The new Kia Carnival luxury MPV has arrived in South Africa! See specification and pricing details below!

There’s a new luxury family mover in town and it’s called the Kia Carnival. The Carnival replaces the Grand Sedona in Kia’s local lineup boasting a luxurious cabin, a new diesel engine and a swathe of driver assistance features.

Carnival is bigger and more practical

The Carnival is built on Kia’s third-generation N3 platform, the same which also underpins the new Sorento SUV which has also now arrived in South Africa. Compared with the outgoing Grand Sedona, the Carnival is 40mm longer, 10 mm wider and 35 mm taller. Designed in Kia’s California design studio, the Carnival draws inspiration from Kia’s current SUV range (Sorento, Seltos, Sonet) and offers 3 rows of seating for either 7 or 8 passengers.

The Carnival wears Kia’s bold ‘tiger nose’ grille’ which is flanked by LED headlights while the bonnet lines give the Carnival a unique look. The Carnival rides on either 18- or 19-inch wheels.

The interior features a slick, sophisticated appearance. The central fascia features gloss black finishes and chrome garnish runs the width of the dashboard, imparting a sense of spaciousness. Two-tone leather upholstery is fitted as standard.

As far as practicality is concerned, with all seats in place, load space is claimed at 1 139 litres and with the second row removed and the third row stowed, space increases to a very useful 4 110 litres. The 7-seater Carnival is fitted with 2 individual second-row seats while the 8-seater Carnival gains ‘Slide Flex’ seating which allows for multiple configurations including a sliding second-row centre seat which can also be used as a table. Other useful and practical features include a hands-free electric sliding side door with a Smart Key and an electronic liftgate with auto-close functionality.

The front-wheel-drive Kia Carnival is equipped with a ‘SmartStream’ 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine that delivers 148 kW and 440 Nm of torque and is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

As far as driver assistance features are concerned, the Kia Carnival (in SX Lmited and SXL guise) offers features such as Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA), Blindspot Collision Avoidance Assist (BCA), Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) with Lane Following Assist (LFA), Blindspot View Monitor (BVM), Smart Cruise Control (SCC) and an Around View Monitor (AVM).

“The Kia Carnival is here to disrupt a staid segment and proves once again what is possible when conventions are shattered. With its SUV-like character, Carnival delivers a combination of premium design and features, intelligent packaging, and an abundance of innovation in safety and technology at a price that packs a value punch” says Gary Scott, CEO of Kia South Africa.

Kia Carnival Specification Details

Buyers will be able to choose from 4 derivatives including the entry EX trim, mid-spec EX+, SX Limited and the range-topping SXL derivative. See specification for each trim level below.

Kia Carnival EX

• 8,0” touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

• Front and rear adjustable air-conditioning

• Auto light control

• Auto-folding side mirrors

• Overhead console lamps

• 4 USB ports

• Drive Mode Select

• Electrically adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support

• Leather trim

• LED headlamps

• PDC front and rear

• 18” aluminium alloy wheels

• 7 airbags

• ESC plus Hill-start Assist Control

Kia Carnival EX+ adds

• 8 seats (2+3+3 configuration)

• Smart Entry with push-button start

• Powered sliding side doors

• Electric tailgate

• Remote rear door and tailgate opening on key

• Remote start on key

• Electro-chromatic rear-view mirror

• Front and rear adjustable automatic climate control

• Rear sunshade blinds

• Paddle shifters

• 7 USB ports

Kia Carnival SX Limited builds on EX+ with the following features:

• 19” aluminium alloy wheels

• Heated and ventilated front seats

• Electrically adjustable front seats with lumbar support

• Smart Cruise Control

• LED front fog lights

• Dual LED headlamps (high and low beam)

• Dual tilt and slide sunroofs

• Wireless smartphone charging

• 12.3” touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

• Rear LED combination lamps

• Skid plates front and rear

• Around View Monitor

• Rear Cross Traffic Alert

• Blindspot Collision-Avoidance Assist

• Blindspot Monitor

• Lane Following Assist

• Lane Keeping Assist

• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist

The range-topping Carnival SXL will join the range in March 2022 and will feature the following features over and above what’s offered in the limited-edition SX Limited:

• 12.3” TFT Supervision instrument cluster

• BOSE surround sound with 12 speakers

How much does the Kia Carnival Cost in South Africa?

Carnival 2.2 CRDi EX 8AT 7-Seater – R799 995

Carnival 2.2 CRDi EX+ 8AT 8-Seater – R879 995

Carnival 2.2 CRDi SX Limited 8AT 7-Seater – R999 995

Carnival 2.2 CRDi SXL 8AT 7-Seater – R1 024 995

The Kia Carnival is sold with a 5-year/unlimited km warranty (including roadside assistance) and a 6-year/90 000km maintenance plan.

Buy a Kia on Cars.co.za

Related Content

New Cars For South Africa in 2022

New Kia Carens Revealed, Not Confirmed for SA

New Kia Sportage: 6 Cool Things