The Kia Carnival is a reliable minivan, yes. It offers a comfortable ride and assured handling, has a strong V6 engine, and gets good gas mileage. With three rows of roomy seats and high-end materials, the interior is gorgeous. Lots of cargo space is available, including a class-leading amount behind the third row of seats.
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What issues is the Kia Carnival experiencing?
A recall by Kia for about 3000 Carnival vehicles with defective sliding door systems was announced in November 2021. The doors frequently did not latch firmly and would open suddenly while moving. There have been no reports of accidents or fatalities as a result of this flaw.
The issue started with a specific batch of Kia Carnivals built between July 21 and October 6, 2021, which included right-side power doors with incorrectly produced release actuators.
When a door doesn’t close completely, the Carnival has a warning bell that plays four times. Whether the automobile is in drive or park, it will turn on.
A distinct, persistent warning chime will sound if the vehicle accelerates past six miles per hour while any doors are open.
Owners of Kia vehicles who are affected by this recall can contact their nearby Kia service center or dealership to have the defective part changed. Kia distributed recall notices to owners of carnival vehicles in December 2021.
If your car is subject to a recall, it’s essential to schedule a free replacement part replacement appointment as soon as you can with a licensed dealer.
Here are two recall-related facts that every car owner should be aware of:
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) mandates that automakers either reimburse owners for the cost of defective items they have purchased or fix or replace them for free.
- If a vehicle fault that caused an accident that injured you also caused a recall, you may still be able to sue for damages even after the recall if you weren’t formally told of it.
- Normal wear and tear damage to a vehicle is not covered by a recall or receives no reimbursement.
How reliable is the Kia Grand Carnival?
The 2011 Kia Carnival (SLi) has been a dependable family vehicle ever since it was purchased used. With all the modern conveniences, the automobile is incredibly comfortable to drive and has enough space for a big family. The vehicle has excellent handling and enough power to accommodate all passengers.
Is the Kia Carnival 2022 trustworthy?
When compared to other new automobiles, we anticipate the 2022 Carnival to have approximately average reliability. This forecast is based on Sedona, the previous Kia minivan, and the company’s brand history.
Kia Carnival: a luxury vehicle?
When the Seltos was introduced, Kia quickly transitioned from “kaun Kia?” to “waah Kia!” The SUV quickly overtook competitors like the Hyundai Creta to take the top spot on the market. Certainly, expectations and competition have increased significantly in recent years. The Carnival will be Kia’s flagship vehicle in India, further increasing the bar.
You can tell the Carnival won’t crumble under strain just by looking at it. It’s not just large; it’s gigantic. It’s luxurious as well as pricey. Furthermore, it’s not just roomya it’s whole family condo on wheels! Whom and what is this Kia Carnival for?
Exterior
The Toyota Innova is useless. Even the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour are shorter and narrower than the Carnival. Additionally, it has an impressive stance on the road because it is lower than the aforementioned competitors. This size is elevated by the use of Seltos-style “ice-cube” fog lamps, DRLs, and LED projector headlamps. The huge grille also has a beautiful finish that resembles aluminum.
From the side, the Carnival appears stretched and like a limousine due to its extremely long wheelbase. The Carnival looks fashionable thanks to the floating roof effect the wide windows produce. The 18-inch (235/60 R18) wheels follow, and they have a “sputtering” chrome finish on this version. This pricey polish, according to Kia, will last on the wheels. But every scratch will cause more irritation than you would like. Additionally, roof rails make the MPV appear a little taller than it actually is.
The style looks just as elegant from the back. LED taillights are installed, and a thin chrome strip almost connects them. For what is essentially a large van, the Carnival appears elegant and really desirable overall.
Interior
The Carnival we have been driving is the Limousine model and only has the VIP seven-seat configuration. As a result, the second row is where the carnival is located in this Carnival. When you push the button on the door handle or the key, the door slides open on its own. To accomplish the same thing in a more satisfying manner, pull the door handle. In contrast to SUVs, this MPV is lower to the ground, making entry easy and senior-friendly.
