Kia have given us their new facelifted Carnival for 2025 and here is all you need to know about it.
Exterior styling gains large two-tone side mirrors, a rear skid plate garnish, pronounced wheel arches, stylish 18- or 19-inch aluminium alloy wheels, fitted as standard. The Carnivals design echoes the current visual language of Kia’s latest SUV successes like the Sorento, Seltos, and Sonet.
Inside, the Kia Carnival features high-quality materials, premium high-gloss black finishes beyond its radical design, the cabin offers comfortable seating for seven or eight passengers depending on the trim level. With all seats in place, there’s a generous 1,139 litres of luggage space. Remove the second row and stow the third row flat, and cargo capacity expands to a remarkable 4,110 litres.
In the top of range SXL model, this seven-seat variant features Kia’s innovative ‘Slide-Flex’ seating system which offers multiple configurations for seven passengers, including a sliding second-row centre seat.
The Carnival also gains standard hands-free electric sliding side doors with Smart Key functionality, and on SXL, a Smart Power Liftgate with auto-close, making loading and unloading effortless.
The Carnival is designed with safety in mind because it employs the latest in innovation and protective technology :
- Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA): assists the driver when braking to help prevent a collision or lessen the effects in certain conditions if a pedestrian or vehicle is detected in front. Uses automatic braking to avoid or mitigate an impact.
- Blindspot Collision Avoidance Assist (BCA): Under certain conditions, this system can detect vehicles travelling in the next lane. When a vehicle is “seen” in the blind spot, the vehicle brakes the outer wheel under certain conditions to help return the vehicle to its lane.
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert: Helps detect most approaching cross traffic when in reverse. When approaching cross traffic is detected, the system alerts the driver and applies brakes.
- Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) with Lane Following Assist (LFA): Follows lane markings that the system detects and provides steering inputs to help maintain the vehicle in the centre of the lane.
- Segment-exclusive Blindspot View Monitor (BVM): Projects live video view of adjacent lanes in the instrument cluster and activated via the turn signal.
- Smart Cruise Control (SCC): Proactively raises and lowers the vehicle’s speed and distance to vehicles in front.
- Around View Monitor (AVM): Utilises four cameras to provide a 360-degree perspective around the vehicle enhancing driver confidence in tight parking situations.
The new Kia Carnival is powered by a robust 2.2-litre ‘Smartstream’ CRDi turbodiesel engine, delivering 148kW and 440Nm or torque via a 8-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.
Available in two district trim levels, the range begins with the well-equipped EX model, offering exceptional value for money through its impressive list of standard features such as 12,3” Audio Display Infotainment & RDS, Front and rear adjustable air-conditioning, Auto light control, Auto-folding side mirrors, Overhead console lamps, 4 USB ports, Drive Mode Select, Electrically adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support and Leather trim just to to name a few.
The flagship of the range is the SXL model which comes fully loaded with a host of luxury and convenience features, including:
- 12.3” Integrated Display Supervision Cluster TFT LCD & RHEOSTAT
- Wireless Charger for Smartphone
- BOSE surround sound with 12 speakers
- Blindspot View Monitor
- 19” aluminium alloy wheels
- Dual tilt and slide sunroofs
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- Electrically adjustable front seats with lumbar support
- Rear LED combination lamps
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Around View Monitor
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Blindspot Collision Avoidance Assist
- Lane Following Assist
- Lane Keeping Assist
- Forward Collision Avoidance Assist
- Ventilated seats (driver & passenger)
- Heated seats (driver & passenger)
- Driver Memory Seat
Pricing is as follows:
EX – R1, 049, 995
SXL – R1, 299, 995
Both Carnival models ship as standard with Kia’s Unlimited Kilometre, 5-year warranty (inclusive of roadside assistance), as well as a 6-year / 90,000 km maintenance plan. You can add to this standard plan to get full coverage of a number of components at no cost to the owner beyond a standard service plan, including (but not limited to) brake pads, discs, and linings, shock absorbers, battery, clutch, cambelt, various belts, globes, and fuses.