Kia is having a solid 2021. Last month, the carmaker sold 45,318 cars in America, breaking its all-time annual sales record before the year had even ended. On top of this, the Korean firm has released a slew of new eco-friendly models in line with its goal to go all-electric by 2040. A few weeks back, Kia revealed the all-new Niro crossover, and teased the all-electric version of its popular Telluride SUV.

Kia's range of SUVs has made up the bulk of its sales, with the Telluride and Sorento driving those figures. Now the company is getting ready to introduce yet another SUV to the family. Meet the new Kia Carens.

Kia has released design sketches of the three-row Kia Carens, which will enjoy a global debut on December 16, 2021. The sketches contain glimpses of what the interior and exterior will look like, and shows off multiple seating configurations. The Carens features Kia's 'Tiger Nose design' which should become normalized on most future Kia SUVs. Like the current Soul, the Carens offers a chunky no-nonsense exterior design with a flat hood, attractive headlights, and a big front intake. The headlights and intake are separated by a bold separator line.

We like the fact that the main headlights are tucked, almost hidden, below the slimline daytime running lights. The side profile of the Carens is bold to say the least, and the sketches show off a car with flared arches, a classy wheel design, and body creases that run into both the front and rear doors from the head and tail lights. The rear-end gets a wraparound taillight system, a thick center crease, and an angular diffuser design.

On the inside, the Carens is set to feature a minimalist dashboard that stretches right across the width of the cabin, with the center air vents tucked in beneath the display unit. Kia says the Carens will feature a 10.25-inch infotainment screen for higher trim levels, while lower models will get an eight-inch unit. The instrument cluster will be fully digital. While Kia has not made any official announcement regarding seating configurations, we expect the car to be offered as a six, or seven-seater.

Under the hood, the new Kia SUV is expected to share 1.5-liter petrol and diesel engines with the Kia Seltos and Sonet, with power figures and transmission options being similar to those vehicles. The Carens will be manufactured in India and exported to overseas markets in the first quarter of 2022 with a Hyundai spinoff, the Stargazer, coming soon after with a different exterior look.