2007 Kia Carens [ARCHIVE]

**parakitoJDM** · January 7th, 2008 01:52 PM

hi all.
mukhang interesado ako dto sa Carens na 'to. i just checked out the Kia.com.ph website but unfortunately seriously lacking ang info. nila about specs. i'm kind of leaning towards the LX 6MT as i have no trouble rowing my own gears. and i've read fm. somewhere its even more fuel efficient by about 5-7% more with the extra 2cogs to play with (4AT lang ata yung auto version)... so questions.

- ano differences with the LX & EX variants?
- can i have some of those features installed (fm. EX -> LX).
- how is the clutch for the LX 6MT? is it hydraulic or cable type?
- Actual Fuel Consumption (pls. tell me how u drive and what route..).
- what's the stereo on the LX (MP3 capable? any audio input jack? avlble?)
* is it easy to install a powered sub?
* what speakers in front (are they SEPs or not)?
- any HiD kit available for the Projectors? what is the bulb spec/size?
- where are the dealerships located?
* who's nearest to Better Living?
- any dealership to be avoided? (due to poor service!)
- any recommended Kia dealership?

thanks in advance & regards.

**mqavila** · January 7th, 2008 02:09 PM

Hmmm... with the limited knowledge that I have of the Carens, let me try to address some of these questions. As for the others that I won't be able to answer, I think the guys who actually have the Carens can answer it better.

Originally Posted by parakitoJDM

hi all.
mukhang interesado ako dto sa Carens na 'to. i just checked out the Kia.com.ph website but unfortunately seriously lacking ang info. nila about specs. i'm kind of leaning towards the LX 6MT as i have no trouble rowing my own gears. and i've read fm. somewhere its even more fuel efficient by about 5-7% more with the extra 2cogs to play with (4AT lang ata yung auto version)... so questions.

- ano differences with the LX & EX variants?

If I'm not mistaken, the EX variant has these over the LX: driver-side airbag, roof rails, fog lamps, alloy wheels, body-colored side mirrors, chrome door handles and grille. ....Did I miss anything?

- can i have some of those features installed (fm. EX -> LX).

Solely based on what Kia Libis told me, most of these features can be installed on the LX. However, Aldwin of Kia Signet just informed me that he doesnt recommend installing roof rails on the LX since this may be prone to rusting. He says that Kia here is not yet adequately equipped to install roof rails properly. Can anyone confirm or refute this? Because, as for me, my budget can only accommodate the LX variant but am seriously considering having roof rails installed to create more cargo space...

- how is the clutch for the LX 6MT? is it hydraulic or cable type?
- Actual Fuel Consumption (pls. tell me how u drive and what route..).
- what's the stereo on the LX (MP3 capable? any audio input jack? avlble?)

The LX display unit that I saw at Kia Libis had a JVC HU - CD/MP3/Cassette player that has a front audio input jack. I think the EX variant has a Clarion HU...

* is it easy to install a powered sub?
* what speakers in front (are they SEPs or not)?
- any HiD kit available for the Projectors? what is the bulb spec/size?
- where are the dealerships located?

You can easily get the locations of the various dealers on their local website.

* who's nearest to Better Living?
- any dealership to be avoided? (due to poor service!)
- any recommended Kia dealership?

thanks in advance & regards.

**crichton** · January 7th, 2008 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by mqavila

Hmmm... with the limited knowledge that I have of the Carens, let me try to address some of these questions. As for the others that I won't be able to answer, I think the guys who actually have the Carens can answer it better.

meron din atang reverse sensor, heated sidemirrors yung EX. mas maganda din ata yung fabrin nun seats

**crichton** · January 7th, 2008 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by mqavila

Hmmm... with the limited knowledge that I have of the Carens, let me try to address some of these questions. As for the others that I won't be able to answer, I think the guys who actually have the Carens can answer it better.

meron din atang reverse sensor, heated sidemirrors yung EX. mas maganda din ata yung fabric nun seats

**mqavila** · January 7th, 2008 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by crichton

meron din atang reverse sensor, heated sidemirrors yung EX. mas maganda din ata yung fabric nun seats

Oh yeah, I forgot those... Ummm... correct me if I'm wrong but the brochure that Kia Libis gave me says that the side mirrors of both LX and EX are heated? The only difference is that the LX's sidemirrors are black while the EX's sidemirrors are color-keyed?

**niky** · January 7th, 2008 07:04 PM

Ahhh... finally finished photo-work on the Carens...

To be honest, not the most exciting test-drive of the year last year, but not bad... and this is the fastest van I've ever driven... which means that the smell as I pulled back into the parking lot after my instrumented session (brakes, clutch, tires) was just awful...

Too bad my Mom nixed this for her new car purchase... she's going straight to the Santa Fe since she has the budget, but it would have been nice to get one of these... ;)

**battaglin** · January 7th, 2008 07:55 PM

mqavila, I availed of their trade-in promo. 40k ang sinubsidize ng Kia. depende ata sa unit na kukunin mo at kung financing, ang amount na pwede nila isubsidize. Wednesday morning ma-release yung Carens EX CRDi A/T black.

**bogart** · January 7th, 2008 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by itlog na pula

mqavila, crichton, sa ngayon, mukhang kaya naman ng mga casa ang parts. i just had my first 1000km change oil last thursday. the crdi engine needs close to 6 liters of oil at P150/liter and the oil filter is P525.

Which dealer did you go to? Already logged-in 1009 kms & papa-service ko on friday.

TIA!

battaglin- congrats in advance!

**markcasq** · January 7th, 2008 11:57 PM

Hey guys, finally, I got my Carens LX M/T CRDI a couple of days ago. Sobrang okay. I broke it in driving from Makati to Bicol and back (total 840 kms), sobrang mani ang overtakes sa road - as in. Good thing I decided to get the manual LX variant. I actually test drove the A/T and I really don't like the response, ang bagal mag shift, and for sure sa overtakes, it will go beyond 4,000rpm (which is bad during break-in according to the manual). For my Carens M/T, FC is 11.5 km/L, same as my Honda City 1.3 CVT. I tried maxing it at skyway on the way back and I reached 190kph (I think I could have done 200 if my fiancee was not complaining, and in the first place if she was not there (since the load would have been a bit lighter, hehe)). I feel it accelerates faster than our Mazda 3 4AT. Bakit nga ba 4AT palagi? Kahit may Shiftronic, bitin pa din yung gear ratios e. Yung city naman 7AT, hindi din useful. Anyway, for now, mas okay ang 6MT ng Carens.

My deal was with free comprehensive insurance, 3 yrs LTO, etc., and 1k for body colored side mirrors and P950 for rain gutters. Total P876,950 * Kia Pasay. Roof rails will cost 40k+ with body color. I got the Light Almond Beige color, similar to my Honda City's Satellite silver (lupet ng color na to, nagiging invisible ang dirt, kaya kahit 2-3 weeks na walang car wash, ok pa din). As a bonus, that color comes in beige interior (again, similar to my City).

Thanks everyone! This thread has been very helpful in helping me decide to finally get the Carens. The only choices I had for a 7-seater was Toyota Previa (sobrang mahal), Mitsubishi Grandis (mahal din) and the Carens. I don't like AUVs so I didn't even consider one. Value for money, I finally settled for the Carens, and I think it was a very good choice.