Drove the all-new Kia Carnival recently, which replaces the outgoing Grand Sedona. The Carnival sits in the unoccupied space between SUVs and utilitarian people-movers, the Carnival offers the best of both worlds with its advanced technologies, new engine and platform, and luxurious cabin. 

Launched together with the all new Sorento, the Kia SUV’s are certainly making a statement. And with expanded dimensions compared with the Grand Sedona, there is enough space to accommodate people, playthings, or plywood, depending on the day’s errands … or adventures. 

Exterior

The prominent ‘tiger nose’ grille affords substantial width to the face and artfully integrates high-tech LED headlamps. Dramatic bonnet lines enhance the vehicle’s unmistakably eye-catching character, while brawny wheel arches give a sense of volume to the body in profile.

A bold cutline runs the length of the vehicle, joining the front and rear lamps, and large two[1]tone mirrors and black/chrome rocker panel mouldings contribute to the upscale look.Standard fitment of tasteful 18- or 19-inch aluminium alloy wheels accent the look.

Premium cabin.

The Carnival cabin is premium, with comfort and soft touches galore. It seats 7 or 8 passengers and some chairs are single comfort. The integrated slim metal-effect air vents lend the cockpit a modern touch, enhanced by the standard two-tone leather trim which practically sees darker materials used on the seats and a lighter shade applied to those areas that are touched less frequently. 

With all seats erected, the Carnival offers a useful 1,139 litres of luggage space. Remove the second row and stow the third flush with the floor, and that figure increases to a massive 4,110 litres.

The Carnival also offers a roster of special and innovative features to make travel easier, safer, and more enjoyable. Just one example is standard hands-free electric sliding side doors with Smart Key, as well as a Smart Power Liftgate with auto-close (EX+ and above) to make loading and unloading the Carnival a doddle. The drive is phenomenal, very smooth and soft.

Overall, the new Carnival is longer (by 40mm), wider (10mm) and higher (35mm) than the outgoing Grand Sedona. Despite the growth in size and substantially more generous standard-features tally, overall mass has increased by just 14kg.

Engine.

It’s a big SUV and heavy, so you would assume under-powered and heavy on fuel. Wrong.

Kia’s brand-new ‘Smartstream’ 2.2 CRDi turbodiesel engine is the perfect partner for the Carnival. It’s more powerful than the outgoing 2.2 CRDi yet is more efficient, too (CO2 emissions fall by 31g/km to 177g/km), boasting 148kW at 3,800 r/min and a stout 440Nm of torque developed from 1,750 r/min all the way through to 2,750 r/min.

The ‘Smartstream’ engine finds the perfect companion in Kia’s 8-speed torque-converter automatic transmission, which offers imperceptible shifts whether the Carnival’s driver is pootling through town or towing a heavy trailer. So basically it has plenty of power, and is not that heavy on fuel.

Derivatives- the Carnival comes in four different derivatives, starting with the entry leveL EX, to the mid-range EX+, THE SX and the flagship SXL, all offering their own spec levels.

Safety.

Safety is well taken care of, and the systems below show what is available:

• Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA): assists the driver when braking to help prevent a collision or lessen the effects in certain conditions if a pedestrian or vehicle is detected in front. Uses automatic braking to avoid or mitigate an impact.
• Blindspot Collision Avoidance Assist (BCA): Under certain conditions, this system can detect vehicles travelling in the next lane. When a vehicle is “seen” in the blind spot, the vehicle brakes the outer wheel under certain conditions to help return the vehicle to its lane.
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert: Helps detect most approaching cross traffic when in reverse. When approaching cross traffic is detected, the system alerts the driver and applies brakes.
• Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) with Lane Following Assist (LFA): Follows lane markings that the system detects and provides steering inputs to help maintain the vehicle in the centre of the lane.

Pricing.

Like its Sorento stablemate, the new Carnival is built at Kia’s technologically advanced Hwasung manufacturing facility in South Korea. 

Model                                                              Recommended Retail Price incl. VAT

Carnival 2.2 CRDi EX 8AT 7-Seater                R799,995

Carnival 2.2 CRDi EX+ 8AT 8-Seater              R879,995

Carnival 2.2 CRDi SX Limited 8AT 7-Seater    R999,995

Carnival 2.2 CRDi SXL 8AT 7-Seater               R1,024,995

All Carnival models ship as standard with Kia’s industry-leading Unlimited Kilometre, 5-year warranty (inclusive of roadside assistance), as well as a 6-year / 90,000 km maintenance plan.

The Carnival is a great mix of SUV and people carrier, in my opinion, it’s a premium SUV. It looks good, feels good, and has loads of space. So in other words, a great car to get out on the road in.