Kia Clavis HTX vs Toyota Innova Crysta GX: which diesel MPV to buy?

If you’re looking for a practical and efficient people’s mover, a diesel MPV fits the bill just right. Once a populous segment in itself, today, thanks to dwindling demand for diesel, there aren’t many diesel MPVs available in the market. The recently launched Kia Carens Clavis though still offers a diesel engine, and with its useable third row and feature-packed interior, makes for a very compelling package. There’s also the ever-popular Toyota Innova Crysta, although the Clavis and Innova Crysta are quite different in their price and positioning.

So, if you’re in the market for a diesel MPV with a budget of around Rs 20 lakh, which one should you put your money down on? Let’s take a closer look.

Kia Carens Clavis vs Toyota Innova Crysta: price and variants

No price overlap between Carens Clavis and Innova Crysta  

The Carens Clavis diesel range is priced between Rs 13.50 lakh and Rs 19.50 lakh, and is available in six trims levels – HTE, HTE (O), HTK, HTK+, HTK+ (O) and HTX – with a 6-speed automatic gearbox option on the HTK+ trim; as standard, the Clavis diesel gets a 6-speed MT. Meanwhile, the Innova Crysta is priced between Rs 19.99 lakh and Rs 26.82 lakh, and is available in four trims – GX, GX+, VX and ZX. The Innova Crysta is only available with a manual gearbox.

So, there’s clearly no price overlap between the two models, but for a budget of Rs 20 lakh, you can either get a well-specced Kia Carens Clavis HTX variant or base-spec Innova Crsyta GX. With that out of the way, let’s see what you get for your money.

Kia Carens Clavis vs Toyota Innova Crysta: features and seating   

In the HTX trim, the Carens Clavis is very well equipped with features like all-LED lighting, 17-inch alloy wheels, dual 12.25-inch screens for infotainment and instrumentation, 360-degree camera, ambient lighting, single-pan sunroof, leatherette upholstery, automatic climate control, retractable seat back table, cruise control, wireless charger, dual-camera dashcam, six airbags, ESC and front and rear parking sensors.

In contrast, the Innova Crysta is very sparsely equipped – it only gets halogen headlamps, 16-inch steel wheels with cover, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, manual air conditioning, analog dials, three airbags, ESC and hill assist control.

On the plus side, the Innova Crysta offers the option of both second-row captain chairs or a regular bench seat, while the Carens Clavis is only available with the latter; the captain seats on the Clavis are only offered on the top-spec HTX+ trim. Overall, the Innova Crysta is a larger vehicle than the Carens Clavis and offer greater interior space, although it has to be said that both MPVs have a very useable third-row of seats.

Kia Carens Clavis vs Toyota Innova Crysta: powertrain and specs

Innova Crysta is more powerful, but Carens Clavis is more efficient 

On the powertrain front, too, both the Carens Clavis and the Innova Crysta have quite some differentiation. As you can see in the table above, the Caren is much lower on power and torque outputs, and uses a smaller engine. The nearly 100Nm additional torque on the Innova Crysta makes it a much better people hauler, especially under full load.

The Carens Clavis, however, is a lot more efficient than the Toyota, returning 4.24kpl more in its manual guise. Another key difference between the two models is their drive configuration – the Clavis is front-wheel drive while the Crysta is rear-wheel drive, the latter being more advantageous on twisty mountain roads or steep inclines.

Kia Carens Clavis vs Toyota Innova Crysta: what should you buy?

As an overall package then, the Clavis is clearly the better MPV – it is a lot better equipped, is more efficient and is slightly more affordable too; it also gets the convenience of an automatic gearbox Meanwhile, the Toyota Innova Crysta is more spacious, offers the luxury of second-row captain chairs and has a more powerful engine. However, the lack of features in its base-spec really robs it of its appeal. The Kia Carens Clavis is, therefore, the more modern and upmarket choice.

All prices ex-showroom, Delhi

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