Verdict
No matter you do, do not name the 2022 Kia Carnival a minivan – a minimum of not in entrance of Kia. The corporate formally dubs its Sedona substitute an “MPV,” quick for “multi-purpose automobile,” dusting off a time period that hasn’t been used Stateside in additional than a decade.
We sometimes name out any such rebranding for what it’s: advertising and marketing jargon. “Shoppers do not just like the phrase ‘minivan,’ so let’s make it sound a bit cooler,” the pencil pushers at Kia headquarters may say. However the brand new Carnival is so daring and so distinctive that we’re virtually shopping for into Kia’s not-a-minivan rebrand. Nearly.
The SUV Of Minivans
From the electrical sliding door ahead, the Carnival seems to be like a boxy SUV, borrowing lots of its cues from its Sorento sibling. The entrance fascia is very tough-looking, carrying slim headlights with sharp LED accents that dip down into the big and comely grille. The sizable vent opening just under that brushes up in opposition to a silver trim piece, including to the aggro look. And each of the top-trim SX and SX Status fashions put on 19-inch gloss black wheels, which give the Carnival an ideal stance in comparison with the bottom LX mannequin, which has too-small 17-inchers.
Kia supplied us with two variations of the Carnival to check: an Astra Blue SX Status mannequin and Ceramic Silver SX, and each of these hues are very fairly (and price $495). The silver trim piece on the entrance finish extends to the aspect sills, rear bumper, and onto the aspect profile in a singular beveled accent piece. The one slight distinction between these two fashions is the shade of the silver itself; the usual SX wears matte silver versus the SX Status’s shiny chrome, and we want the extra subdued look of the previous.
The again finish of the Carnival wears a full-width LED mild bar (an more and more overplayed design component) with the brand new “KIA” wordmark embedded lifeless heart. A slick script-like “Carnival” badge sits additional down on the bumper, and a delicate spoiler extends out and over the rear window capping off the daring look. The Carnival’s exterior has a shocking quantity of intricate particulars, however all of them culminate to create a really interesting “MPV.”
Second-Row Thrones
There’s tons to love concerning the inside the Carnival, as nicely. The identical common cabin structure that we have come to like within the Telluride and Sorento carryover, with a big central touchscreen atop an extended flat sprint, with a clear array of buttons just under that. There are some new haptic suggestions choices that we haven’t seen in earlier Kia merchandise, and so they’re not all that intuitive to make use of. In any other case, we actually like the way in which all the pieces is laid out.
Fabric seats come customary on the bottom LX mannequin and fake leather-based is offered on mid-range EX trims and above. Our SX tester wears the faux stuff, however our range-topping SX Status opts for actual leather-based as an alternative, completed in an appropriately named Tuscan Lumber hue that is someplace between a burnt orange and rust – regardless of the shade is, it seems to be nice. And that leather-based is sweet and comfortable in all three rows.
The SX mannequin solely presents eight-passenger seating with a regular second-row bench and a detachable heart seat. We’ve no complaints about mentioned bench – it is comfortable, with ample headroom and legroom, plus loads of cushiness from the fake leather-based seating floor to assist your butt and again over lengthy journeys. However if you happen to actually need to be snug within the second row, you need to improve to the SX Status mannequin.
The range-topping trim is the one model of the Carnival accessible with two VIP Lounge Seats, which take the place of the usual second-row chairs. The lazy-boy–like captain’s chairs recline almost flat (assuming you even have the third row folded stowed) by way of the one-touch “leisure mode” button. On prime of that, there is a foot relaxation, strong bolstering, nice cushioning, and plenty and plenty of legroom – even your 6-foot-tall writer was capable of recline virtually absolutely whereas solely brushing up barely in opposition to the entrance seat. The Carnival’s two VIP Lounge Seats really feel like leather-covered thrones match for a king.
Even with all that legroom within the second row, the third row is definitely a pleasant place to be. A fast pull of the lever and a shove ahead of the chair, and entry to the third row is straightforward. Though we nonetheless suppose Toyota’s one-button resolution continues to be superior. As soon as settled, the Carnival presents 38.6 inches of headroom and 35.6 inches of legroom.
The Carnival’s two VIP Lounge Seats really feel like leather-covered thrones match for a king.
These aren’t best-in-class figures, admittedly – the Chrysler Pacifica has extra headroom and each the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna have extra legroom – however mixed with the primary and second rows, the Carnival has a whopping 168.0 cubic toes of whole passenger house plus a full 145.1 cubes of cargo room with each rows folded flat. The Sienna has simply 101.0 cubic toes, the Pacifica has 140.5, and the Odyssey presents 140.7.
