The 2024 Kia Carnival is marketed as an “MPV,” or multipurpose vehicle, which is a sneaky way to describe a minivan. With its low ride height and boxy, somewhat Ford Explorer-like appearance, the Carnival appears more like a road-hugging SUV from most angles. The Carnival is a traditional minivan, despite its spectacular appearance. The most obvious giveaway is its enormous sliding side doors, which cover a spacious, adaptable interior with three rows of seating, premium materials, and even the option for fully reclined second-row seats with footrests.
We enjoy singing to minivan acclaim, and the 2024 Kia Carnival gives us enough to sing. Along with being practical, comfortable, and affordable, it also sports a sleek, SUV-inspired design that prevents van-averse drivers from shuddering. With its blocky, upright design, the Carnival does a fair job of mimicking Kia’s much-coveted Telluride SUV, but the Carnival has more enticing inside features.
Despite having somewhat more room than minivan rivals like the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey, the Carnival’s low-load floor and tall roof provide more than adequate space for the needs of the average family. The Carnival transforms into a luxurious mode of transportation with reclining buckets created to make family road trips with fidgety kids a breeze if you select the second-row VIP seats. All models come with cutting-edge infotainment and driving-assistance features.
A well-rounded, sophisticated, and feature-rich minivan with a lot to offer is the 2024 Kia Carnival. The Carnival, despite certain flaws, lives up to its reputation as a colorful, eye-catching people mover that sticks out from the crowd.
Overview
The Carnival has a modern vibe thanks to its widescreen infotainment touchscreen, integrated driver display, in-cabin camera, and intercom system for controlling noisy or sleeping children. A sizable warranty is also included in the Carnival. The Carnival was released just two years ago, replacing the Sedona minivan, and the changes for 2024 are hardly discernible. (For instance, the EX trim no longer has auto up/down on all power windows.) We wouldn’t anticipate significant modifications from Kia at this time, but the Carnival might need to improve its suspension and driving characteristics to more closely resemble the captivating Honda Odyssey in order to stay competitive. It would also be able to catch up to the incredibly fuel-efficient Toyota Sienna with the help of a more fuel-efficient V6 or perhaps a hybrid powertrain.
What has changed for 2024?
For 2024, the Carnival only receives two minor modifications that have an impact on the EX trim. Although this mid-range model no longer has automatic up/down power windows, it still has a power-operated rear liftgate.
2024 Kia Carnival: Performance
Despite having a powerful 290-horsepower V6 engine, the Carnival was judged to be no faster than an ordinary minivan. In stop-and-go traffic, the gas pedal reacts a little slowly, and the brake pedal is too sensitive when first depressed. But with time, you’ll probably become used to both.
Driving down a long, straight highway requires a little extra concentration to maintain alignment because the Carnival’s steering is a little uncertain off-center. Most of the time, driving is comparable to that of a minivan. While shifting is easy, the eight-speed transmission isn’t very speedy. The zone that drives like a minivan is where everyone else, including the Carnival, sits.
2024 Kia Carnival: Comfort
The front seats on the Carnival might be the most comfortable in the minivan market. The heating and cooling features performed as planned, and they are suitable for lengthy drives.
Despite the showy features offered by the optional second-row lounge-style chairs, we advise against purchasing them because to how gimmicky we think they are. You can only fully recline and stretch the legrests if the seats are fully moved toward the back and center of the van. Adults will still be unable to extend the legrests all the way without touching the front row seats. Children won’t notice that the third row isn’t quite as roomy as in other minivans.
This minivan simply doesn’t feel as refined or like a vehicle as some of its competitors. The cabin’s temperature control system efficiently heats and cools it, but because it lacks haptic feedback, its touch-sensitive controls are difficult to use when moving.
2024 Kia Carnival: Interior
The Carnival’s interior features are typical of minivans. It is spacious, versatile, and easy to get in and out of. Although they appear smaller from the outside than those on other vans, the Carnival’s rear sliding doors really have the same size openings. Another benefit is the fully adjustable driver’s seat, which should allow people of various sizes to find a comfortable position. Really good exterior visibility is present. The big windows and available surround-view camera system make it easy to stay aware of your surroundings.
2024 Kia Carnival: Technology
Technology should be the 2024 Kia Carnival’s standout feature. The 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display, which is an option, is large and boasts sharp graphics. For those who have spatial issues as well, the abundance of parking cameras eliminates all uncertainty. If you’re looking for USB ports, Kia offers practically two per passenger. Numerous of these features are offered at prices that are cheaper than those of the rest of the class.
However, things are not as perfect as they seem on the spec sheet. Although Kia sets the standard with this array of technological features, not all of them meet our expectations for quality.
Many of the advanced driver aids aren’t as responsive as those in other recent Kia vehicles that have been evaluated, and the voice control system is less user-friendly and useful than other systems. The lane-maintenance and traffic-adaptive cruise control systems frequently proved to be more of a nuisance than a benefit.
Storage
Naturally, Carnival excels at handling freight. The second-row bench is separated into three portions, enabling versatility in the eight-passenger arrangement that is more parent-friendly. Although they must be kept somewhere, they can also be removed. Conveniently, the third-row seats may be folded into the ground.
With the third row down and the second-row bench seat removed, there are 40.2 cubic feet behind the third-row seat and up to 145.1 cubic feet. Both numbers are among the top in their category.
There are numerous nooks and pockets in the Carnival cabin for storing items, but some vans provide more inventive options. Do you carry kids that need booster seats or car seats? Although there is plenty of space to install safety seats, it can be a little challenging to reach the lower seat anchors on the Carnival.
Value
Kia is still selling cars with excellent value propositions. Every trim level on the Carnival seems to smuggle in a feature that the rivalship either lacks or can be had for a higher price. Entry into the Carnival is reasonably priced, around $30,000. The interior materials are amazing, and the building itself is very well-made. Additional benefits include Kia’s exceptional 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Summary
The Kia Carnival is a high-end people mover with a ton of features and a street presence that is both commanding and mildly rough. Customers wishing to replace their Toyota Innova Crystal in a cost-effective manner might consider it. Along with its big cabin and superior ride quality, it fulfills all the necessary criteria.
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