Soon after the launch of the Kia Seltos in the compact SUV segment, a car which defined Kia in the year 2020, the Korean carmaker launched its second product in July 2020 which happened to be none other than the Kia Carnival. It was designed to attract the backseat enthusiasts with its impeccable comfort and convenience.
Pros – Rear Seat Experience, Spacious Cabin, Sliding Rear Doors
Cons – Small Infotainment System, No 360° Camera
Kia Carnival Exterior
The Kia Carnival gets a signature tiger nose grille, ice cube fog lamps with chrome surround, LED DRLs and grey artificial skid plates at the front and at the back. The 5115 mm long, 1985 mm wide and 1740 mm tall Kia Carnival gets huge windows giving the cabin an extremely airy feel. Near the turn indicators, one will find AUTO written in capital letters which is a signal that the Carnival is offered with only an automatic gearbox option. It gets chrome surrounds near the windows and door handles while the cuts and creases on the sides of the Carnival are fairly visible. On the rear, the backlights might remind a bit of the first-generation Hyundai Creta. The backlights are LEDs only in the higher variants which should have been standard across all variants especially at this price point. The Carnival also gets a rear spoiler and a rear wiper. There is a hint of chrome piping above the number plate on the Carnival. It also gets an automatic tailgate which opens and closes with the touch of a single button found below the chrome piping.
Kia Carnival Interior
As soon as one jumps into the cabin, the enormous amount of space present would make one wonder whether Kia could have given an option of making a room inside the Carnival. The Carnival gets a 3-spoke multifunction steering wheel embedded with features like cruise control, volume control etc. It gets an 8-inch multi infotainment display and aircon vents in the shape of a trapezium. It gets a 3 zone climate control which allows one to set different temperatures for both the front passengers and at the rear. The Carnival is also equipped with features like a wireless charger, SOS, Roadside Assistance and UVO connect options available on the rear view mirror. Other features include an air purifier and a sunglass holder.
Kia Carnival Space
One can find a lot of spaces inside the cabin for bottle holders, cupholders, devices such as a tablet in the Carnival. The front armrest has enormous space and would easily accommodate an 8-inch tablet along with a charger. The Carnival gets twin cup holders near the handbrake. It also gets a lot of space inside the glove boxes. The boot space of the Carnival happens to be 540 litres if all three rows are up. It extends up to 1624 litres if the 3rd row is folded and if one wants to make room for a huge bicycle inside the cabin, the Carnival would come to one’s rescue by offering a space of 2759 litres with both rows folded.
Kia Carnival Engine Performance
The Carnival is only offered with a 2199cc, 4-cyl diesel engine producing 200 PS of power at 3800 RPM and 440 Nm of torque at 1500-2750 RPM mated to an 8-Speed automatic transmission. It doesn’t feel punchy lower down however it does begin to show its power in the mid-range. It gets a little lazy at the top end which makes one believe that it’s not a car made for drivers rather it’s made for comfort seekers.
Kia Carnival Mileage
Kia claims the mileage of the Carnival to be 14.1 km/l however in real-world conditions one should be able to fetch around 9-10 km/l.
Kia Carnival Handling
The Carnival gets a hydraulic power steering which is light at lower speeds in the city and weighs up nicely on the highway. The suspension is tuned on the softer side in order to provide comfort to the ones sitting inside the car. For its size, body roll is well contained as long as you take it slow around corners.
Kia Carnival Comfort
The second row is the place one should be in if sitting inside the Carnival. It gets a 10-inch infotainment system compared to an 8-inch infotainment system at the front. The additional leg support at the rear is good, the under-thigh support is perfect while the outstanding legroom could give a first-class seat a run for its money.
The third row might look a bit compromised to the ones who have experienced the comfort of the second row on the Kia Carnival. Nevertheless, it’s decently spacious and also gets some features like a manual sunshade, a magazine holder, AC vents at the roof and a charging socket.
Kia Carnival Safety
In terms of safety, the Carnival gets 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, front and rear parking sensors, Electronic Stability Control, Hill Start Assist among others.
