LOOKS

Design changes were implemented on the Carnival for 2025 which work to its advantage, as even with its sliding doors, the Carnival now has a more SUV-like appearance despite its minivan identity. This may ease the concerns of some potential buyers who don’t want people associating them with a minivan.

The looks of the Carnival are extremely eye-catching, with snazzy updates to the grille, lighting setup and wheels. My test vehicles featured 19-inch alloy wheels (base version starts with 17-inchers), dual power sunroofs, LED lighting, power-folding and heated outside mirrors, roof rails, and dark exterior accents.

Moving inside the Carnival, you’ll find high-quality materials. They’re not at luxury level, but still offer a high class look and feel that’s among the best in segment. The vehicle features a heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, window shades, as well as a sleek dashboard with large screens.

Either 7 or 8 seats are available in the Carnival depending on your second-row setup, and in terms of cargo space, the numbers come in at 40.2 cubic feet behind the third row, 86.9 cubic feet with the third row down, and 145.1 cubic feet with both rear rows folded.

These are strong numbers, and will allow you plenty of room for all that sports equipment (if you fit the minivan stereotype), or whatever you want if you’re not a soccer mom. Whether you’re transporting lots of people or lots of stuff, the Carnival can handle it capably.

The seating is set up in the Carnival in a way that allows for easy access to the third row, an essential element of a good minivan. And the middle row can move forward and backward to increase leg room for the third-row passengers. Even with that flexibility, I recommend leaving the third row for smaller children. Also, families who have one or more car seats to install in the Carnival will find that process to be very simple.

Seating in the Carnival is offered in both SynTex and leather options, and is quite comfortable even on longer trips. The vehicle features heated and ventilated front seats.

One unique feature is the 2nd-row Child Minding Seat, aka Slide-Flex seating, which comes in the 8-passenger versions. The center seat in the second row can slide forward, which allows the seat to be positioned closer to the front row and make a child more accessible to parents in the front row for care or feeding. The flex seat can also be folded down and used as table or armrest by 2nd row passengers on either side.

HOW’S THE RIDE?

The regular version of the 2025 Kia Carnival is powered by a 3.5-liter, V6 engine, which is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. It delivers 287 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.

The hybrid version of the Carnival gets moving via a 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine plus a 72-horsepower electric motor, which are paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid offers a total of 242 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque

The Carnival is only available in front-wheel drive, with no all-wheel drive option.

In terms of towing, the hybrid can pull up to 2,500 pounds, while the standard Carnival increases to 3,500 pounds of towing capacity.

In terms of the overall driving experience, both versions of the Carnival are capable and smooth family haulers, but the standard version is a bit more enjoyable than the hybrid offering.

Rating the drive quality against the minivan segment, the Carnival falls just short of the best in class. But the experience behind the wheel of the Carnival will be good enough for most minivan buyers, considering all the features the vehicle offers. It never feels slow, just don’t expect a hot rod. The Carnival and Carnival hybrid were more than adequate for passing and highway merging. And in all circumstances, you’ll enjoy a smooth and quiet ride inside the vehicle.

The Carnival also brakes well, and maneuvers curvy roads quite impressively for a large vehicle. The 0-to-60 speeds are respectable at the low 7-second range for the standard engine, and just under 8 seconds for the hybrid version.

For those cross-shopping, the power numbers in the Carnival lineup compare quite well to the Sienna, Odyssey and Pacifica.


TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY

Whether you choose the regular Carnival or the hybrid, the vehicle’s tech is centered around an upgraded, 12.3-inch center touchscreen that is packed with features and easy to use. Voice commands are effective and can be used to control music, navigation, climate, and even open or close a window. A second 12.3-inch screen in front of the driver offers a digital driver gauge display, flowing directly into the center touchscreen as one big unit.

The only weak point in the tech setup is a strip of touch controls that toggle between climate and audio controls, which I found to be too gimmicky and difficult to use while driving.

Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come standard if you want to connect your phone to the Carnival. You get multiple USB ports and power outlets spread throughout the Carnival, and a rear-seat entertainment system is optional to help keep passengers young and old entertained, and with Bluetooth they can stream the audio directly to their ears.

Higher trims get an upgraded 12-speaker Bose stereo system, which delivers loud and clear sound, and a wireless phone charger is also included in the Carnival.

You can also use Kia Connect features to have your smartphone work as a Digital Key, and other unique features include Passenger View and Passenger Talk — which allow those in the front seat to see the rear-seat passengers on the front screen, and communicate with them via speakers in the back of the vehicle. The obvious use of this would be to better track what the kids are doing back there without turning around while driving.

Strong safety features are aplenty on the 2025 Carnival, with highlights including a large and clear multiview camera system, a strong self-driving system that uses lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control to keep you straight and slows down when you approach traffic, and plenty of warnings if cars are behind or around you.

A bevy of air bags are included, and other safety features include:
— Automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
— Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist
— Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist
— Driver Attention Warning
— Safe Exit Assist
— Parking Distance Warning 
— Surround View Monitor
— Blind-Spot View Monitor

A head-up display is also offered on higher trims.

All together, this package of safety features holds up well compared to the other minivan offerings on the market.

MPG

The fuel mileage you get in the Carnival will depend on whether you choose the regular version or the hybrid option.

The standard Carnival offers official mileage of 18 mpg in the city/26 highway and 21 combined.
Those numbers increase by a large margin in the hybrid, with mpg listed at 34 city/31 highway/33 combined. These numbers compare well to other hybrid minivans.

On paper, the hybrid is the clear winner for those who prioritize fuel mileage. But not everyone will go this route, in part due to the higher starting price of the hybrid, and also because its lower power numbers.

These fuel mileage numbers hold up well vs. rival minivans. But in my real-world testing the numbers I experienced were several mpg below the official numbers. 

PRICE

The price of the Carnival can vary greatly, depending which version you take home.

The nonhybrid version I tested was priced just over $55K, and its base price starts around $37K.
The hybrid version I tested was priced around $57K, and starts at $42K.

Options can boost your costs, such as adding the rear seat entertainment for $2,500.

Trim levels on the Carnival include LX, LXS, EX, SX and SX Prestige.

For those who want to keep costs down, choosing the EX trim gets you lots of comfort features but will skip some upgrades.

The hybrid option does cost a few grand extra, but should pay for that difference quickly due to fuel savings vs. the standard Carnival.

In terms of how the pricing compares to the few remaining minivans that compete with the Carnival (Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Pacifica), it offers a lower entry point, and even higher trims compete well.

Add in the excellent warranties from Kia and the value proposition improves further.

Those warranties include:
— 10-year/100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty
— 5-year/60,000 mile limited basic warranty
— 5-year/60,000 mile roadside assistance

And the hybrid Carnival adds a 10-year/100,000 mile limited battery warranty

BOTTOM LINE

The Kia Carnival is an excellent choice for anyone who wants an upscale, roomy, tech-savvy, versatile vehicle, and doesn’t buy into the lie that minivans are not cool.

And the hybrid Carnival is a solid option for folks who like what the Carnival has to offer, and are looking to be more green and save on fuel costs.

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