Kia Carnival

In its third-generation form, the Carnival comes in three seating layouts: a seven, eight or a nine-seater. It will be sold in three trim options: Premium, Prestige, and Limousine. It only comes with one engine-and-gearbox option – a 2.2-litre BSVI engine, paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Knowing Kia well, we're sure the Carnival will make its mark in the market, for it brings with it the typical sophistication of a solid and well-built Korean product. The Kia Carnival price is in no way at par with the Innova Crysta's; only the top-end model's price of the latter is close to the former's base variant.

Kia Carnival Exterior

The sheer girth of the Kia Carnival new model is the first thing that flatters you. Of course, the overall silhouette is that of an MPV, but a rather good-looking one. At the front, it gets the traditional tiger-nose grille, flanked by huge headlamps. The nicely crafted front bumper has cube-like fog lamps set neatly into the bumper with chrome surrounds. There’s a skid plate as well, giving the front a rugged look.

The side profile consists of a shoulder line that starts from the headlight and goes all the way to the back. The 18-inch wheels in the top-spec Limousine variant are finished in chrome. At the rear, a roof spoiler is visible, along with rectangular tail lamps, a chrome strip above the number plate depression and a skid plate on the lower half of the bumper. 

Kia Carnival Variants

The 2020 Kia Carnival variants are as follows: Premium, Prestige, and Limousine. Features include steering-mounted audio controls, electric-folding wing mirrors, a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, cruise control, smart key with push-button start, reverse camera, tilt and telescopic adjust for the steering, 18-inch sputtering design alloy wheels, LED projector headlamps, powered tailgate, dual-panel electric sunroof, pop-up sinking seats, LED tail lamps, Nappa leather upholstery, leather-wrapped steering and gear knob, tyre pressure monitoring system, navigation, UVO connected car technology, luxury VIP seats, powered sliding rear doors, a Harman Kardon 8-speaker sound system, 10-way adjustable powered driver's seat with ventilation, two 10.1-inch touchscreens for rear passengers, smartwatch connectivity, air purifier, three-zone auto climate control and wireless smartphone charging.

On the safety front, it is equipped with front parking sensors, ESC, Cornering Brake Control, side and curtain airbags, rollover mitigation, dual airbags and ABS with EBD. 

Kia Carnival Interior

The cabin is very roomy, and the huge windshield and glasshouse only further add to the roominess inside. Visibility out-front is great too. The quality, fit and finish are all top-notch. The dashboard is well laid out and the controls are easy to use. You'll also notice there’s a high-set 8.0-inch touchscreen. Up-front, the seats are very comfortable. You get access to the rear through the powered sliding rear doors that can be operated via the key fob and the door handles. Ingress isn't an issue at all, and the Nappa leather seats are extremely comfortable.

There's ample room on offer, be it headroom, legroom or shoulder room. On the Limousine variant, you can move the middle-row captain's chairs sideways. Getting to the last row isn't a hassle at all. It also gets a sliding third row and reclinable backrests. The seven-seat Carnival comes with enough luggage room. Cup holders are also available for every individual seat at the rear. 

Kia Carnival Engine Specifications & Performance

The Kia Carnival is powered by a 2.2-litre, CRDi VGT engine that produces 197bhp and 440Nm of torque. Paired to the engine is an 8-speed automatic transmission. The engine is very quiet, smooth and picks up the pace well, although there is some turbo lag. It has a strong mid-range, but it runs out of steam in the top-end. The gearbox works well and is quite slick in terms of operation. The steering weighs up nicely at high speeds; however, there is quite a bit of body roll. Ride quality is very impressive, thanks to the softly sprung suspension setup.

At high speeds, the Carnival feels surefooted and doesn't feel unnerving out on the highways. Around corners, the tyres provide good grip and the brakes are pretty strong. The Kia Carnival on-road price might be on the higher side, but it's sure to lure buyers who've always wanted a fully-loaded MPV. 

Kia Carnival Mileage

The Kia Carnival's ARAI-certified fuel efficiency figure is rated at 13.9kmpl for the diesel model.