Overview
Minivans are without a doubt the most practical family vehicles on the road today, but they don’t have the same cool factor that SUVs do, so they often lack the respect they deserve. That’s a shame, but Kia has gamed the system with the 2025 Carnival, giving it SUV-inspired styling that serves as suburban camouflage. This clever automotive code-switching helps the Carnival blend in among the hordes of three-row crossovers at the school pickup line—that is, until its sliding side doors motor open to unleash your offspring onto the awaiting faculty. On both long-haul road trips and short errands about town, the 290-hp V-6 engine delivers smooth power and decent fuel economy; all-wheel drive isn’t an option here, but we found the Carnival’s front-wheel drive layout and a set of snow tires made for excellent winter traction. Interior space is cavernous when compared to three-row SUVs—there’s that minivan superiority we were talking about earlier—but the Chrysler Pacifica and the Honda Odyssey are roomier still. The Kia can be had with a set of second-row lounge chairs that make excellent places to park for extended trips, but they can’t be removed, which hampers the van’s potential as a cargo hauler.
What’s New for 2025?
Kia only introduced the Carnival to the U.S. market in 2022 but decided it was already time for a styling enhancement. The 2025 model receives updates to its grille, headlamps, taillamps, wheels, and lower body panels that look inspired by the company’s new EV9 electric three-row crossover. There’s also a new trim called Gravity that wears blacked-out exterior trim, but so far that model has only been confirmed for the Korean market.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The Carnival is offered in four trim levels ranging from the value-oriented LX to the deluxe SX Prestige, but the EX represents the sweet spot between features and price. The EX trim comes with several convenience features that help to justify the cost of upgrading, including a power-operated rear liftgate, an in-cabin intercom, and a voice-control system that allows rear-seat passengers to provide commands to the Carnival’s infotainment system.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Carnival is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 churning out a healthy 290 hp; an eight-speed automatic transmission is standard. All-wheel drive is not on the menu, as the Carnival is offered as a front-wheel-drive model only. The Pacifica has an optional plug-in-hybrid powertrain and the Toyota Sienna comes as a hybrid by default, but no such setup is offered on the Carnival. We’re impressed by the Carnival’s well-balanced ride and handling, which is smooth when cruising but still composed in corners. The refined V-6 engine provides sprightly acceleration and powered the Carnival to 60 mph in 7.0 seconds at our test track.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
Fuel-economy ratings from the EPA for the Carnival are 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined. We tested a Carnival on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen, and it returned 28 mpg highway—2 mpg higher than its EPA rating. For more information about the Carnival’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The Carnival’s dashboard and front-seat area are both modern and accommodating. A large center console offers plenty of small-item storage, while an optional Mercedes-style dual-screen infotainment system with a digital gauge display gives you easy access to the van’s connectivity features. The upscale SX Prestige trim comes with leather upholstery and can be ordered with reclining second-row seats that have pop-up footrests. While these “VIP Seats” provide a relaxing way for passengers to while away the hours on a long road trip, they, unfortunately, cannot be removed or stowed in the floor as in rival minivans, which limits the Carnival’s maximum cargo space. A panoramic sunroof is optional and provides a large opening over the second row so the kids can get some fresh air. In our testing, we fit 14 carry-on suitcases behind the third row of seats and a whopping 48 in total with all seats folded. That’s a ton of cargo space, but it should be noted that both the Pacifica and Odyssey proved slightly more spacious.
Infotainment and Connectivity
While a single 8.0-inch infotainment screen is standard, dual 12.3-inch displays that stretch across two-thirds of the Carnival’s dashboard are optional, with one serving as a digital gauge display and the other performing infotainment duties. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard. Up to nine USB ports dot the Carnival’s cabin. A rear-seat entertainment system is optional starting on the SX trim, but a 12-speaker Bose stereo is limited to the top-spec SX Prestige trim.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Kia offers many standard driver-assistance features, including lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlamps, and blind-spot monitoring, all of which help the Carnival compete with the Pacifica, the Sienna, and the Honda Odyssey. For more information about the Carnival’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features are likely to include:
- Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
- Available adaptive cruise control
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Kia’s warranty trumps its rivals, with a powertrain policy that spans 10 years or 100,000 miles. Unlike the Sienna, though, the Carnival doesn’t come with any complimentary scheduled maintenance.
- Limited warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers 10 years or 100,000 miles
- No complimentary scheduled maintenance
Specifications
Specifications
2022 Kia Carnival
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door van
PRICE AS TESTED
$42,770 (base price: $33,275)
ENGINE TYPE
DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection
Displacement
212 in3, 3470 cm3
Power
290 hp @ 6400 rpm
Torque
262 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 12.8-in vented disc/12.8-inch disc
Tires: Continental CrossContact RX, 235/55R-19 101H M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 121.7 in
Length: 203.0 in
Width: 78.5 in
Height: 68.5 in
Passenger volume: 167 ft3
Cargo volume: 40 ft3
Curb weight: 4644 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 7.0 sec
100 mph: 17.8 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 7.4 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.5 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 5.0 sec
1/4 mile: 15.3 sec @ 93 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 118 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 173 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.82 g
Standing-start accel times omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 22/19/26 mpg
