2025 Kia Carnival revealed with new hybrid powertrain option

When we first saw photos of the 2025 Kia Carnival back in October, it looked like a solid, if relatively unexciting refresh for the minivan. But it turns out Kia had more up its sleeve. At the Chicago Auto Show, it revealed that the Carnival is getting a hybrid powertrain, helping it compete against the hybrid-only Toyota Sienna, and available plug-in hybrid in the Chrysler Pacifica.

It's a familiar unit: the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder coupled with a 72-horsepower electric motor also found in the Kia Sportage and Sorento hybrids. It makes 242 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque between the engine and motor. The only transmission is a six-speed automatic, and like the standard V6 model, it just powers the front wheels. Fuel economy hasn't been announced yet. We wouldn't be surprised if it comes somewhere near the economy of the Kia Sorento hybrid, since that's the largest vehicle with the engine at the moment. The Sorento gets 37 mpg combined with front-wheel drive, and with the Carnival being a bit larger, it might lose an mpg or two. That should keep it close to the 36 mpg of the Sienna with front-wheel drive. The Pacifica Hybrid gets 82 mpg-e combined with a full charge, and 30 mpg combined with a drained battery.

If you're not interested in going hybrid, the current Carnival's V6 carries over. At 3.5 liters, it makes 287 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. It's only available with front-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic.