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.