The South Korean car manufacturer has announced that they are going to bring a new vehicle to market every six months. Keeping to its promises, Kia Motors is going to do the same. The KIA Carnival MPV is going to be the company’s second vehicle in the Indian market and its sale can start at the Auto Expo 2020.
However, unlike the Seltos, the company does not have a new car; It is a well-liked luxury minivan in the international market and is known as Sedona. KIA Carnival is about to create a segment of its own after its launch in India, it will be between Toyota Innova Crysta and Mercedes Benz V-Class.
Kia Motors bringing a premium MPV to the Indian market, especially after just one vehicle, is a major step forward. However, bringing Carnival in line with establishing itself as a premium brand in the Indian market.
We drove this luxury MPV recently and were very impressed with Carnival. This allows the MPV company to take a major step, although the question is whether it will continue the success of Seltos? Let’s know
Kia Carnival Design and style
KIA Carnival attracts attention. The large size and appearance of the Carnival make it a must-see again. The design of the Carnival MPV can be termed as ‘luxurious’ and ‘classy’ and does not have rough looking cuts, creases and coercion lines.
Starting from the front, this luxury MPV features the brand’s signature tiger-nose grille, which completely covers the front. This grill has been fitted with thin chrome inserts, while the grill is surrounded by thin chrome.
Sweptback LED projector headlamps are provided on both sides of the front grille to which the turn signal is also connected. The LED fog lamps are placed on both sides of the bumpers below the headlamps.
These fog lamps, named as ‘Ice Cube’, are placed in C-shaped housings and using chrome. In addition to the fog lamps, the front bumper of the Kia Carnival has an air dam in the middle, while a silver scuff plate has been installed at the bottom.
Coming to the side of Carnival, this MPV has a straight line and simple design. The side part features a small design on the C-Pillar, a blackened out C-Pillar, and a thin space for its electronic door mechanism, which is well added to Carnival’s shoulder line.
The KIA Carnival MPV features 18-inch alloy wheels, using chrome. However, these wheels give good sport to the Carnival and add extra quality to this simple and clean design.
Coming to the backside, the simple design of the done carnival is also seen here. The large boot-lid on the Carnival MPV features a thin chrome strip in the middle, placed just above the registration plate housing. The Carnival features a rapped LED taillight, reflectors on both sides of the bumper and a silver scuff plate in the medium.
Kia Carnival Interior & Practicality
The real magic of KIA Carnival is seen here. Having a large MPV, the carnival provides ample space within, depending on the number of seats according to the variant.
KIA is going to make Carnival available as seven, eight and nine-seater MPVs. The variant we drove was the top model ‘limousine’ trim, which is available with seven seats. It has two front seats, two captain seats in the middle row and bench seat in the third row, which is suitable for three passengers.
Let us now come forward from the back, the car seat of the Carnival has been adjusted electronically, which helps in maximum comfort and keeping a good eye on the road. The tearing wheel is wrapped in leather which is a very premium feel. This steering also has buttons for audio, call and other functions.
The analogue instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, with two circular dials on both sides, has a tachometer and a speedometer. 3.5 MID is placed between the two unlogged dials, which gives more information about the vehicle such as gear indicator, distance to empties, fuel level etc.
Kaya Carnival’s dashboard is placed in a dual-tone scheme and soft-touch material is used everywhere. This dashboard uses piano-black paint around the infotainment system. The layout of this dashboard is attractive, with all buttons and functions accessible to the driver.
The Carnival MPV features an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the middle. This display provides information on a wide range of features, including in-built navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, vehicle telematics, etc.
In this infotainment system, KIA YUVO connected car technology has also been used. It connects the car to the customer’s smartphone via the ‘Yuvo’ app, which is available for both Apple and Android devices. This connected car technology also brings a lot of additional features including a total of 35 features such as voice assistant, vehicle diagnostic and remote control.
The top of the dashboard has switches that are used to open and close the dual sunroof. There are also buttons for opening and closing the side doors and the back door.
AC vents are provided on both sides of the infotainment display. Climate control is provided below the infotainment display, along with physical buttons and rotary knobs. KIA Carnival MPV has been given three-zone automatic climate control which easily cools such a large space.
The gear lever is placed in the driver’s reach at the right place. Kaya Carnival has an electronic parking brake, ventilated seat for the driver and other features, their control is placed next to the gear lever.
The front passenger and driver seat is very comfortable. The leather on the seats provides an excellent side, lumbar and under Thai support. Like the dashboard, the seat is also placed on the dual-tone theme. The comfort level in the front is excellent, which is further increased by the arrival of the Central Armrest.
The Kaya Carnival has standard electronic sliding doors on either side, which opens to the middle row seat. The top-spec limousine variant, which we drove, has separate captain seats and has a Premium Nappa-leather.
The biggest problem is sitting inside the MPV, though the grab handle provided in the B-Pillar makes it easy to penetrate, especially for older people. Once seated, the Captain’s seat provides better comfort.
These seats can be tilted and moved, increasing the legroom for the second row. Foldable leg rests are provided in the Captain’s Seat, which offers a luxury experience to the middle row passengers. Both captain seats have different armrests, which further enhances the luxury experience in the middle row.
