In one of the never-ending debates in the automotive world, you can put me in the camp of arguing that there is nothing uncool about a minivan.

Despite getting a bad rap over the years as soccer mom vehicles without a personality, nothing could be further from the truth. A minivan is as useful and versatile as any SUV you can name, and sometimes more so.

Sadly, there are only four real options remaining in the minivan category — including the one I tested, the Kia Carnival. The Carnival comes in both regular and hybrid versions, and I sampled both varieties of the Carnival.

After my time behind the wheel, I’m glad that Kia is sticking around in this segment, as they’ve delivered a standout performance that holds up well against all competitors — including the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Pacifica.

The arrival of the hybrid version for 2025 is a helpful addition for Kia, as Toyota’s offering is exclusively hybrid and Pacifica also offers a hybrid version.

Read on for a full account of what the Carnival has to offer to those who, like me, are standing against the haters and supporting the minivan as a solid vehicle option that is far from uncool.

There’s been a ton of buzz about the Kia Carnival since it hit the market, with many — including myself — considering it the best minivan available, surpassing such heavyweights as the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Pacifica.

But what’s all the fuss about?

I’ll break it down with 5 key facts you need to know about this headline-stealing new vehicle, which is a major upgrade from the previous Sedona minivan offered by Kia.

Minivans are sort of a love-it-or-hate-it thing in the automotive world.

Many people might say they hate minivans, but a vocal minority are minivan lovers.

With the completely new 2022 Kia Carnival, a reinvention of the vehicle formerly known as the Kia Sedona, the Korean automaker is hoping to turn some of those haters into members of the minivan fan club, and create potential customers.

After some time tooling around in this family-friendly ride, I’m back with a full report on how the Carnival measures up, as it takes on the Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Voyager on the minivan battleground.