Carnival or Sedona? Doesn’t matter, this Minivan/Limousine is still extravagant!

Kia launched its second offering in India, the Carnival almost an year back. And the limousine is now available in a new avatar in the global market and we hope to get it in India real soon. The extravagant Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) as the South Korean manufacturer promotes it, replaces the outgoing Sedona in the North American market.

It is the first Kia vehicle in the U.S. that comes with the carmaker’s new logo displayed on its sculpted hood. The new 2022 Kia Carnival comes in a bolder and boxier design, while maintaining the same premium feel on the inside. The limousine now comes with a more powerful powertrain, along with a wide array of advanced tech including an updated Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

The 2022 Carnival is built on the same all-new 3rd generation “N3” platform shared by the Sorento and the sporty K5. Kia’s engineers claim it to be lighter, stronger, and quieter than the outgoing architecture. The exterior of the 2022 Carnival follows suit with Kia’s recent boxy SUV style that directly connects to the crisp lines found on other recent Kia debuts. Kia’s signature “tiger nose” grille integrates LED headlamps with a bold cutline.

The new lines now run across the length of the vehicle, joining the front and the rear lamps. The brawny wheel arches give a sense of volume to the new Carnival while the hood lines enhance the vehicle’s aggressive character. The MPV now gets large two-tone mirrors and black/chrome rocker panel mouldings. The new tail lamps now look sleek and quirky. The new alloys got a gloss-black treatment and are available in a 17 or 19 inch wheels option.

The gloss black also continues to the inside, on the dashboard which looks more premium with the chrome garnish running to its length. The integrated slim metal air vents give it a modern touch. The all-new limousine now offers more space with an option of 7 or 8 passenger accommodation. (Basically a 12-seater for us Indians!)

The slide-flex seating (for up to 8 passengers) allows multiple configurations including a sliding second-row center seat which, when in the forward-most position, allows the front passenger easy access to the baby or child napping in it. This seat also converts into a functional table. The top trim 7-passenger configuration of the new Carnival also features heated and ventilated second-row VIP Lounge Seating with power controls, leg extensions, and wing-out headrests.

On the tech and connectivity front, the Carnival comes with a standard 8-inch touchscreen display enabled with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The MPV gets a wide array of other standard and optional features, including a 3-inch navigation display paired with another 3-inch full-digital instrument cluster, multi-Bluetooth connectivity, wireless smartphone charging. There’re also nine USB ports for all three rows and two 110-volt power inverters. The plush interior gets a 12 speakers Bose Premium sound system which adds to the extravagantness of the limousine. The Carnival comes equipped with UVO link telematics as well.

Talking of powertrain, the 2022 Kia Carnival MPV comes with a new, more powerful 3.5-litre V6 diesel engine producing 290bhp at 6,400rpm with a peak torque of 355Nm at 5,000rpm. The motor is mated with an 8-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain provides up to 1588kg of towing capacity for trailer, boat, or camper excursions.

The Carnival MPV comes packed with a bunch of safety features with a standard Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). The limousine features a Driver Attention Warning, High Beam Assist, Blind-Spot Avoidance Assist, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Parking Distance Warning-Reverse and Lane Keeping Assist System with Lane Following Assist. Apart from this, the Carnival is also equipped with a surround-view monitor which utilizes four cameras to provide a 360-degree perspective around the vehicle.

The 2022 Carnival is currently being offered in the international market and we hope to get it on the Indian soil real soon given its popularity in the country. The current gen of Carnival has generated a huge fan following for the limousine MPV segment in the country. We expect the new Carnival to be offered here in all its four trim levels- LX, EX, SX, and SX-Prestige.