Talking about the third row of KIA Carnival, it has a bench seat. Its seats are very comfortable and they have good cushioning. Legroom is also sufficient. The middle row sliding seat also provides good space for third-row passengers, which makes the travel experience even better. The passengers sitting in the second and third-row are given separate AC vents, their control is placed above the back door.
Like the seven-seater, KIA has made available eight and nine-seater variants at the Carnival. This eight-seater has an extra seat in the middle row. Four rows are given in the nine-seater variant. It has front passenger and driver’s seat, captain seat in the second and third-row and a bench seat in the fourth row.
Talking about practicality, this MPV is 5.1 meters long and its interior has plenty of storage area and small storage space. It has dual glove box provided in the dashboard, small space provided in the central console and pockets in the rear of the doors and captain seat.
In terms of boot capacity, the Carnival offers 540 litres of boot space, despite having seven seats in the limousine variant. This can be increased to 1647 litres by turning the third row, or its middle row can be increased to 2700 litres.
Length (mm) | 5115 |
Width (mm) | 1985 |
Height (mm) | 1740 |
Wheelbase (mm) | 3060 |
Ground Clearance (mm) | 180 |
Boot Capacity (litres) | 540 |
Variants, Key Features and Safety Equipment
Kaya Carnival is offered in a choice of three variants, including Premium, Prestige and Top Spec Limousine (the variant we drove). All three variants provide a lot of features and equipment, all kinds of things have been given in it.
Here are some of the main features of the Carnival MPV:
- The eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Eight Speaker Harmon / Kardon Sound System
- 220b laptop charger
- 10 ways to adjust driver seat
- Ventilated driver seat
- With Smart Key Push-Button Start / Stop
- Central locking
- Electrically adjustable and foldable ORVMs
- 18-inch sputtering alloy wheel
- 60:40 folding third-row seat
- Yuvo Connected Technology
- wireless charging
Here are some of Carnival’s main security tools:
- ABS with EBD
- Hill Start Assist Control
- Rollover mitigation
- Electronic stability control
- Many airbags
- Front and parking sensors
- Seat belt pre-tensioner
- Immobilizer
- Isophics Child Seat Anchor
Kia Carnival Driving experience and performance
The Kia Carnival MPV is fitted with a 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel engine. It provides 200 Bhp of power at 3800 rpm and 440 Newton meter of torque between 1500 and 2750 rpm, with an eight-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.
This diesel engine performs well at 2.2 tonnes of MPV. Power from the engine slowly comes in a line. While the company’s SUV does not lack power, but the engine lacks punch. In this MPV, the speed increases gradually and there is no sudden power.
Its gearbox is not among the best. When you put your foot down and the car starts moving, it takes a little time in between. However, the gearbox has a good response when running at low speeds in the city and is mild on the highway. Carnival is not a vehicle that drives very fast, but it is good for long distances.
The suspension of the Carnival MPV is in a slightly softer side. Because of this, a slight body roll can be felt even when changing lanes. This MPV is not meant to change direction abruptly, although the carnival provides good steering response and provides sufficient confidence to the driver, with straight roads and easy turns off the highway.
Kaya Carnival has good braking, with disc brakes placed on both sides. This MPV provides good stopping power with its progressive braking. However, pressing the brake too hard can be a bit dangerous.
There is no sound in the cabin, due to which it is very good at the NVH level. There is a slight sound from the diesel engine, however, at higher revs, a slight sound from the engine is inside.
Engine | 2.2-litre |
Power (bhp) | 200 |
Torque (Nm) | 440 |
Transmission | 8-AT |
Fuel Tank Capacity | 60-litres |
Kia Carnival Price, Color Options and Availability
KIA Motors India has not yet announced the price of Carnival MPV. However, looking at the features and performance, it can be expected that the price of Carnival can be kept between Rs 35 lakh and Rs 38 lakh, ex-showroom. However, its price is still to be announced, which will be done on the day of its launch.
KIA Carnival will be offered three colour options, including Aurora Black Pearl, Steel Silver and Glacier White Pearl. Once launched in India, it will be sold in the Indian market from all dealerships of the company.
Kia Carnival Competition and fact
The Kaya Carnival has several premium and luxury features, making it the segment between the Toyota Innova Crysta and Mercedes Benz V-Class. However, once the Carnival MPV launches in the Indian market, it will not compete directly with anyone.
While the Toyota Innova Crysta has a huge impact on the Indian market, comparisons of these two cannot be avoided.
Specifications | Kia Carnival | Toyota Innova Crysta |
Engine | 2.2-litre Diesel | 2.7-litre Diesel |
Power (bhp) | 200 | 150 |
Torque (Nm) | 400 | 343 |
Transmission | 8AT | 6AT |
Price | NA* | Rs 15.36 Lakh |
Thoughts of Business Khabar
KIA Carnival is a very luxury MPV coming soon in the Indian market. Carnival has been introduced with lots of features and equipment and great performance.
The company is set to be the second vehicle in the country, after Seltos, to be launched in India after Carnival. However, unlike KIA Seltos, Carnival has not been catered to by a large segment of customers, but by doing so the company is establishing itself as a premium car brand in India.
The Kaya Carnival can be a luxury and powerful vehicle, but it remains to run the MPV out. Its second row is the best place to sit, it is surrounded by all kinds of buttons and facilities.