Kia Carens diesel iMT real-world mileage tested

- Diesel Carens gets iMT as standard

- No manual gearbox available with diesel

Kia Carens was recently updated with a new turbo-petrol engine, which was even introduced in the top-of-the-line X-Line trim. However, now there's no choice of a manual gearbox for the diesel mill and it comes with an iMT (intelligent manual transmission). This version has a claimed ARAI mileage of 21kmpl. We tested it for real-world fuel efficiency and here's how it performed.

Kia Carens Diesel iMT mileage in the city

We drove the MPV on our designated testing route in the city for 75.8km. It took up 5.1 litres of fuel delivering 14.9kmpl, which is close to the indicated mileage of 14.6kmpl on the instrument cluster.

Kia Carens Diesel iMT mileage on the highway

The same test on our highway run delivered the expected results. For a distance of 91.7km, the Carens used up 4.8 litres of diesel, which translates to 19.1kmpl. This is close to the indicated mileage of 20.7kmpl. It is good for a vehicle that weighs almost 1.5 tons.

Carens Diesel engine and gearbox specifications

Till last year, the diesel Carens was offered only with a six-speed manual and a six-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox. However, when the RDE norms came in place, the new iMT or clutchless manual gearbox was introduced, rather it replaced the conventional manual transmissions in the due course. So, the 1.5-litre diesel mill that produces 114bhp and 250Nm of torque gets this iMT tech, apart from the standard automatic transmission.

Please note that our tests are performed in real-world conditions for all cars. This is against the claimed figures in ideal conditions. These tested figures give you a realistic view of what you could expect from your car.