Safety features on vehicles have now become a deciding factor for many first-time car buyers in India. Manufacturers like Tata and Mahindra are now concentrating more on build quality and marketing it. People often rely on crash test results to judge the build quality of these vehicles. In the past, people used to install metal bumpers in the front and rear of their vehicles to protect them from minor scratches. However, it was later proved that such bullbars and metal bumpers do more harm than good for both the vehicle and pedestrians. In this video uploaded by Prateek Singh on his YouTube channel, a brand new Kia Carens MPV is shown with a metal cage around it. The real story behind this cage is explained here.
It is believed that the Kia Carens with the metal cage seen in the video was likely used by an advertisement agency. The metal cage acts as a mount for fixing advertisements. Similar setups can be seen on trucks, where advertisements and hoardings are installed. The cage allows them to place advertisement boards without damaging the car’s original body. If you observe closely, the metal cage is positioned in a way that maintains some distance from the actual body panels. After the advertisement is placed, the car would be unrecognizable.
The vlogger mentions that one of his subscribers shared this video online, but the exact location where the video was shot is unknown. The video was recorded at night, and the person recording it was likely on a two-wheeler following the Kia Carens. The car appears to be brand new and has a metal cage surrounding its body. The metal cage resembles an exoskeleton similar to those seen on rally cars and off-roaders.
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The vlogger humorously suggests that the owner added the metal cage to improve the car’s overall crash test ratings. He jokingly claims that the Kia Carens initially scored three stars in the Global NCAP crash test and by adding the metal cage, the owner managed to increase the rating by two stars. However, it is clear that the metal cage is not for protection but serves a different purpose.
The Kia Carens is a popular MPV in its segment and is based on the same platform as the popular SUV Seltos. Like other Kia products, the Carens offers a decent list of features. The MPV is available with a variety of engine and gearbox options. There is a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine available with manual and IVT gearboxes. Additionally, a 1.5-liter turbocharged diesel engine is offered with 6-speed iMT and automatic transmissions. The 1.4-liter turbocharged petrol engine is paired with a 7-speed DCT and 6-speed iMT gearbox option. The iMT gearbox option in the diesel and turbo petrol version of Carens was recently introduced in the market. Price for Kia Carens now starts at Rs 10.45 lakh, ex-showroom and goes up to Rs 18.95 lakh, ex-showroom.
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