My Thoughts Exactly: 2025 Kia Carnival

We always wondered why we should be calling the Kia Carnival an MPV rather than a minivan. 

Let’s look back a few years to when we first worked with one to understand this categorization quandary. One of the first videos we produced in our current format was the 2022 Kia Carnival. We had to make light that it was called an MPV rather than a minivan. We understood the assignment, but we understood that the marketplace and our fellow colleagues will still consider it a minivan. 

Kia’s argument has always been that the Carnival was designed to align with its SUV siblings in the lineup. To give you an SUV aesthetic while providing the driver a cockpit that would not look out of place in a telluride or Sorento. Let alone being as functional as an SUV.

However, everything else behind the driver’s seat points it its purpose as a people mover. A spacious family transporter. Albeit without the ground clearance of an SUV.

With that off my chest, Kia revised the 2025 Carnival to further align its design language with the latest SUV offerings – such as the EV9 and Sorento. 

This is immediately evident in the new front clip. The thin vertical headlamp units and the larger grille area are the first things you will notice. The use of thin LED lighting signature forming the driving lamps and turn signals help frame both the headlamp units and parts of the grille. In all, this elevates the Carnival’s design aesthetic that has already given notice to the rest of its segment.

The other major revision is out back. They made the liftgate “rounder,” while framing it with a thin LED taillight nit that wraps around, drops down and goes almost across the entire liftgate. It gives it character, which is a good thing these days. 

The side profile has been untouched. It keeps its distinctiveness, thanks to the satin chrome 3-D effect on the C-pillar. Our Hybrid SX Prestige model wears plenty of black badging and a set of 19-inch black finished wheels. All of which is made even cooler by the Ceramic Silver paint job – a glossy non-metallic finish that both trendy and defining. 

Kia did not stop on the outside for its 2025 updates on the Carnival. When you step inside onto the driver’s seat, then you will notice the new curved flat panel mounted two-thirds across the dashboard. The panel houses two 12.3-inch screens. The one in front of the driver is a fully digital and customizable instrument cluster. It has a nice format that offers plenty of information. 

The other is for the infotainment touchscreen, driven by the latest Kia interface. The Carnival offers wireless smartphone integration among other connectivity options. Sound goes through a set of Bose premium audio speakers. 

The center console remains, but there is a new rotary shifter for the transmission. It’s the same as you find on any electrified Kia, which helps in familiarization. I appreciate the console as a nod to SUV owners, but I do miss the stowage other minivans offer up front. Kia’s controls work very well in the Carnival. 

The front seats are supportive and comfortable. There is plenty of space for adult passengers in the second- and third-row. Access to the third row is through a sliding mechanism that also tilts the second-row seatbacks forward. The SX Prestige wears leather seating across all three rows. 

For the cargo hold to expand, the third-row seats fold down to the bumper for better loading of many suitcases or a run to a home improvement store. That deep well behind the third row amounts to 40.2 cubic feet of space. Ultimately, the cargo space will yield up to 145.1 cubic feet.

The new addition to the 2025 Carnival is the option of a hybrid driveline. This is also a familiar set up seen on some other Kia SUVs, with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor driving the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. In all, this puts down a combined 242 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque.  

I must admit that performance was very surprising. Don’t be fooled by the numbers, because the electric motor added instant torque propelling the 4,852-pound Carnival smoothly off the mark. It cruises pretty well, while returning an average of 30.7 MPG. 

The ride quality is smooth, with the Carnival absorbing bad road surfaces without complaint. Handling tended to be on soft side, especially while cornering and maneuvering though evasive maneuvers. 

Steering was also on the soft side. However, it did exhibit a good on-center feel. The turning radius was good overall. The brakes were fine, with solid stops in normal and panic situations. Pedal feel was fine with decent response to the wheels. 

There are nine 2025 Carnival trim levels to choose from. That number also includes four hybrids. Pricing starts from $36,500 for the entire 2025 lineup. This 2025 Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige tester came to a sticker price of $54,490.

What one should appreciate about the 2025 Kia Carnival is the melding of SUV elements into a minivan/MPV/people mover. This goes beyond exterior design and the driver’s cockpit. It is about taking what people want into a much more practical vehicle. 

However, families looking for maximum space that is easily accessible for everyone to board and off-board the vehicle should give the Carnival a look. Not just because of the revisions, but because they offer a choice for families that need that extra space. 

DISCLAIMER: Vehicle provided by Kia America

All photos by Randy Stern