Kia Carnival

The Kia Carnival premium MPV was the second contribution from the South Korean car manufacturer in the country, and at present, it is the flagship manufactured goods from Kia Motor India. The Carnival was under contemplation for India before the brand started operations here in 2019 with the Seltos, and the company formally launched it in early 2020.

How is the design of Kia Carnival?

The Kia Carnival's design is all about elegance. It offers with the tiger-nose grille that is familiar to the Kia family, but it gets a dull finish all around, while the smaller chrome element on the grille be inclined to that be apt to give an upmarket look to the MPV. The grille is standing with a slightly swooping bonnet and the massive headlamp units come with LED daytime running lights and projector lens units. A nice touch is the blacked-out C-pillar that adds a more effective SUV-Esque look on the MPV. A small rough element with a faux skid plate at the front and rear bumper give it a brawny appearance to what is mostly a very urban but a very big MPV. The Carnival gets a boxy shape overall and the flat panels at the side have a small room to play around with it, concerning styling. The enormous 18-inch alloy wheels are offered as standard and our test car got the finest chrome units with the sputtering finish reserved for the range-topping variant.

How is the interior?

The Kia Carnival is comfortable and that is evident right from the moment you step inside the cabin. The driver's seat can be adjusted electrically, and you be seated at a height with an excellent view of the road. The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system takes fame in the centre and gives access to and everything from navigation, radio, climate control, vehicle telematics, and many more. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard as well which adds a great value. The car also offers steering mounted controls, cruise control, and the most interesting thing is wireless charging and one-touch entry for the rear doors. The MPV is provided with a Harman Kardon sound system on the top models. Much like the Seltos, the Carnival also comes with the UVO Connected Tech which includes the remote engine start feature which can be used through a smartphone or even a smartwatch.

How does the Kia Carnival Drive?

The Kia Carnival is large in extent and it's hard to overlook the width of the car. But once you're in the driver's seat it simply vanishes. The MPV also offers about 197 bhp and 440 Nm of peak torque on offer. The speeds build up very fast and you get instant force after 1700-1800 rpm and it pulls up to 2700 rpm and it's a quick car. This is something that has surprised us given the dimensions and total weight at about 2.2 tonnes. The 2.2-litre diesel engine is also compliant with BS6 norms and makes ample power for the open road. The motor is combined only with an 8-speed automatic transmission that is well-calibrated and comes with a manual mode too. Ride quality is just excellent, and the model just glides over bad roads. The deferment processes its best when at increasing speeds between 80 and 100 kmph but gets a little unnerving at low speeds. There are few issues regarding Carnival.

To start with, body roll is very evident and that is obvious given the sheer dimension of the model, but that's not a deal-breaker given its remarkable ride quality, but the steering is very light and it doesn't weigh up at high speeds. At the same time, it is good for the city, when you are on the highway, doing high speeds; you want it to weigh in a little more to impact assurance in the driver. You can enjoy driving. There are no symbols of vibrations and that just adds to in general driving experience.

How is the Tech?

The Carnival is a well-resourced MPV. It offers three-zone climate control, a dual-panel sunroof, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen display for middle-row entertainment. The car will give you absolute comfort. Similar to the Seltos, the Carnival also launches with Kia's UVO connected car technology. The car gives a luxurious and attractive look.

How’s the storage?

With a boot space of 540 Lts. The Kia Carnival has the convenience of a fairly large space for storage of luggage of a small family for a weekend getaway.

How is the mileage of Kia Carnival?

The mileage of Kia Carnival is 14km/l combined which is quite good.

How is the performance of the Kia Carnival?

The Kia Carnival MPV is powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel engine. It produces 200bhp at 3800rpm and 440Nm of torque between 1500 and 2750rpm and comes paired to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission unit.

The diesel engine does well to chug along, considering the massive 2.2-tonne weight of the MPV. The power from the engines comes in gradually and in a linear fashion. While the SUV does not feel underpowered, it does lack some punch from the engine. The MPV prefers to gradually build up speed rather than a sudden burst of power. The transmission unit isn't the best-in-the-business as well. There is a slight lag between when you put your foot down and the car accelerating. However, the responsiveness from the gearbox is better during the low speed runs in the city and the gentle cruise on the highways. The Carnival is not something you would drive hard, but rather cruise along for long distances.

How comfortable is Kia Carnival?

The Kia Carnival is aesthetically created, it is a very comfortable car and it provides enormous space. The car is best for a long journey. The leather VIP seats are very soft, premium quality leather makes you more comfortable. It offers you leg support to give a premium lounge.

How safe is Kia Carnival?

The Kia Carnival launched with quite a lot of safety features and it includes six airbags, front and rear parking sensors, electronic stability control and hill start assist. It also launches with Electronic Parking Brake, it also has all the 4-disc brakes, rear parking camera and many more.

Is the Kia Carnival good value for money?

The experts commented that it is undoubtedly a great product and if you are searching for a great, premium, chauffeur-driven car, that can also double up as a family car or perhaps a workplace on wheels, then you must go for the Kia Carnival, you will be extremely satisfied.