels around the AC vents don’t feel up to Toyota standards. The staid black fabric upholstery too does nothing to uplift the ambience of the cabin. 

With the Carens, you are treated to an effective tri-tone interior — with deep blue, beige and silver hues. The printed graphic on the dashboard is a nice touch too, though that deep gloss black surface is bound to pick up scratches as the car ages. Another pain point might be the super light shade of the upholstery, which is sure to get soiled quite easily. 

That aside, you’re sure to appreciate the attention to detail in this cabin — the graining of the plastic is smoother and more likable, the soft-touch elements on the door’s elbow rest are nice to have, and the way the dash has been put together shows more finesse and precision.

Feature Battle

Another round where the Kia absolutely pummels the Toyota. The Innova HyCross has a handful of features including keyless entry, push-button start, automatic headlamps and a 7-inch touchscreen (with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay) paired with an average sound system. Safety features include dual airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, ISOFIX child seat mounts and reverse camera. Surprisingly, reverse parking sensors have been given a miss. At the very least, Toyota should’ve bundled in climate control, cruise control and six airbags at this price point.

The Carens gets everything that the Innova HyCross does. It then goes a few steps further by offering leatherette upholstery, front seat ventilation, automatic climate control, cruise control, configurable ambient lighting, wireless charging and a sunroof. The infotainment experience is substantially better too, with a 10.25-inch touchscreen and a Bose sound system. The Kia also gets six airbags as standard, and front parking sensors (top model) over and above the safety features that the HyCross GX offers. Do note that the Carens scored a mediocre 3-star rating in the Global NCAP crash test. 

Both thankfully get the basics of a height-adjustable driver’s seat, tilt-and-telescopic adjust for the steering wheel, 60:40 split for the third row and a folding second row as well. 

Space Walk

The Kia sits lower to the ground, and the seats are placed closer to the vehicle’s floor too. This means getting in and out of the Carens — both in the second and third row — is easier on the knees for the older folk. It also helps that it gets a one-touch tumble functionality which makes getting into the third row far easier. 

On the other hand, the Innova’s second row doesn’t fold at the touch of a button. It simply reclines and can be pushed forward. However, thanks to the huge size of the HyCross, there’s tons of space for you to hop into the third row. Adults and kids are unlikely to have a problem here; however the grandparents might complain of having to ‘climb’ inside the cabin. 

In isolation, the Carens seems plenty spacious. There’s enough space for a six-footer to sit behind their own driving position. We do wish the air purifier unit was not placed on the seat back like an afterthought, though. With the front two rows occupied by a six footer, a third can just about manage to squeeze into the third row. Surprisingly, the headroom is marginally better here compared to the Innova since the seat itself is placed lower. Kids are unlikely to complain in the third row of the Carens and short adults won’t mind it over a few hundred kilometres either. 

Given the limited real estate that the Carens has, Kia has been clever to liberate space. This is evident in how slim the second row seat back is, and in its limited seat back height too. If you are generously proportioned, you will find yourself spilling out of the captain seats of the Kia and complain of a lack of support to the shoulders. 

The HyCross we had on test was the 8-seater version. Something we brushed off as marketing spiel. We were happy to be proven wrong though. 8 normal sized adults will comfortably fit inside this cabin, no questions asked. In fact, the Innova has no issues gobbling up three double-XL sized humans in the second row either. The core advantage the Toyota has primarily lies in width and kneeroom, both in the second as well as the third row. 

As a six-footer, you have nearly twice the kneeroom as the Carens in the second row if you push the seat all the way back. Set it to a neutral position and you can relax (and not just fit in) the third row. You’d also appreciate that the second row reclines really far behind — to a point where the third row AC vents also cool you down — which will be a boon for those wanting to nap on a road trip. 

For convenience, the Carens gets a fold-out tray table behind the co-driver’s seat and sunblinds too — both of which the Innova would have benefitted from. In terms of charging options, the Kia is ahead yet again. 

Boot Talk

With all three rows in place, the Carens has enough room to accommodate a medium-sized and an overnight trolley bag. In the HyCross you can swap the medium-sized bag for a full-sized bag without a hiccup. 

In both vehicles, the third row can be folded away to make more room for your luggage. And while both effortlessly swallowed all our test luggage, the HyCross obviously had a whole lot more room to spare. 

Also Read: Kia Carens Gets Another Luxury Trim, Starts At Rs 17 Lakh

Driving Around

Kia is giving you the power of choice — a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol (available with a 6-speed iMT or a 7-speed DCT) and a 1.5-litre diesel (available with a 6-speed iMT and 6-speed AT) — with the Carens. We haven’t sampled the newer turbo-petrol engine in the Carens yet. But, if the new Verna was a marker of any sort, rest assured the petrol will feel more than adequate and maybe even slightly fun. The diesel we had on test wasn’t particularly exciting in any manner. But given the lighter weight and oodles of torque, the Carens felt easy to drive both inside the city and on the highway. It showed no signs of struggle even with a full passenger load. 

Toyota is offering a 2.0-litre petrol engine paired with a CVT. Yep, no manual, no hybrid. Take it, or leave it. This engine might sound anemic and thirsty on paper, but is anything but out in the real world. This motor too isn’t enthusiastic by any stretch of the imagination, but it just gets the job done. It feels like an overgrown Honda City to drive, and that’s the best compliment we can give it! The CVT is responsive and this motor too is comfortable chugging along the highways at triple digit speeds all day long. Overtakes at this speed will require some patience. But other than that, there’s little to fault this engine for. Even on steep inclines, it’s just the sound of the CVT revving up the motor that’s bothersome. The car isn’t lacking for actual performance. 

Both cars are at home on smooth city surfaces. In terms of an overall balance, especially while running full house, we’d pick the Toyota. The suspension is set up just right — it controls shocks from the surface well and isn’t that noisy while doing so. The Kia exhibits a stronger side-to-side rocking movement over irregular surfaces, especially at low speeds. On the highway, you’ll have no complaints from either. Both feel planted and confident at triple-digit speeds. 

While neither of these cars are meant to please the enthusiast in you, it’s the Kia with its quicker steering and compact dimensions that’s a little more fun to throw around. The Innova is surprisingly responsive for a van its size, but it will never put a smile on your face. 

Summing Up

Here’s why you should pick either of the cars:

Kia Carens

• You want maximum bang for buck in terms of features. Highlights such as the sunroof, ambient lighting, better touchscreen and Bose sound system will clinch the deal here. 

• You want a comfortable five seater for the family, with the option of carrying two additional occupants if need be without compromise. 

Toyota Innova HyCross

• You want a physically larger car, and are okay to spend over and above the cost of the vehicle to spruce it up a bit.

• Seating 7-8 adults and having a larger boot is critical and you value this over additional features. 

• You value a better, comfier ride quality over outright acceleration and performance. 

You can’t really go wrong with either of these, thankfully. 

Read More on : Toyota Innova Hycross Automatic