Kia has sold minivans in North America for more than two decades. While it’s technically an all-new model, the Carnival is Kia’s fourth-generation minivan since the company dropped the Sedona nameplate and made a slew of major changes for 2022. Available in ten trims as of 2026 with seven- or eight-passenger seating, the front-wheel drive Carnival brings the most SUV-like styling in the minivan segment, along with lots of standard technology and driving assist features, and some class-exclusive features such as reclining "VIP lounge seats" in the second row. A gas-electric hybrid powertrain is also available, sold in Canada as the Kia Carnival HEV (or Kia Carnival Hybrid).
The Carnival competes with the Chrysler Pacifica and Chrysler Grand Caravan, the Honda Odyssey, and the Toyota Sienna. Minivans, however, have a harder time measuring up to mid-size and large SUVs, and the Carnival is frequently outshined in the sales charts by the Kia Telluride and Sorento, both of which have three rows of seats.
But the Carnival's long, boxy shape pays dividends for cargo capacity and passenger comfort, especially for adults seated in the third row. Its low step-in height, relatively light curb weight, smaller engines, and prices that start just over $40,000 are major advantages over truck-based SUVs such as the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban. That said, low towing ratings and the lack of all-wheel drive may push buyers into such larger SUVs. For most shoppers, a modern minivan like the Carnival represents an excellent choice for large families.
Kia Carnival: Cost, Reliability, and the Best Years to Buy
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Pros and Cons
- Kia Carnival Generations
- Kia Carnival Current Generation (2022-Present)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Kia Carnival years are the best?
The Kia Carnival is currently in its first generation, but it uses powertrains and technology from previous Kias that have proven reliable. That said, we would recommend models from 2023 or later to avoid any first-year hiccups.
Which Kia Carnival years are the worst?
None are really "worst". The Carnival's predecessor, the Sedona, was quite poor in its first and second generations. For this model, any year is shaping up to be a good year.
Is a used Kia Carnival a good deal?
Given the amount of space inside and its sub-$40,000 starting price in earlier model years, the Carnival is a good deal. The best value is from the middle to top trims such as the EX and SX. They cost more than the base LX version, but they pack in far more features.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Stylish design
- Powerful engine
- Excellent value for money
Cons:
- Mixed safety ratings
- No all-wheel drive
- Kia doesn’t make folding the seats easy
Kia Carnival Generations
Kia Carnival Current Generation (2022-Present)
Like its corporate cousin Hyundai, Kia is no longer interested in conforming to conservative or traditional car designs. The new Kia is like the old Peugeot and Citroen: outlandish, striking, and sometimes grotesque, but always unconventional. That philosophy has worked well for the Carnival because minivans have never been stylish. This one, among its three direct competitors, certainly looks the most aggressive, angular, and modern.
A refresh for 2025 introduced a wider, longer grille, vertically stacked headlights, amber daytime running lamps with turn signals that resemble giant hooks, revised taillights, new bumpers, new wheels, and a redesigned dashboard with updated infotainment screens. In both functionality and style, we prefer the original design from 2022 to 2024. However, either version presents a much sportier, SUV-like exterior than anything from Toyota, Honda, or Chrysler.
Most Carnivals have a 3.5-litre V6 engine shared with the Telluride, with specs of 287 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission with multiple driving modes is standard.
For 2025, Kia added a gas-electric powertrain shared with the Kia Sorento Hybrid. In typical Kia fashion, this version doesn’t drive like the average hybrid due to its turbocharger and six-speed transmission. The Carnival Hybrid is nearly as powerful as the V6, with its 1.6-litre turbo inline-four and small electric motor producing 242 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. Fuel efficiency dramatically improves according to Natural Resources Canada, to 6.9 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 7.6 on the highway, and 7.2 combined compared to the V6 model's ratings of 12.9 L/100 km city, 8.8 highway, and 11.1 combined.
In our tests of a 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX+, we found the cabin and engine to be louder than those of competitors. At low speeds, the hybrid system also isn’t as smooth when swapping between gas and electric operation as the Toyota Sienna. We like the ability to adjust brake regeneration with the shift paddles, along with the interior quality, comfortable ride, body control, and direct steering. Still, we’d recommend the V6 Carnival for more consistent performance at a lower price.
There are 10 Kia Carnival trim levels in total as of 2026, including the four hybrid trims. At the time of writing, the 2026 Carnival—which has no changes versus 2025—starts at an MSRP of $44,470 for the LX trim level including destination charges and fees. It includes a heated windshield, heated outboard mirrors and heated washer nozzles (but not heated front seats), 17-inch alloy wheels, a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with built-in navigation and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, front and rear parking sensors, and safety features such as forward collision avoidance with pedestrian and cyclist detection and adaptive cruise control.
The LX+, at $48,240, added a power driver's seat, heated front seats, power sliding doors, a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, a power liftgate, roof rails, and rear window shades. The EX, at $51,140, brings a wireless charger, rain-sensing wipers, a power front passenger seat, 19-inch alloy wheels, LED taillights and fog lights, multi-zone automatic climate control, and a rear seat reminder system.
The EX+ trim, at $53,140, equips dual LED headlights, laminated front door glass, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, an in-cabin passenger view camera and intercom system, junction turning collision avoidance assist, and Kia’s semi-automated Highway Driving Assist 2 technology. SX starts at $56,140 and tacks on 19-inch black alloy wheels, dark exterior trim, a dual-pane sunroof, leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, a driver’s seat memory function, LED interior lighting, a Bose premium sound system, Kia’s smartphone-driven Digital Key technology, a head-up display, a surround-view monitor, and Kia’s blind-view monitor system that projects a camera view of a blind spot into the digital instrument cluster when a turn signal is activated.
The top SX+ trim ($58,140) comes with everything included in the other trims plus Kia’s "VIP Lounge" seating that adds heating, cooling, extended recline, and power leg rests to the second row. The four hybrid trims are priced at $50,785 for LX+, $53,685 for EX, $58,685 for SX, and $60,685 for SX+, with equipment similar to the gas-only trims of the same names.
Used Carnival models are holding their resale value well. On CarGurus.ca, many 2022 and 2023 models with 80,000 kilometres or less are priced in the $30,000 to $50,000 range, depending on trim level and odometer reading. The Kia Carnival Hybrid is too new to make used vehicle pricing comparisons as of this writing.
