2023 Kia Carnival review: Full range detailed

The only thing bigger than the Kia Carnival's boot space is its whopping 80 per cent market share of the Australian people mover market.

As well as being the darling of corporate and rental fleets, it's a big seller with families needing more space than the average large SUV, thanks to an attractive package that combines practicality with driveability and oodles of showroom appeal.

Riding on the KA4 platform that also resides under the excellent Sorento SUV, the Carnival is 5.2 metres long and a shade over two tonnes.

But its bluff nose and fancy grille, sculpted bonnet and bejewelled rear-end soften the squared-off roofline and straight sides to make it look a lot sleeker than the big family bus it is.

Powertrains include an updated version of the Hyundai group’s 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine and 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, both coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

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Kia Carnival S

JUMP AHEAD

• Pricing
• What body styles are available for the Kia Carnival?
• What features are standard in every Kia Carnival?
• What key features do I get if I spend more?
• How comfortable & practical is the Carnival?
• How much boot space does the Carnival offer?
• I like driving, will I enjoy this car?
• Which Carnival engine uses the least fuel?
• What is the Carnival’s towing capacity?
• How long is the warranty & what are the Carnival’s servicing costs?
• Which version of the Carnival does Wheels recommend?
• What are the Kia Carnival’s key rivals?

2023 Kia Carnival pricing

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What body styles are there?

The Carnival is a five-door wagon that seats up to eight people and has sliding rear doors.

It drives its front wheels and is classed as a people mover, lower priced.

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Kia Carnival S

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What features are in every Kia Carnival?

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What key features do I get if I spend more?

The Kia Carnival comes in four specification grades, each with automatic petrol and turbo-diesel powertrain options.

Carnival S

The entry-level Carnival comes with all of the above features, cloth seats with manual adjustment, a six-speaker sound system, an 8.0-inch LCD infotainment touchscreen, manual air-conditioning and 17-inch alloy wheels.

Curiously, the cheapest Carnival is the only spec to come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is an issue across the Kia and Hyundai range. This has something to do with the wireless phone pairing only being able to be used with the smaller 8.0-inch screen, which is some kind of legal issue rather than a technical one.

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Kia Carnival S

Carnival Si

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Kia Carnival SI

Carnival SLi

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Kia Carnival SLI

Carnival Platinum

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Kia Carnival Platinum

Paint

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How safe is the Kia Carnival?

The Carnival has a five-star ANCAP safety rating, earned in 2021, helped by a decent suite of safety features included across the range.

Its forward auto emergency braking (AEB) system includes pedestrian and cyclist detection and works at high and low speeds.

The Carnival also scored very well in crash testing, including 90 per cent for adult occupant protection and 88 per cent for child occupant protection.

It has seven airbags, including frontal, driver's knee, front curtains for side/head protection and side curtains for the second and third seating rows.

For child seats, ISOFIX points are provided in the middle and back rows of seats and five top tether points are spread across the two rearward rows.

Oh, and while it's not exactly a safety-critical feature, rain-sensing windscreen wipers are a curious omission from a vehicle not otherwise short on technology.

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Kia Carnival Platinum

How comfortable and practical is the Kia Carnival?

Comfort and practicality are the reason for the Kia Carnival's being.

The entry-level S spec is a nice place to be even if you've been assigned the third row, and as you go up in the range things start getting plusher.

While the Carnival is designed for passenger comfort, the driver is well looked after. The front seats feel very supportive and don’t sit too high; it feels more like a slightly jacked-up wagon than a van and offers a very pleasant driving experience.

Cabin ergonomics are excellent, with key controls clearly labelled and easy to reach.

A huge, wide centre console box doubles as a centre armrest, there are two two cup holders and you can stow your bottles in the big door pockets.

There are USB ports for power, with the range-topping Platinum gaining a wireless phone charging pad, though this would be more useful in the S spec in combination with its wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity.

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Click the above image to see more photos in this set

Rear seat comfort

The second row features three separate seats, which makes it easy to load people into the third row from either side.

The middle row slides for and aft for more space at the rear, which creates extra space for big loads or third-row passengers.

With two people, the middle seat folds down to reveal a tray and cup holders. There are also cup holders at the rear of the centre console above the armrests, but such is the legroom that they can be difficult to reach. You can also store bottles in the door pockets.

Middle-row passengers also have plenty of headroom, even with the Platinum's sunroof, which makes it feel even bigger inside, providing tons of light from above and through the big side windows. You can keep cool under the glass sunroof, too, with your own climate zone and overhead air vents.

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Click the above image to see more photos in this set

Accessing the third row through the broad side-door aperture is easy enough. A simple lever action moves the outboard middle seat forward enough to be able to step in the back without the grunts that come with hopping into the very back of a seven-seat SUV.

