Don’t mistake this for minivan love. It’s not. I’m not a “minivan person” even though I grew up in a minivan household and had minivan-fan parents. I do appreciate all the space, the comforts and luxury touches. I do love a first class seat in a democratic car, and I love to be surrounded by my crew everywhere I go. You’d think I would like minivans like the Kia Carnival better than I do.
But, I’m also aesthetically driven. I like a car that looks fully designed; form following function, not the other way around. And minivans so often tend to be more about function than form.
So it was with more than a little optimism that I first looked at the Kia Carnival with hope. It has a more SUV-like size and shape. It carries Telluride-like features on the outside and in the top trim, some very luxe features. And now, it’s a hybrid that is expected to get about 32 MPG. We had the chance to tour the SX Prestige, top of the line trim, and here’s what we’re looking forward to when the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid rolls into dealerships later this year.
Video: See our full walk around of the 2025 Kia Carnival, VIP seats and all!
A Full-Size SUV With Sliding Rear Doors?
The 2025 Kia Carnival has a distinctly SUV-like shape. The corners are squared off, the rear end is less round, the proportions are softened for aerodynamics. Other than the lack of 4WD (or, AWD, which we can hope will be on offer soon) this might be considered the first SUV with sliding center doors.
The Kia Carnival delivers a lot of the things we love about a full-size SUV: Good ground clearance (6.8″), seating for up to 8 and lots of cargo space. Its square front end and hind quarters not only give Tahoe vibes, but they give headroom and cargo space.
Video: Here’s our preview of the 2025 Chevy Suburban and Tahoe
The Light Signature and Grille are Distinctly the New Era of Kia
The amber digital lights and the stacked headlights that frame the front grille is the new signature look of Kia. And then, the new grille is bold and vertical, adding to the SUV-like appeal.We first saw it on the Kia Telluride and then saw it continue on new models including the Sorento SUV and the K5 sedan. It’s nice to look like your siblings, isn’t it?
The Front Seat is Designed for Command and Comfort
We have seen similar approaches in Kia’s other redesigned cars, from the Telluride to the the Sorento, and we like it: An edited, less-cluttered approach anchored by a command center between the front seats, a climate control panel and a wide touch screen. The Kia Carnival’s command center holds some important functions including the gear selector, drive modes and importantly, controls for heated and vented seats.
The climate panel is easy to use, and the touch screen is easy to see. This minimalist design gives the cabin a relaxed feeling, enhanced in our preview model with perforated leatherette seating.
Adding to the posh feel is the head up display. Yes, a head up display, so you can easily see turn by turn navigation directions, your speed and road signs in your field of vision while your passenger plays with the radio station.
Multi-function Screens Are The Most Advanced in the Kia Lineup
“Hey Kia, change the radio station,” is now a thing. Voice activated assistance has been added for the first time to the Kia operating system and it’s a fantastic thing. That means you can request what you need as you drive, and so can your passengers (rather than asking you to do it)—and it’s designed to hear rear seat passengers. I haven’t tried this out because the display model we looked at wasn’t fully functional but I can’t wait to put it to the test soon. Voice activated assistance is one of my all time favorite features.
Just under the multimedia screen is a second dual-function screen for climate and quick functions. Tap the amber fan sign for climate and the arrow above it for quick access to things like media, radio and navigation. This is a clever approach and though it presents a bit of a learning curve, it nicely reduces dashboard clutter.
The Command Center Holds More Luxury Touches
This one really delighted me in the Kia Carnival SX Prestige model we toured: The gear shifter looks as if it was gifted by sister company Genesis. It’s crafted of textured metal and glass-topped for a glowing, jewel-like look. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so fancy in a minivan. And it feels really good in your hand. You might want to simply rest your hand there against the textured bezel, it’s that nice. Another Genesis-like detail are the textured metal seat heater toggles, which frame the control bar for settings such as the exterior camera system and heated steering wheel.
Forward of the gear selector dial there is a large cubby designed to hold two phones, and one of them can charge on the wireless pad. The other can plug into the USB panel above it; a toggle allows you to select purely charging or charge and data so you can access your phone for Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, song lists and more.
