The all-new Kia Carens was launched recently in the Philippines by exclusive local distributor Columbian Autocar.

Under the hood is the U2 1.7-litre diesel engine, which produces a maximum 136 ps at 4,000 rpm and 33.7 kg-m of torque at 2,500 rpm (M/T) or 32.6 kg-m at 2,500 rpm (A/T) that's mated to a six-speed transmission. Those numbers are transmitted to the road via 16 or 17 inch tyres.

Kia also says the suspension's been extensively tweaked, with the MacPherson struts up front mounted to a new sub-frame. Rear duties are taken up by a coupled torsion beam axle, which replaces the previous multi-link system.

Flex Steer offers Normal, Sport and Comfort modes that change steering stiffness. Paddle shifters in the EX up the sportiness. Kia's touting an organ-type accelerator pedal that moves "in a way that matches the natural motion of the human foot".

Safety features include an all-disc brake system with ABS, and Kia claims that it expects the Carens bodyshell, 35.9% of which is high-strength steel, to achieve five-star Euro NCAP ratings. The EX comes with dual front airbags, while the LX is limited to a driver's side one.

Buyers get a family-friendly feature set that starts from seating/cargo alone, seven-passenger capacity, split-fold second and third rows and even a forward folding front passenger seat, already ticks many boxes.

Also standard are keyless entry, LED front positioning lights, power windows and a six-speaker audio system.

At the top-of-the-line EX A/T variant gets electronic stability control, cruise control, dual-zone airconditioning, parking assist and panoramic sunroof, among others. There is also a powered driver's seat, an upgraded entertainment system with 4.3-inch TFT LCD screen and an instrument cluster with a 4.2-inch TFT LCD screen.

This car is actually smaller than its predecessor, four and a half meters long, Kia says the new Carens is actually more spacious, due to an increased wheelbase (50 mm longer) and a cab-forward design that has the A-pillar above the front wheel's center line. Dimension-wise, it's 20 mm shorter, 15 mm narrower and 40 mm lower.

The EX A/T can be had for PWP 1.480 million (US$ 34.2 lakhs), while the LX M/T and LX A/T have been priced at PWP 1.14 and PWP .23 million, respectively. The palette runs from Clear White, Galaxy Brown, Ebony Black (EX only), and Bright Silver and Camden Beige.