Kia has replaced the Grand Sedona name with a new name and even more modern appearance. They now offer the brand-new Kia Carnival in an effort to spice up the MPV market.
When you're young and just out of school, you'll frequently gather with pals to talk about how to generate money. Entrepreneurial minds will talk about starting a car wash, but my conversation was about starting a cab service. Before mobile applications and e-hailing services, it was nearly difficult to find a transport home after a night out. Long after the usual cabs had ceased running, we envisioned a service where you could phone the number and make arrangements to be taken home, while you and your companions rode in the comfort of one of the only MPVs available at the time—a Kia Carnival.
The model in question was the first-generation Carnival, but I'm revealing my age here. For the average customer, MPVs were, and still are, quite unpopular; shuttle or fleet services account for the majority of sales. Though you might remember it as the Sedona, a moniker that has been abandoned in favor of a global realignment, the Carnival has endured. The newest, fourth-generation Carnival dials up the practical, easy-to-drive attitude of the preceding Grand Sedona.
Design
It might be challenging to create a shape that is functional, spacious, elegant, and appealing. It can be challenging to incorporate aesthetically beautiful lines into something that must be fashioned like a loaf of bread, but Kia's California design team deserves praise for their work on the new Carnival. Even the most image-conscious person wouldn't have any trouble leaving a Carnival because it manages to be almost all those things rolled into one.
This model has a strong Kia DNA, and there is a noticeable relationship between it and the Sonet, Seltos, and Sorento as well as the other models in the range. With the grille element itself flipped for a more flowing and contemporary style, the Tiger-Nose grille element is bigger and reaches into the LED headlights. The lower portion of the front bumper, skid plate, side sills, and up towards the rear where a substantial hockey-stick element is crafted are all decorated with eye-catching diamond embossing that refracts light as it strikes the sides. Stylish, brushed aluminum spars rest like eyebrows over the headlights and are joined by similar trim pieces.
The LED rear taillamps are slim strips that wrap around the rear corners and are connected by a color-coded trim piece to give the impression of one continuous line. This gives the Carnival a wider appearance and helps to break up its great stature. In a skid-plate-inspired design, the big Kia insignia is surrounded on either side by LED detail elements that resemble the headlights' angular shape and sandwiched between two pieces of brightwork, one extending from the C-pillar hockey sticks and the other down low.
Interior Although I initially thought the façade was remarkable, it is nothing compared to what is within. It is obvious that much more work was put into the interior than was put into perfecting the external appearance. The Carnival presented itself as a high-end luxury vehicle, and the quality and finish left me feeling appropriately impressed. Every time I entered, I was instantly energized and my attitude lifted due to the interior's stunning two-tone design. You should get this from a car, and an MPV is giving it to you. In high-traffic areas, white leather and similarly colored plastics contrast with supple black leather with apparent, raised stitching. Piano black finishes around the door handles, cluster, and center console contrast with subtle hints of brushed aluminum.
There is plenty of room at the Carnival. Despite being an MPV, the seating arrangement is very excellent. Most variants only seat 7, as the second row is made up of two separate seats that provide the same level of comfort and convenience as the front two. Three more people can sit on the back bench, and behind them is a 1139-liter trunk that can be expanded to 4110-liters by starting to fold the seats flat and eliminating the second row.
At ease and convenience
Only the SXL is superior to the derivative of the SX Limited model that I had on test. As a result, it offers a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two tilt-and-slide sunroofs, and heated and ventilated front seats with memory features. You will always be comfortable and entertained while driving thanks to the dual-zone automatic climate control and several USB charging outlets.
There are separate air vents, USB outlets, and cupholders for the backseat passengers for those longer-than-usual drives where beverages are sipped in the car.
Performance
Performance is the same across the board for all trim levels because there is only one engine option available. A 2.2-liter, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine that generates 148 kW of power and 440 Nm of torque powers the Carnival. It uses an 8-speed automatic transmission to provide its power to the front wheels. Kia claims that it can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.7 seconds and can reach a top speed of 190 km/h. All of these factors are irrelevant, however, as the Carnival cannot be considered a sports car.
Although the Carnival has a low-down torque distribution that makes driving it fun, one gets the idea that towing with its rating of 1588 kg braked would be simple and enjoyable. The gearbox is well-programmed, but I did discover that the brakes lacked sensation and needed extra pressure to check the car up properly.
Fuel efficiency
According to Kia's calculations, you can anticipate fuel consumption on the combined cycle of 6.8 l/100 km, which is a little high for a diesel engine but understandable given its size. As we discovered during our time with the vehicle, this figure is more realistically in the mid-8s range.
The Carnival has a 72-liter fuel tank, which Kia claims will give it a 1059-kilometer range. Expect to travel about 857 kilometers from a full tank based on our real fuel consumption estimates.
Safety The number of safety systems is abundant on the SX Limited trim. With adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, lane following assistance, forward collision-avoidance assistance, blindspot collision avoidance assistance, and, in SXL trim, a blindspot view monitor (BVM), which displays a view from the camera on whichever side the indicator is activated and allows you to monitor the traffic alongside you, semi-autonomous driving systems are the order of the day.
The Carnival also boasts no fewer than 7 airbags and is made out of ultra-high strength steel.
Competitors
When shopping for an MPV like the Carnival, you might be tempted to look at alternatives like the Hyundai Staria, which has similar specifications and a comparable price but is polarizing in terms of design and execution. The Vito is produced by Mercedes-Benz, and while we're on the subject of Germany, the Volkswagen Transporter. Many people overlook Toyota's opinion in this matter and the Quantum VX Bus, which is unquestionably one to consider.
The Judgement
I had a great time participating in the Carnival. Despite the fact that it was an MPV, every single drive was unique. Yes, parking and navigating parking lots were a bit of a hassle, but because to the twin sliding doors, I could fit through tight spaces while still allowing my passengers to enter and exit easily. Given the exceptional comfort levels and ergonomics created to make driving as comfortable and stress-free as possible, I can readily see how this vehicle would appeal to the family that frequently makes long trips. You should invest in a vehicle of this type because it will be able to make all of your planned travels a little bit more enjoyable.