Kia Motors have added another variant to their already popular Carens MPV range; a seven seater 2.0 petrol LS derivative with prices starting at £15,050.

The 2.0 litre 142bhp petrol unit comes married to either a five speed manual or four speed automatic transmission. This MPV benefits from many of the existing features of the LS high level spec.

With a top speed of 112mph the automatic transmission produces 189Nm of torque and accelerates from 0-62mph in 11.9 seconds. The manual fares even better with a top speed of 118mph with an acceleration of just 11 seconds. The CO₂ consumption for both transmissions are competitive at 193 and 200g/km respectively.

Pricing starts from £15,050 for the manual and £16,050 for the automatic and both come with a five year bumper-to-bumper unlimited mileage warranty. This announcement was made in April last year and is the first Korean built Kia to be given this position of assurance. The warranty was made possible by the improved manufacturing processes at the corporation’s refurbished Gwangju plant in Korea and the resulting higher build quality.

Paul Philpott, managing director of Kia Motors (UK) Limited said: “It is an excellent addition to our ever expanding range and I am pleased that we are able to offer our customers a wider variety of choice and they are receiving a quality product with a guarantee of trust”

Standard items across the range include front and rear electric windows with an auto-down facility, electrically-adjustable door mirrors, an underfloor storage box and underseat tray on the front passenger's side. On the petrol LS model you will get full climate control along with electric folding door mirrors as well as automatic lights and wipers and 16 inch alloys.

Appealing to families and active couples the Carens exhibits versatility and practicality. For the added space in the seven seater the cushions of the centre-row seats tip forwards, enabling the backrests to fold down to create a flat floor, free of interruptions while the rear row folds and dives in the base leaving a totally flat surface.

A foot-operated parking brake allows for more storage space around the driver and front passenger. There is a large compartment beneath the centre armrest; cup holders in the front and rear of the centre console; a sunglasses holder in the headlining; large door pockets with bottle holder storage; and a generous glove box. Rear door pockets and lidded compartments with cup holders above the rear wheelarches provide useful spaces for passengers in the rear to store loose items.