With some seat sliding, a 180cm person can sit in the third row in reasonable comfort for the airport run, though three across will be tight. The seats are nicely shaped and aren’t a basic plank bench.

The third row has four cup holders, a storage tray and air vents, with the SLi and Platinum specs bringing two USB-A charging ports so no passenger is left behind.

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How much boot space does the Kia Carnival offer?

A lot! With all eight seats in place, the Carnival still offers 627 litres of space – the same as a Skoda Kodiaq in five-seat mode.

This makes it effective as an airport shuttle and allows a family of seven or eight to go on a week’s driving holiday without needing a roof pod.

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Click the above image to see more photos in this set

Stow the rear seats and the Carnival will swallow 2785 litres, with enough depth and height to store a mountain bike standing up.

In part, these impressive cargo capacity figures are made possible by some seriously clever use of space, including huge wells in the boot floor.

When stowing the third-row seats, they fill these voids by using an ingenious hinge and pivot mechanism that also results in a flat boot floor for more versatile loading.

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I like driving, will I enjoy this people mover?

The Carnival's driving position feels almost like that of a car and the same can be said about how it drives.

Kia’s 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine is a strong unit and seems made for the Carnival. It’s not particularly noisy and gets the job done with a thrummy character that never becomes overbearing.

The eight-speed auto is excellent and shifts smoothly and decisively, rarely tripping up or worse, letting you roll back on hills.

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Despite having to shift well over two tonnes of van, the diesel never feels stressed, happily wafting along on its solid torque output.

It’s pretty relaxed but not docile, with plenty of shove available from decisive use of your right foot.

The 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine, also coupled with an eight-speed automatic, also offers a smooth ride with virtually no lag.

It can take off surprisingly quickly, but unlike big SUVs with a similarly sized engine and front-wheel drive (we're looking at you, Hyundai Palisade) you don't get the wheel chirps when taking off at the lights, thanks to the Carnival's shape placing more weight over the front wheels.

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The Carnival steers nicely. The front end responds promptly to your instructions, and there is good communication between your hands and the front wheels.

Its suspension is tuned for Australian conditions, with comfort in mind but without really compromising handling. The long wheelbase helps, as does a centre of gravity that's lower than comparatively-sized SUVs and contains body roll to a reasonable degree.

Despite its two-tonne heft, the Carnival doesn't even feel too heavy, but parking can be a bit of a pain because it is well over five metres long. That said, there’s good all-around vision and electronic assistance.

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Smartstream 2.2L Diesel

Which Kia Carnival engine uses the least fuel?

The 148kW/440Nm 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel is clearly the more fuel-efficient of the two engines available in a Carnival, consuming 6.5L/100km on the official test (city and country combined).

It is a great engine for highway use, hauling the Carnival down the road and up hills without fuss while feeling refined enough for urban duties.

There is also a lot to like about the 216kW/355Nm 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine that, like the diesel, sends power to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

This is the more refined engine of the two and feels more relaxed around town.

However, it is also a lot thirstier, with an official combined fuel consumption of 9.6L/100km, which will get into the teens when the Carnival is loaded with people and their luggage.

And it's when the Carnival is loaded up that you'll see the difference between having 355Nm of torque and the diesel's 440 Newtons.

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What is the Kia Carnival's towing capacity?

Whether petrol or diesel, the Carnival's towing capacity is a competitive 2000kg with a braked trailer and 750kg unbraked.

The towball download weight is a decent 200kg.

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How long is the warranty and what are the Kia servicing costs?

Kia’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty applies and you get a year of roadside assistance that's extended every time you service with Kia.

Servicing comes around every 12 months or 15,000km, which is probably a little short if you're not working either powertrain too hard.

The capped-price servicing program covers the first seven services, which average out to be more than $500 per visit to the service centre, but at least you know what you’re in for.

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Which version of the Kia Carnival does Wheels recommend?

The Kia Carnival SLi diesel is the pick of the bunch for economy, value and comfort.

It looks and feels luxurious, and brings enough over the Si to justify the $5000 premium while bringing much of what we like about the range-topping Platinum

The SLi's 18-inch wheels also offer a slightly smoother ride than the Platinum's 19s.

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Kia Carnival SLi

What are the Kia Carnival's key rivals?

• Hyundai Staria
• LDV G10 Wagon
• LDV Mifa
• Mercedes-Benz Vito Tourer
• Toyota Granvia
• Volkswagen Caravelle
• Volkswagen Multivan

The Honda Odyssey, which was Carnival's arch rival and enjoyed a large slice of private sales, is no longer on sale in Australia. Its departure is another reason Carnival dominates the people mover market.

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