Kia Carnival review

It’s the Kia Carnival, the party on wheels, if your idea of a good time is a fairly competent people mover that can shuttle a number of occupants and all their gear.

So like a parade float?

Sure, though we wouldn’t recommend standing on top and throwing beads at people. What was once called the less celebratory Sedona is one of the few minivans to survive the SUV takeover in the US, and the recent refresh gives it a bit of style to combat the family car’s stifling stigma.

What’s it packing?

The gas-powered version is fitted with a 3.5-liter V6 that whips up 287hp and 260lb ft of torque, partnered with an eight-speed automatic that drives the front wheels. This is standard across all Carnival trims.

Meanwhile across the lot is the Carnival Hybrid, which is fitted with a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine twinned with an electric motor that totals 241hp and 270lb ft of torque, this time fed through a six-speed automatic gearbox.

What’s the difference?

We’d like to think that maybe the NA gas-powered one is the sportier version but in the real world, there’s not much separation between the two. What does matter is how the hybrid outdoes itself in terms of fuel savings. The standard Carnival scores a decent 21mpg combined while the hybrid nets 32mpg, and may even outdo that depending on conditions.

How does it drive?

Even with the tempered expectations of driving a minivan, the Kia Carnival does an okay job, but isn’t a stunner in any particular category. Not many people are looking for sporty engagement in their large family hauler, so expectations are low in this department, which is what makes the performance of the rivaling Chrysler Pacifica a surprise standout.

Still, the Carnival does not respond well to a heavy foot or any deft, hurried maneuvering. Attempting any sort of hustle and the Kia is super slow to find the right gear or – in the case of the hybrid – figure out which motor to send power from, resulting in a substantial delay between pedal press and the car’s response.

Dinging a minivan for not being sporty?

Not really, though the iffy responsiveness was a let-down, particularly driving it in the hustle and bustle of the city. So if it’s lacking in the engagement department, it should be comfortable, right? To the Carnival’s credit, it’s fairly competent at this, though there’s room for improvement. Specifically speaking of the ride quality, the multi-link rear suspension’s float is minimal, but over time, like on long hauls, can make the gills of rear passengers go a few shades of green.

Between this and its hesitation to get going, prepare to have ample cleaning wipes handy, particularly if you plan to travel with little ones.

Should I get an SUV then?

It depends on where your priorities lie. There’s a reason minivan sales continue to persist despite the disparagement levied against them for a number of superficial reasons: they’re very good at what they do, and the Kia Carnival is no exception.

Minivans like the Carnival are specifically designed to move families around, and this means easy to use sliding doors for quick hops in and out, an abundance of cargo space and safety tech, not to mention conveniences to keep everyone happy. Higher trims have the option to include seat-back entertainment screens for media streaming and device mirroring, but all Carnivals are set up with enough USB ports for occupants to charge individual devices.

With this said, the remnants of a particularly stubborn winter highlight why the SUV is the all-rounder of choice for would-be minivan drivers. The Carnival in particular is disagreeable on any roads with the slightest amount of slush, let alone city blocks with ice or snow – conditions the average SUV or indeed any other passenger car would be able to handle with little concern. 

The Kia Carnival is a great showcase of what makes a minivan superior to an SUV for suburban families, and manages to look quite stylish while doing so. Unburdened with the need to be a jack of all trades, the Carnival makes collecting, transporting and unloading a large group of people a breeze, and still has room for supplies.

In particular, the Kia Carnival excels at managing the chaos that comes with these responsibilities, such as keeping an eye on everyone in the cabin, keeping them comfortable, and keeping them safe. Some of the automated safety actions may be hyper sensitive, but we’ll give that a pass considering its use case.

Unfortunately, it also handles like a typical minivan, and apart from driver satisfaction, it can be frustrating to pilot in certain situations, especially if the weather takes a turn for the worse.