It appears just like the locally-assembled Kia Carnival will lastly be launched quickly. A supplier in Seri Kembangan, AZ Grasp Motor, has introduced on Fb that the CKD MPV is open for reserving, 5 months after the automobile arrived in Malaysia in fully-imported type.
An estimated value vary was included within the flyer supplied, and opposite to widespread apply, the CKD mannequin is definitely extra costly than the CBU. And fairly a bit extra at that – the brand new mannequin, which shall be supplied in three variants, is estimated to be priced between RM235,000 and RM260,000. Distinction that in opposition to the prevailing imported model, which slides below the RM200,000 barrier at RM196,341.
The explanation behind this value hike is that Kia Malaysia has listened to buyer suggestions and specced the Carnival as a seven- or eight-seater, which ought to present extra inside legroom and a much less compromised seating structure (plus three-point seat belts for all passengers). The automobile was initially introduced in as an 11-seater, permitting it to be categorised as a business car – affording it decrease taxes consequently.
A minimum of the automobile ought to include a better degree of apparatus to offset the upper pricing. Whereas specs and tools have but to be revealed, the supplier has confirmed that the CKD mannequin shall be supplied with the obtainable 12.3-inch digital instrument show, which is sorely lacking within the CBU automobile. Hopefully some driver help options like autonomous emergency braking shall be added, too, as these had been additionally omitted.
Count on the Carnival to soldier on with the identical 2.2 litre R turbodiesel engine as earlier than, producing 202 PS and 440 Nm of torque and mated to an eight-speed computerized gearbox. Learn our overview of the 11-seater model right here.
GALLERY: 2022 Kia Carnival 11-seater CBU in Malaysia