The VIP seats in the limousine version are appropriately referred to as captain seats. They have a large, padded design and are covered with perforated Nappa Leather. The seats appropriately complement the headrest, which has the purpose of making you fall asleep. You can move them not only back to create extra room for your legs but also closer or farther away from the door. When you wish to slide it all the way back, do this to prevent running against the interior body-side panels. Once finished, you can relax on the seats’ leg rests, which can be extended to create a recliner-like configuration. exceptionally cozy
There is a drawback to this arrangement, though. I still can’t spread my feet as it touches the front seats, even with the second row all the way back and the front all the way in front. This restricts how you can utilize the leg rest. This is definitely the best captain’s chair under Rs. 40 lakh when the footrest is folded back.
The wide windows are also operable from this seat, unlike the V-Class, which does not, and you also receive a manual sunblind. The climate control for the back seats is controlled through a panel in the upper right corner of the cabin. Kia has provided roof-mounted AC vents for each row to help cool the enormous cabin.
The passengers in the second row also have touchscreens. These 10.1-inch screens can accept a variety of inputs, including HDMI and AV-IN. Your smartphone can be mirrored onto the screens as well. Audio outputs can be routed to a personal headphone via the 3.5mm socket or to the car’s music system via Bluetooth. Due to the independence of both screens, passengers can watch their preferred content.
Naturally, Kia included a 220V laptop charger in the back as well as a USB charger because you will be draining your smartphone’s battery while doing so. Even the Mercedes-Benz V-Class is missing this amenity!
Overall, the Carnival offers the best second-row captain seat experience you can get for this price because of the variety of options and recliner chairs.
When it comes to comfort and room, even the third row is among the best. To get to the final bench, you can either slide the middle row or simply stroll between the captain’s chairs. Even there, there is ample head and knee room available. You won’t be left whining about that either because you can bury your feet below the front seats. All three passengers have their own headrests, and the ability to manually recline further improves comfort. It may be used by adults as well as youngsters because to the cabin width.
You get your AC vents, sunblinds for the big glass windows, and cup holders, among other things. In order to keep your devices powered on, you also receive a 12V socket here. When you look up, you notice not one but two sunroofs. Additionally, the one above the middle row is sizable.
It’s simple to become distracted from the driver when there’s so much going on in the back seats. Fortunately, the Carnival is an exception. When you slide into the driver’s seat, the car feels like a big automobileboth in terms of size and quality. The driver has excellent all-around view because to the elevated driving position and the sizable glass area. The driver is seated a good distance from the passenger in the extremely spacious interior. Soft-touch materials are used on the dashboard, and leather is wrapped around the steering wheel and gear knob. The dashboard and the doors both have wooden accents. Like all of the other seats, the driver will be able to stay comfortable for lengthy road journeys thanks to the well-cushioned seats.
On longer trips, the driver can feel at home with features like a ventilated driver seat, cruise control, three-zone climate control, and an auto day-night IRVM. With a 10-way power-adjustable seat and a steering wheel that can be tilted and telescoped, ergonomics are taken care of as well. The positioning of the 8-inch touchscreen is the one thing that seems a little strange here. It is difficult to use while moving since, despite being slanted towards the driver’s direction, it is a bit out of reach. Thankfully, the infotainment system’s actual buttons are accessible.
It is very easy to use and supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Additionally, Kia asserts that wireless Apple CarPlay is supported by the wireless phone charger and that it will function once Apple turns it on for its own devices. Speaking of wireless services, there are also UVO connect features that enable you start, lock, and unlock the car from a distance. It also enables calls to the emergency services for safety and emergency situations from the vehicle.
The driver receives tons of storage as well. Large door pockets, a spacious storage armrest with a sunglass holder, and cup holders are all present. You can easily stow almost whatever you are carrying.
Only the base variant is available in the 8-seater arrangement. This row’s final seat is identical to the seventh. The center row contains the distinction. Here, the captain chairs are differentthey are more compact and have a flatter seat base. A seat that can be removed from between them creates a bench-like layout. The elegant leg rest and the side slide are not included with these seats. Three passengers can fit comfortably in the seats when they are combined. Additionally, the middle seat’s backrest may be folded down to provide a spacious armrest with cupholders if there are just two people sitting there. And with the simple pull of a lever, the middle row stands vertically enabling simple entry into the third row rather than toppling.
In the business world, most eyes will be focused here. There are four captain chairs, each of which is smaller. These are less comfortable than the other two variants since they are lower to the ground. This fourth row is a bench (different from the seven and eight-seater), and it is positioned directly behind the third row. There is very little room for people to sit on all four rows. There won’t be any room for fourth-row passengers to kneel, not even if one of them is tall.
