Kia's big problem is the number of talented compact people-carriers on the market, a fact which serves to make its insipid offering appear even more dull and unattractive. The cabin is spacious and light, but the interior plastics and trim feel very low quality. Dynamic prowess doesn't feature on the menu, the Carens suffering from a sometimes lumpy ride and poor cornering. The 136bhp 2.0 petrol has decent pulling power but the 118bhp turbodiesel offers more mid-range performance and better economy. Pricing undercuts mainstream compact MPV rivals but it's hard not to conclude that even the European 'people vans' (such as the Citroen Berlingo) offer a better deal.