Ambient Lighting Sets the Mood
This is a detail we really love in modern cars: Ambient lighting. Panels along the dash and on all four doors light up to add a bit of dimension at night. It aids in finding what you need and lighting up the areas of the car that you’ll touch, which are covered in soft-touch materials. And, looks great.
The Kia Carnival Has an Open Cabin That Seats 7 or 8
The Kia Carnival gives cozy vibes in its open cabin and this is where it again feels more like an SUV: bucketed seats and plush headrests fill the space a bit so every passenger feels ensconced in comfort. A pass-through between the center captains chairs allows access to the 3rd row, which does feel more like a minivan than an SUV with more legroom and headroom than in many full-sized SUVs.
Buyers can choose a bench seat for the center row and center row seats are removable.
Second and 3rd row passengers have a lot of nice amenities from window shades (yes, on the 3rd row windows!) and air vents in the ceiling to USB ports and plenty of cup holders. And, there is a cabin camera and intercom system so front seat passengers can easily see and hear anyone in the center or 3rd row.
Kids Car Seats and Rear Entertainment in the 2025 Kia Carnival
The SX Prestige trim we toured featured VIP seats—reclining heated and cooled center row captains chairs—and the Kia Carnival’s new rear seat entertainment system. The new system has more entertainment options and will benefit from over the air updates so it promises to improve over time.
Because the VIP seats are powered and have extending foot rests, they don’t slide and tilt the way regular seats will to allow for 3rd row access. They do, however, move side to side slightly (they do this in every trim level). This makes them ideal for positioning seats for kids; you can move them close together or further apart, and closer to, or further from the front seats. They don’t move enough toward the center, however, to allow 3rd row access from the exterior door; you’ll still need to use the center pass-through.
And of course, there is plenty of room for kids car seats. There are four full LATCH sets: Two in the outboard center row seats and two in the outboard 3rd row seats. Two rear facing car seats should fit fine on a center row bench, but will need to be positioned next to each other in order to reach the 3rd row. Can you fit three across? On the bench seat, yes!
Key Details: What You Need to Know About the Kia Carnival Hybrid
The enhanced exterior design, the redesigned rear entertainment system, the new screen and climate panel, the new gear selector and command center and hybrid power add to what was already a popular minivan that brought a little extra to the game. It’s almost sort of surprising that Kia decided to give this van so much of a makeover considering it’s not easy to buy the current 2024 model; many dealers have a waitlist. But resting on laurels isn’t the Kia way. Leading with new tech and features, and delivering more for the money is more on point. Here’s what else you need to know about the 2025 Kia Carnival for when it rolls into dealerships later this year:
- There are now two engine options: A V6 that generates 287 HP 260 torque and a 4-cylinder hybrid that generates 242 HP and 271 torque
- The V6 gets about 22 MPG; fuel economy estimates for the hybrid haven’t yet been released but expect it to be somewhere around 32 MPG
- There is not (yet) an all wheel drive option
- Pricing starts at $36,500 for the entry-level LX model and tops out at $50,600 for the SX Prestige. Add $2,000 for the hybrid engine to all but the entry model, which does not have the hybrid option
- The new 12″ multimedia screen seen here, equipped with voice-activated assistance and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, is standard; the 12″ driver display is an upgrade available on higher trim levels
- 3rd row seats stow completely flat into the floor
- 40 cubic feet of cargo space behind the 3rd row
- The second row entertainment system is a $2,500 upgrade
We really liked the first generation of the Kia Carnival; as minivans go, it’s elegant, spacious and well-outfitted. But for those who can’t decide, who want an SUV with the space of a minivan, get on the list now. I’m not as enthusiastic about the hybrid option; for $2,000 more you’ll end up with significantly less power, something you’ll likely feel on those long road trips and hectic highway merges, especially with butts in every seat. However, 10 MPG in a minivan is nothing to sneeze at; for daily run-arounds with kids in tow, it can mean significantly fewer trips to the gas station. And that in itself is a win. And just another thing that makes us so excited about the 2025 Kia Carnival.
