Kia has rolled out factory‑fitted CNG versions of its Carens and Carens Clavis, starting at ₹12.11 lakh ex‑showroom. The move means the fuel tank sits under the boot floor, the same way a conventional CNG kit would, but with the safety nets of crash testing and a full warranty that an after‑market kit rarely guarantees.
Under the hood, both cars keep the 1.5‑litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that churns out 94.6 hp and 123 Nm on CNG—about 19 hp and 21 Nm less than the petrol counterpart. It’s only paired with a 6‑speed manual gearbox; Kia hasn’t offered CNG on its turbo‑petrol or diesel variants, nor on automatic transmissions that are common elsewhere in the line‑up.
The 60‑litre tank buries itself beneath the boot floor, trimming cargo space but keeping the spare wheel intact—a nice touch not all factory CNG models manage. To counter the added weight, Kia retuned the suspension, fitted larger front disc brakes and tweaked the third‑row seat‑back frame to keep a decent recline for the rear passengers.
Pricing and trims vary: the Carens CNG comes only on the Premium (O) trim at ₹12.11 lakh, while the Carens Clavis CNG is offered in HTE at ₹12.38 lakh and HTE (O) at ₹13.34 lakh. The roughly ₹96,000 jump between the two Clavis variants is for the same mechanical package, underscoring how trim choice shapes the buyer’s bill.
With a CNG‑specific fuel‑efficiency estimate of 22‑25 km per kg, the ₹1 lakh premium over the petrol‑manual versions will be recouped only after several years of regular use, depending on mileage. For families needing a three‑row MPV that can run on cheaper gas, the CNG option finally closes a gap that existed for the Carens until now, but buyers must weigh the upfront cost against the long‑term savings.