When Kia rolled out its spiffy new Carnival minivan last year I was pretty sure nothing on the market drove, or looked, better.
Now I’m certain.
Oh, if you prefer a hybrid or AWD van you’ll have to look to Chrysler or Toyota. But for a standard internal combustion powered van, well, this is Kia’s mic drop moment.
Carnival is a festival of finery wrapped in a chrome-trimmed body that makes people ask if it’s a minivan or SUV. Kia designers must be over the moon. That’s what they were going for.
But flashy looks aside, this is a minivan in all the right places. It has strong power, pleasant ride and fine handling, plus room, oodles and oodles of room. Then there’s Carnival’s interior, the midway of minivans with reclining seats, dual screens, and all the trimmings.
More on that after the basics.
First, Kia delivers the most power in the minivan segment with a muscular 3.5-liter V6 that creates 290 horsepower. Closest among three competitors is Honda’s Odyssey with 280 while Chrysler’s Pacifica hybrid touts 260 and Toyota’s Sienna (all trims are hybrids) has 245 horses.
There’s a real 8-speed automatic transmission too, no poky CVT as in some competitors. So, getting up to highway speed is quick, although one must learn to compensate for a lag when the accelerator is first depressed. Still, the ride is well-controlled and the handling is light and easy. Keeping the Carnival centered in its lane on the highway isn’t a challenge, and if it were the van touts lane keeping assist along with every other safety feature known to personkind.
A short list? Forward collision avoidance, blind-spot avoidance, rear cross-traffic alerts, parking sensors, smart cruise control, a surround view (360-degree) monitor and driver attention warning.
For safety or hauling the Carnival is your family mobility helpmate.
While the exterior excels with its chrome trim and handsome nose and headlights, this Astra Blue, a $495 option that appears silvery blue with a hint of green in some light, screams luxury. And that’s exactly what the top-level Carnival SX Prestige test van delivered inside too.
The minivan’s interior is cavernous, but quiet. A much pricier Land Rover driven the next week was noticeably noisier, sometimes sounding like a semi about to shift gears.
SX Prestige wraps its seven occupants in leather and technology with the snazziest second row seats ever for a family hauler. We’ll start there as I drove this one to Indianapolis and back with several aboard, including a 14-year-old grandson. He was all thumbs up for row two.
VIP leather-trimmed lounge seats were the reason and they are part of the $1,000 rear seat entertainment package that includes dual screens on the front seat backs. While those will keep the younger crowd enthralled, a teen could appreciate the comfort of the power reclining seats, which include a foot rest that pops up, as in a movie theater. Coupled with those screens, this seems as theater-like as you can get without the smell of buttered popcorn in the cockpit.
The row two seats also can manually slide fore and aft about a foot to create copious legroom if row three is neatly tucked into the giant cargo well under the power hatch. The second row captain’s chairs also slide side to side so you can either separate cantankerous kids or allow teens to snuggle closer to their seatmates, if permitted.
Row three naturally could be tight if there are tall folks in row two, but if those seats’ occupants are polite, the third-row residents can fit nicely for a long haul. They even get their own small sunroof to bright up the rear compartment. Pulling those third row seats up out of the cargo well takes a little muscle, but once up the deep well easily handles a large family’s cache of gear. Take that 3-row SUVs, no need for roof racks here.
Up front the leather-trimmed seats here were brown with a tinge of orange (officially Tuscan Umber) in the test van, and most notable is the fine digital dash with touchscreen for the radio (a Bose unit) and other information. All controls are easy to see, understand, and use.
The seats are comfortable and well formed, power of course, while also being heated and cooled in both the front and second row. Carnival’s steering wheel also is heated and there’s a wireless charger in the console. Select from four drive modes and there’s a standard sun roof over the front seat.
Other pluses include manual sunshades for all the rear windows, plus a beautifully styled interior with fancy patterned satin chrome on the dash and doors. Downside? That chrome can be reflective, as can the black gloss console trim, when the sun hits it right. That’s usually when you’re turning a corner and the driver is looking to the right. A duller finish could aid that. Sorry stylists!
Hey, but I do like those black wheels included on the Prestige model!
Another family-friendly feature is Carnival’s gas mileage, considering all its power and size. The EPA rates the Kia at 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. I got exactly 26 mpg on my highway jaunt to Indy and back. Only one other van I’ve tested topped that, Toyota’s hybrid Sienna XSE with AWD. It produced a stunning 33 mpg.
Pricing remains right in the minivan marketplace’s midsection, starting at $34,395 for the base LX model and climbing to $46,995, including delivery for the tested SX Prestige, the top-level Carnival. With options this settled at $48,690. All the competition tops out about $50 grand too.
Those that desire luxury, looks, comfort and competitive pricing and gas mileage need look no further than Carnival. Families wanting AWD or a hybrid must consider the Pacifica or Sienna.
FAST STATS: 2023 Kia Carnival SX Prestige
Hits: Sharp looks, excellent power, good handling and ride, loaded with safety equipment. Massive rear seat legroom, row-two seats slide side to side, recline and have foot rests, third row stows in cargo floor, 2 sun roofs, all rear windows have sunshades, heated/cooled seats front and second row, heated steering wheel, good digital dash and info screen, 4 drive modes, second row 2 screens, wireless phone charger, snazzy black wheels.
Misses: No hybrid or AWD offered, lag when accelerating hard, chrome on dash and black gloss console trim too reflective.
Made in: South Korea
Engine: 3.5-liter V6, 290 hp
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Weight: 4,727lbs.
Wheelbase: 121.7 in.
Length: 203 in.
Cargo: 40.2 - 141.5 cu.ft.
Tow: 3,500 lbs.
MPG: 19/26
MPG: 26.0 (tested)
Base Price: $46,995 (includes delivery)
Invoice: $45,486
Major Options:
Astra Blue paint, $495
Rear seat entertainment pkg. (dual screen rear seat entertainment system, SX Prestige package including VIP lounge seats, heated/cooled row-two seats,7-passenger seating), $1,000
Carpeted luxury floor mats, $200
Test vehicle: $48,690
Sources: Kia, www.kbb.com