No doubt you are familiar with the minivan segment known for its family practicality and kid hauling capabilities. Soccer moms detest them but vans serve a purpose with school activities.
There are some good minivans out there too with the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Pacifica and the new VW ID Buzz sharing the road.
The fourth generation Kia Carnival – formerly known as the Sedona – came along in 2021 and Kia officials are unwavering in their belief this is no minivan. To back up their claim, Carnival has mimicked front vertical headlamp assemblies from its Telluride, Sorento and electric vehicles.
We see sheet metal similarities too with its corporate Hyundai Santa Fe SUV inside and out.
The newish Carnival has an optional 1.6-liter turbocharged hybrid powertrain that delivers mid 30s mileage with 242 horsepower rating. Otherwise, a 3.5-liter V6 with 287 ponies delivers 21 mpg combined. All Carnivals are front wheel drive. Zero to 60 mile per hour times are a full second apart with the V6 taking the prize.
Carnival is available in five trim levels: LX, LXS ,EX ,SX and SX Prestige with base prices ranging from $38,225 to $52,335. The hybrid powertrain is available on all but the base LX trim.
Our top-of-the-line SX Prestige tester was well appointed with leather surfaces, premium Bose audio, heads-up display, front and rear LED lighting and ceramic paint.
Dual 12.3-inch panoramic displays highlight navigation features. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard. A Passenger View feature allows the driver to view rear seat activity through a camera display while Talk amplifies the driver’s voice to back seat occupants without the need for shouting.
Eight passenger seating is available over three rows and when the third row is exchanged for additional storage space, it neatly stows below the floor, like other minivans.
Second row seating is comfortable with ample head and leg room. Levers and switches to recline and slide, opening access to the third row, were frustrating to operate and did not return to the same position. Third row passengers were left to contort every which way to exit the van.
Unlike minivans, the Carnival’s second row seating does not collapse which reduces cargo space substantially.
But compared with other three-row SUVS, the Carnival does have more usable space. Go figure.
In highway travel, the Carnival delivers a smooth ride, absorbing most road imperfections. Cornering is accomplished with little body roll and cabin noise is minimal.
Kia’s hybrid combination nets more than a 50 percent mileage increase compared with the V6 Carnival gas engine making it possible to travel more than 600 miles on a tankful of regular.
If you are shopping in this segment, we recommend a test drive in the new Carnival before making your final decision.
What was reviewed Engine: 1.6-liter turbocharged GDI Hybrid MSRP/as tested: $52,600 / $54,755 EPA rated mileage: 34 city, 31 highway, 33 combined Assembled: The Kia Carnival Sorento is fully assembled at Kia manufacturing facilities at Gwangmyeong, South Korea. U.S. / Canadian parts content, 2 percent; major source of parts content, Korea, 90 percent. Country of origin, engine and transmission — Korea. Crash test ratings: Neither the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had reviewed the 2025 Kia Carnival as of this writing. Warranty: 5 year/60,000-mile bumper to bumper; 10-year/100,000-mile hybrid system and battery and powertrain. No complimentary maintenance.