The Kia Carnival is a multi-purpose vehicle with many fascinating features. Unlike the three-row SUVs, the Kia Carnival offers more legroom and trunk space, and they are more efficient. But is the Kia Carnival a good car?
Yes, the Kia Carnival is a great car for a large family or travelers. This is because it can seat up to 8 people and has lots of cargo space. Additionally, it is very efficient, practical, spacious, comfortable, cheap to maintain, and affordable. Nonetheless, some people may not find it fascinating.
If you’re looking for a high-performance, luxurious, advanced, and faster car, this is not the best option for you. All in all, the Kia Carnival is an outstanding car for families.
History of the Kia Carnival
Kia Carnival is a minivan made by Kia. This car has been in production from 1998 to date. It is also referred to as the Kia Sedona, which is now not in use in favor of the Carnival. It was referred to as the Kia Sedona from 1998 to 2021.
The Kia Carnival has four generations. The first generation was made from 1998 to 2005, the second generation from 2005 to 2014, the third generation from 2014 to 2020, and the fourth generation from 2020 to date. While Kia has had some exceptional designs over the years, the fourth generation’s Kia Carnival design stands out.
Features of the Kia Carnival
Appearance
The Kia Carnival doesn’t feature a very appealing design. However, the current generation has improved its design and looks far much better than the previous generations. Some of the outstanding exterior features include a silver grille, deep tinted glass, chrome door handles, clearcoat paint, fully galvanized steel panels, and automatic headlights.
Aside from having a decent exterior design, the Kia Carnival has a nice and comfortable interior. Some of the interior features that stand out are artificial leather seat trim, full cloth liner, leather steering wheel, carpet floor trim, and much more.
The Kia Carnival has a wheelbase of 121.7-inches, a length of 203.0-inches, a width of 78.5-inches, and a height of 69.9-inches. Note that the height varies according to the trim option that you select.
Performance
Despite the Kia Carnival not being a high-performance car, it still performs well. All Kia Carnival trims come with a 3.5-liter V6 engine. This engine delivers up to 290 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. Even though all trim levels come with the same engine, some trims perform better than others.
The least-performing trim is the Carnival LX FWD, while the best-performing trim is the Carnival SX Prestige. The SX Prestige car can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds and has a top speed of 142 mph without a speed governor.
Comfort and cargo space
When it comes to comfort, MPVs are known to excel in this area. The Kia Carnival is not an exception. This car can sit up to eight people. Aside from that, it has ample legroom even in the third-row seats. Thus, not only will kids be comfortable in the third row, but as well as adults.
As stated earlier, the Kia Carnival offers a lot of trunk space. It has a total of 40.2 cubic feet of space behind the third row and 86.9 cubic feet of space behind second-row seating.
Safety
While the Kia Carnival is not very safe, it is still safe. Thanks to top-notch safety features such as lane departure warning, traction control, child safety locks, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitor, electronic stability control, brake assist, and much more.
Fuel efficiency
This is a very efficient car and it will save users on fuel expenditure. The Kia Carnival has an EPA rating of 19 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, and a combined 22 mpg. This is on par with most of its rivals.
Price
The Kia Carnival is an affordable car. The base model, which is the Kia Carnival LX FWD goes for around $36,235, while the highest trim option, which is the Carnival SX Prestige goes for $47,335.
FAQ
Is Kia Carnival worth buying?
Yes. The Kia Carnival is worth buying if you’re looking for a reliable, comfortable, spacious, modern, and affordable minivan. It also performs pretty well and it can carry lots of cargo. On the contrary, if you desire a luxurious, safe, high-performance, and fast car, you should consider looking for a sedan or SUV.
What are the common problems with Kia Carnival?
The Kia Carnival is a large and comfortable MPV with modern and advanced features. However, it also comes with several problems that users should be prepared to deal with. Some of them include weak windshields, faulty fuel rail tubes, faulty bonnets, unreliable sliding door systems, electrical problems, and faults in brake lights.
How fast is the Kia Carnival?
The Kia Carnival is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers up to 290 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. The fastest trim option is the Kia SX Prestige with a top speed of 142 mph and it can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds, which is great. However, MPVs are not meant for speed but for comfort and cargo.
Is Kia Soul a good daily driver?
It depends on where you intend to drive the car on a daily basis. If you’re a city driver, the Kia Carnival is not good for you as it is quite large and difficult to park in public parks. On the contrary, if you intend to drive it on the highway, then it will be perfect as it is economical, efficient, and cheap to maintain.
Which car brand is better – Kia or Nissan?
Kia and Nissan are two excellent brands with exceptional features. However, Kia is slightly better than Nissan. Kia is more reliable, efficient, comfortable, and advanced, and performs considerably better than Nissan. So, if you’re looking for value for money, Kia is the better brand.
Summary
The Kia Carnival is an excellent car for those who want a sleek, practical, reliable, convenient, spacious, affordable, and efficient MPV. But like most cars, it also comes with multiple problems that users should be ready to handle. Nonetheless, if the Kia Carnival is well-maintained, it will last for more than 200k miles.
