Kia India has issued a recall for the Carens MPV to rectify a potential issue with the airbag control module software. Kia has announced that it will recall over 44,174 units of the Carens and will reach out to all the owners regarding the same. Customers will be required to visit their respective dealerships or use the Kia website/app to schedule an appointment for the fix. The recall is being conducted to inspect the issue and all the affected cars will be given a software update free of cost. The Kia Carens comes with 6 airbags as standard across all variants and fixing this issue is crucial since it controls the deployment of the airbags in case of an accident.
“This voluntary recall campaign is being undertaken by Kia India, to inspect any potential error in Airbag Control Module (ACU) software in the Kia Carens. The company will take utmost care to minimize inconvenience to customers throughout the process of this campaign,” said the company.
Kia Carens: a brief recap
The Kia Carens is quite modern looking and it doesn’t look like a traditional MPV. The front is divided into two parts. The lower portion houses a big mesh grille which is surrounded by chrome inserts. The fog lamps are placed next to the grille and have a triple light set up. The LED headlights also get a triple beam setup, and the DRLs are split from the main lights. A slat of black connects the two DRLs and gets an embossed design. Looking from the side, we see a straight roofline, and bold character lines running across the fenders.
The interiors offer a beautiful look, with a wrap-around dashboard and a flat-bottom steering wheel. The seats are finished in Indigo and Beige, while the dash is covered in high gloss black. Not just the front seats but the cup holders are also ventilated. We no more see a single piece of glass, and now get a separate 10.25-inch infotainment system and a fully digital display. The car is equipped with an air purifier and the 2nd row also gets seatback tables. The car is available in 6 and 7-seater models. The car gets 3 Driving modes; Eco, Normal, and Sport. The Carens is offered with three powertrain options. The entry-level variants get a 1.5-liter four-cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine that puts out 115HP and 144 Nm of torque. This unit is coupled with a 6-speed manual transmission. It gets a certified fuel economy of 15.7 km/l. The diesel engine is the familiar 1.5-liter unit that puts out 115HP and 250Nm. This unit is coupled with a 6-Speed MT or a 6-Speed AT. The most powerful offering is a 1.4-liter four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that puts out 140HP and 242 Nm of torque. This unit comes mated to a 6-Speed manual or a 7-Speed DCT