The Kia Carens is a compact seven-seat MPV that sits at the more affordable end of the market, and plays rival to cars like the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso, Renault Scenic and Vauxhall Zafira Tourer. It?s affordable to run, too, and also does well on style, quality and equipment. The Carens will be appealing to MPV buyers because it looks good, has a nice interior, is very affordable to buy and run, and you still get a lot of standard equipment for your money. The Carens has achieved the full five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests, but that was way back in 2013 when the testing thresholds were far less demanding, and we doubt it?d perform as well if it were tested today. Why? Well, all models come with six airbags as standard, along with a variety of electronic traction aids, but it doesn?t have the latest driver assistance systems ? things like automatic emergency braking ? which are pretty much essential to getting a top score.