Kia Carnival Service
The Carnival is an MPV made for the business class. One can expect the service cost to be a bit higher than usual compared to the likes of its Japanese competitors.
Kia Carnival Prices
Following are the prices (on-road Mumbai) of the Kia Carnival :
- Premium 7-STR Diesel ATC : Rs. 30.44 lakhs
- Premium 8-STR Diesel ATC : Rs. 30.68 lakhs
- Prestige 7-STR Diesel ATC : Rs. 35.89 lakhs
- Prestige 9-STR Diesel ATC : Rs. 36.44 lakhs
- Limousine 7-STR Diesel ATC : Rs. 39.03 lakhs
- Limousine Plus 7-STR Diesel ATC : Rs. 41.43 lakhs
Kia Carnival Resale Value
The Carnival as said before is a car made for the business class. Since it’s much cheaper than the Toyota Vellfire serving nearly the same purpose for the consumers, it’s bound to be a sight to behold for the ones wanting to purchase an MPV at this price point. The resale value also depends on the number of kilometres driven along with the condition in which the vehicle is in.
Kia Carnival Colours
- Aurora Black Pearl
- Steel Silver
- Glacier white Pearl
Kia Carnival Specs
Engine : 2199cc, 4-Cyl, Diesel
Power : 200 PS @ 3800 RPM
Torque : 440 Nm @ 1750-2750 RPM
Transmission : 8-Speed AT
Fuel Type : Diesel
Tyre Size : 235/60/18 (Front & Rear)
Suspension : MacPherson Strut (Front), Multi Link (Rear)
Brakes : Disc (Front & Rear)
Safety : 6 Airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, Hill Start Assist, Brake Assist
Dimensions (L X W X H) : 5115 mm X 1985 mm X 1740 mm
Wheelbase : 3060 mm
Boot Space : 540-litres
Fuel Tank Capacity : 60-litres
Kerb Weight : 2201 kgs
Ground Clearance : 180 mm
Turning Radius : 5.8 metres
Kia Carnival Variants
The Kia Carnival is offered in the following variants in the diesel trim :
- Premium 7-STR TC
- Premium 8-STR TC
- Prestige 7-STR TC
- Prestige 9-STR TC
- Limousine 7-STR TC
- Limousine Plus 7-STR TC
Kia Carnival Rating
We gave the KiaCarnival a rating of 4/5.
Kia Carnival Upcoming Models
Kia is planning to launch the next generation of the Carnival in India next year. The updated model is already on sale globally. It is based on a different platform which makes it longer, wider and taller in terms of dimensions than the present generation of the Carnival along with an updated design.
Kia Carnival vs Toyota Fortuner
The Kia Carnival is only offered in the diesel trim with an automatic torque converter which isn’t the case with the Toyota Fortuner. The Fortuner gets a petrol manual as well as an automatic torque converter. The diesel too is offered with a manual transmission apart from an automatic torque converter gearbox option. Thus if someone is planning to buy a manual at this price point, Toyota Fortuner has an edge over the Kia Carnival.
Kia Carnival vs MG Gloster
The Kia Carnival gets an option of an 8 and a 9 seater whereas the MG Gloster is only available in a 6 and a 7 seater option. The top-spec of the Kia Carnival is nearly 4 lakhs cheaper than the MG Gloster. The Gloster gets some convenience features that are not there in the Kia Carnival such as rain-sensing wipers, paddle shifters and a digital instrument console. The Gloster also sports 4-wheel drive whereas the Carnival is just 2-wheel drive.
Kia Carnival vs Toyota Innova Crysta
The Toyota Innova Crysta is offered in petrol and a diesel engine. To add to that it also gets a manual as well as an automatic gearbox option in both the diesel and the petrol trim. Even the base variant of the Innova Crysta gets 3 airbags compared to the 2 offered in the Carnival. The Carnival is 380mm longer, 155mm wider and 40mm shorter than the Toyota Innova Crysta.
