Handpicking the Best Automatic Variants for Family-Focused Car Buyers: A Close Look at Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Kia Carens

What a Family-focused car buyer looks for in a car

For family-focused car buyers, key considerations are safety, comfort, and convenience. Critical safety features like ABS, airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and a good NCAP rating are paramount. Comfort is associated with ride quality, minimal body roll, high-speed stability, and spaciousness, including ample boot capacity, ground clearance, headroom, and legroom.

Convenience features such as power windows, rear AC vents, and rear parking sensors also significantly contribute to the attractiveness of a vehicle for this persona. With their features and attributes, the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Kia Carens figure among the best family cars in India.

Why Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Kia Carens are popular among Family-focused car buyers

Both Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Kia Carens are some of the top family cars in India, and have gained popularity among family-centric car buyers because of their comprehensive safety features, comfortable ride quality, and generous dimensions.

The Ertiga, with ABS, airbags, ESC, and a stable high-speed drive, ensures safety for the entire family. Its moderate body roll, adequate space, and convenience features like power windows and rear AC vents make it ideal for family outings. If you’re a budget-conscious buyer, you can read our guide to the best Ertiga variants for you.

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Similarly, Kia Carens also offers a blend of safety and comfort. With six airbags, ABS, and ESC, it provides a secure ride. Its ample boot capacity and legroom, along with power windows, rear AC vents, and a stable high-speed drive, ensure a comfortable ride. The car’s spaciousness and convenience features make it a top choice among family-focused car buyers.

As family-friendly car models picked for this comparison, we take a look at the automatic variants of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Kia Carens. These variants are priced Rs 10 lakh to Rs 12 lakh. And if you enjoy long drives, you can check out the best options among Kia Carens and Maruti Suzuki Ertiga.

Our variants shortlist for Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Kia Carens

Product	Variant	Price (INR)
Kia Carens	Premium iMT	12,00,000
Maruti Suzuki Ertiga	VXI AT	11,28,000

The Kia Carens Premium iMT, equipped with six airbags, ABS, and ESC, makes it a safe choice for families. Its stable high-speed drive and moderate body roll offer a comfortable journey. However, it lacks a touchscreen navigation system and Bluetooth connectivity.

The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga VXI AT is another great choice for families. While it has fewer airbags than the Carens, it matches it in ABS, ESC, and high-speed stability. The Ertiga VXI AT has less legroom but compensates with a higher headroom. However, like the Carens, it lacks touchscreen navigation.

Best variant among Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Kia Carens for Family-focused car buyers

Considering the balance between safety, comfort, and convenience, the Kia Carens Premium iMT stands out as the best option for a family-focused car buyer. With its superior safety features, especially six airbags, and spacious dimensions, the Carens ensures a secure and comfortable ride for the family – be it a small or large family. Despite lacking certain convenience features, its overall attributes make it a well-rounded and perfect choice for a family man. If you’re style-conscious, you can also read how the Kia Carens stacks up against Maruti Suzuki XL6.

The 2 automatic variants ranked

1. Kia Carens Premium iMT
2. Maruti Suzuki Ertiga VXI AT

Attributes	Kia Carens Premium iMT	Maruti Suzuki Ertiga VXI AT
ABS	Yes	Yes
Airbags (number)	6	2
Body Roll	Moderate	Moderate
Boot Capacity (liters)	216	209
ESC	Yes	Yes
High-Speed Stability	Stable	Stable
NCAP Rating	3	3
Power Windows – Back	Yes	Yes
Power Windows – Front	Yes	Yes
Rear AC Vents	Yes	Yes
Rear Parking Sensors	Yes	Yes
Ride Comfort	Good	Good

The Kia Carens Premium iMT, with its superior safety features including six airbags and comfortable dimensions, stands as the first choice. Despite the lack of certain convenience features, the safety and spaciousness tilt the scales in its favor.

The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga VXI AT, despite fewer airbags, provides ample safety with ABS, ESC, and high-speed stability. Its dimensions are slightly less generous but still adequate. Both variants offer a balanced mix of safety, comfort, and convenience, making them attractive choices for family-focused car buyers.

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