Tech For The Entire Household
The bottom Kia Carnival LX will get an 8.0-inch touchscreen whereas our two testers (and each trim from EX and above) wield a 12.3-inch touchscreen with a corresponding 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, each housed inside a single piece of shiny black plastic a la Mercedes-Benz. The big heart show is crystal clear, displaying off Kia’s signature UVO infotainment system with the neon graphics and Nixie tube channel indicators that we like a lot. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are customary as nicely, however in contrast to in different Kia merchandise we have examined, they’re each wired connections right here.
Other than that, the Carnival has just a few choices – just like the “Sounds Of Nature” audio and voice memo recording – that carry over from earlier Kia fashions. Plus, there are additionally just a few stuff you anticipate of this class, just like the Passenger Digicam that offers the motive force a chicken’s-eye view of the again seat, and the Passenger Discuss PA system lets you talk with rear occupants at a standard quantity. These are each excellent instruments for maintaining a tally of the kiddos.
And talking of the rear occupants; a dual-screen rear leisure system comes customary on the SX and SX Status fashions or is offered as a $1,500 possibility on the LX and EX fashions. That setup affords passengers within the second row entry to a seat back-mounted display screen with USB and HDMI inputs, plus Netflix, YouTube, and Twitch streaming, and the flexibility to hook up with a smartphone wirelessly. Even for an grownup, the second row is clearly the place to be.
Outdated-College Engine, New-College Security
In contrast to the all-hybrid Sienna or the accessible plug-in Pacifica, Kia opts for a comparatively primary setup: a 3.5-liter V6 paired to an eight-speed automated transmission and front-wheel drive. There is no such thing as a hybrid possibility (but), nor all-wheel-drive. That engine produces a modest 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet, which strikes the minivan in a straight line with function. We’d go as far as to say the Carnival feels fast in Sport mode, and sure, there’s a Sport mode.
However that’s to not say Kia constructed some sporty minivan – in reality, the Carnival feels much less composed than alternate options just like the Sienna and Pacifica in sure respects. The Carnival’s 6.8 inches of floor clearance put it greater off the pavement than every other minivan, and this automobile does waft fairly considerably. There’s noticeable physique roll in corners and apparent understeer, plus the steering is just too boosted to your writer’s liking. To not point out that the boxy SUV-like styling makes the Carnival really feel like a sail within the crosswinds.
Fortunately although, we weren’t planning on taking this Kia to the monitor anyhow. The place the Carnival excels is on-road consolation. The suspension is extraordinarily comfortable, the cabin is whisper quiet – even with the aero points – and even with the non-obligatory 19-inch wheels, the Carnival soaks up imperfect pavement exceptionally nicely. Add to {that a} complete suite of normal security gear and the Carnival makes for a reliable freeway cruiser.
The DriveWise security suite makes Kia’s minivan one of many most secure within the class, in our opinion. With options like automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keep help, blind-spot monitoring, and most significantly, Freeway Driving Help, the Carnival will keep completely put within the lane over lengthy distances and preserve a secure however regular tempo to the automobile in entrance of it. This Kia will eat up a whole bunch of freeway miles with solely minor inputs from the motive force.
Priced To Beat
The bottom Kia Carnival LX will set you again $32,100, which is cheap contemplating that the Sienna and Pacifica each price north of $34,000. Solely the Honda Odyssey and the bare-bones Chrysler Voyager are extra inexpensive, asking $31,790 and $27,860 out of the field. With the Seat Bundle (which provides energy adjustable SynTex fake leather-based) the LX prices $34,100, whereas the mid-range Carnival EX prices $37,600, and the SX and SX Status fashions examined right here begin at $41,100 and $46,100, respectively.
The 2022 Kia Carnival ticks all the suitable containers.
The lone possibility on our two testers is paint; Astra Blue and Ceramic Silver are each $495 extras. In any other case, almost all the pieces else is customary. That lone possibility brings the as-tested worth for the silver SX to $42,770, and the as-tested worth for the blue SX Status to $47,770 – very cheap asks contemplating {that a} absolutely loaded Telluride now prices north $50,000 for 2021. Even the Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle and Toyota Sienna Platinum begin at round or north of $50,000, and we will’t say that both of these minivans are considerably nicer than the loaded Carnival.
The 2022 Kia Carnival ticks all the suitable containers – it’s snug, presents a ton of tech, and appears extra rough-and-tumble than just about every other minivan on sale in the present day. Add to {that a} very cheap asking worth of lower than $50,000 for a totally loaded SX Status, and there’s actually purpose to contemplate cross-shopping the Carnival in opposition to the extra conventional Telluride, or every other three-row for that matter.
