Yahoo Autos 2022 Kia Carnival Review | Yes it's a minivan, yes it's a good one
The 2022 Kia Carnival is Kia’s brand-new minivan that wants to make you think it isn’t a minivan. And while the sheet metal might make it look more like a Chevrolet Traverse from some angles, there’s no doubt that this big box still rides, drives and feels like a minivan from the inside. Still, the valiant effort from Kia designers to try and bring folks into the minivan segment by way of SUV-like exterior design is a smart one in a crossover-hungry world.
Kia also draws you in with a mountain of tech and potential for extremely cool features like the Mercedes-like wall of screens in the dash and VIP Lounge second row (or, alternatively, the unique "Captain Kirk" seat of the eight-passenger Carnival). The interior is slathered with piano black trim, haptic-touch buttons and beautiful patterned plastic, which does good work at imitating metal trim. It’s all far more upscale and luxurious than you’d find in other minivans (especially the Honda Odyssey), and that’s exactly what Kia needed to do to compete against the sumptuously updated Chrysler Pacifica and the classy Toyota Sienna now on the market. All the glitter and glitz fall away with the Carnival’s powertrain, though, as Kia doesn’t offer any green options like its competition. If high fuel economy isn’t a priority, though, the Carnival deserves a place on your shortlist.
Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy
What it's like to drive | Pricing & Features | Crash ratings & safety features
What’s new for 2022?
The Carnival is an all-new model for 2022. It replaces the outgoing Sedona as Kia’s minivan offering.
What’s the interior and in-car technology like?
The Carnivals pictured on this page represent the nicest you're going to find. Both the SX and SX Prestige (pictured above) are the range-topping models, and with them you get improved materials quality and far more equipment. Keep this in mind before expecting to see multiple big screens and VIP Lounge seats in a $33,000 base van -- you can't even get those on the regular SX, they're Prestige only. Still, there's not as much of a drop-off in terms of quality and ambiance as you'll find in various Toyota Sienna trim levels, and every Carnival has a more upscale look and feel than the appliance-like Honda Odyssey. We should also note that although most of the Carnival's "wow" features are available in other minivans, none offer the same number of them in the same place.
The standard infotainment set-up consists of traditional analog gauges and a user-friendly 8-inch touchscreen that does look a bit cheap in a housing clearly intended for something bigger. That would be the 12.3-inch screen that arrives with the EX trim. The gauges get swapped out for the all-digital instrument panel in the SX Prestige only. Both SX trims gain seatback touchscreens (much like the Chrysler Pacifica) that includes Netflix and YouTube apps, plus Kia's Sounds of Nature white noise programs (parents of small kids will know why this is a big deal). All Carnivals include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while most have access to a wireless charger and multiple USB ports per seating row. The SX and SX Prestige have 115-volt inverters — one on the back of the center console and one in the rear cargo area — for accessories with a standard two- or three-prong plug.
How big is the Carnival?
Buyers choose between seven-seat or eight-seat configurations like all the other minivans, but that's where the comparisons stop. The eight-passenger configuration we review in more depth here (bottom two photos above) features a unique center seat that slides far forward and all the way back to the third row and beyond. This can be handy when trying to stuff as many car seats as possible aboard, or just to create unique seating and cargo configurations. There are then two seven-seat configuration. The first one basically removes the eight-passenger's middle seat and adds in-board armrests to the remaining captain's chairs. The second one, exclusive to the SX Prestige and pictured above, are dubbed VIP Lounge seats due to their massive recline and pop-up footrests. This would be a great choice for families with older children.
The Carnival has a smaller third row than its rivals. Legroom is just 35.6 inches, which is about 2 inches less than the next smallest, the Toyota Sienna, and 3 inches less than the Pacifica, which is the clear winner for full-house comfort. That third row is still plenty acceptable, and although the others are roomier, you may not actually notice.
Kia quotes the best cargo capacity in the business at 40.2 cubic feet behind the third row. Kia also (just barely) wins the overall interior space wars at 145.1 cubic feet, but the Odyssey is nearly tied. Unfortunately, you can’t have the VIP seats and all that cargo room, since those seats don’t fold flat, and they’re not removable either. Slide them forward, and you still have a large, flat space, but it’s a real utility downer compared to other minivans with more flexibility. If you need the space, skip the SX Prestige. The eight-passenger SX is pictured below with its unique middle seat pushed all the way back.