But when the final row is folded, a huge boot with a level floor is seen. With this, you can also move back the four captain seats to create enough room for knees. Even though it contradicts the entire idea of having a 9-seat MPV, it still results in a very cozy 6-seat van with plenty of luggage space.
It has depth. 540 liters of boot space are available with the second row up, which is more than enough for all types of luggage. Back seats may be folded in two stages. The backrest folds down in the first step. Step two creates a flat floor that can hold up to 1,624 liters by folding the entire seat into the floor.
And the 60:40 split can be used for both of these actions. Additionally, even though the second row is fixed in place, unscrewing it releases a whopping 2,759 liters of space! That is sufficient to transport practically the contents of a full house.
In case you were wondering, the spare wheel is hidden beneath the floor, directly behind the driver. It is not a full-size alloy; rather, it is a space saver.
Safety
Your entire family is intended to travel on the Carnival, so obviously, safety is a worry. Fortunately, this Kia is well stocked. Six airbags are included, along with ISOFIX child seat anchors, ABS with EBD, brake assistance, and electronic stability control. Additionally, you get Hill-Start Assist, Cornering Brake Control, and Roll Over Mitigation.
Performance
The Kia Carnival is front-wheel driven, unlike its competitors, and only comes with one diesel engine that is paired with an automatic transmission. A petrol version or a manual are not in the works. The 2.2L unit installed here is BS6 compliant right out of the box. It generates 440Nm of torque and 200PS of power. Even when applying heavy throttle, the engine maintains a smooth feeling and is relatively quiet. Driving in the city is simple, and there are no jerks or lags in the power delivery.
The driver and passenger won’t be surprised by the amount of torque that is available for city overtakes because it all comes on gradually. Driving the Carnival is enjoyable since the engine and gearbox maintain a remarkable level of smoothness even when accelerating quickly. The brakes have a soft, mushy feel. This may have been done to eliminate the cabin’s jerk when braking as well. While it is appropriate in urban areas, it is something to be aware of on highways.
Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of power and torque for even the highways, but the vehicle is sedated for a comfortable trip. The engine spins at roughly 1500 rpm at 100 kph, thus this automobile can eat miles all day. Additionally, the 8-speed torque converter transmission is incredibly smooth. Although it isn’t extremely fast, the shifts are smooth. It compares favorably to the one on the Endeavour and is superior than what we saw on the Innova and the Fortuner.
For an MPV of its size to satisfy its owners, the ride must be comfortable, which the Carnival manages with relative ease. You are adequately cushioned over the typical speed bumps and patched-in tarmac thanks to independent suspension on all four wheels (McPherson strut up front, multi-link in back). The setup starts out hard, which is to be anticipated for a car that might weigh more than two tonnes, but it never becomes unpleasant. The ride doesn’t seem bouncy even on motorways, and it can keep the passengers at ease on lengthy trips.
The front quarter glass increases visibility from the driver’s seat. In order to avoid unintentionally missing anything, it is helpful to keep an eye on the sides. The size only causes problems when trying to fit into small parking spaces. However, the Carnival has a useful turning radius and is capable of making sharp turns. While making u-turns at a low speed, the steering can feel a little heavy. You can prevent harming the fine paint finish of the automobile thanks to the reverse camera and the front parking sensors.
Let’s be clear about one thing: this is a big car, and it should be driven as such. The front is rather steady and flat as it navigates turns. Because of the stronger steering, the driver feels more confident. But there is body roll, as one would expect. It’s amazing how well managed, though. The impact of changing lanes responsibly is barely audible inside the cabin. The cabin is rather sturdy even on winding roads, and the body roll isn’t as awful as its tall body might imply.
Verdict
The Kia Carnival has shown to be an excellent family vehicle throughout our brief test. Not simply because it can fit seven passengers, but also because it does so without difficulty, comfortably, and subtly. The cabin’s versatility is easily achieved thanks to its practicality and creative engineering solutions. Long-distance travelers would greatly appreciate the ease of driving and good highway manners. Although it is simple to maneuver, you must be careful when parking in confined spaces due to its size.
Kia will want close to Rs 30 lakh (ex-showroom) for all of this, and it will continue to be the company’s flagship vehicle in India for the foreseeable future. As a result, rather than a high-end SUV, the Carnival is for individuals searching for a no-compromise family car that is packed with features, luxury, and comfort. It’s time to measure that parking space if you’re one of them.