KIA Carnival lands in South Africa
We welcome a new competitor as we bid farewell to a recognizable steed that has been holding the MPV segment fort down for Kia which is the memorable Sedona to give way to the Carnival.
At first glance, it goes almost unnoticed that it is a Mini-Van thanks to the Korean brand new "Opposites United" design language but when you genuinely take your time to look at its dimensions can you finally conclude that you are indeed looking at an MPV.
Upfront the Kia features a new modernized tiger-nose front grille that is accompanied by new stylish LED headlights. There are large two-tone mirrors and black/chrome rocker panel mouldings, to finish off the look the Carnival acquires 18-inch aluminium alloys as standard and then larger 19-inch aluminium alloys are afforded in higher trim specs.
At the rear, the show is stolen by the light strip that runs across the boot with its wonderful illumination design with the revised Kia logo planted in the centre of the strip. The rear bumper contains a cool-looking chrome skid plate garnish and it also hosts reflectors on either side of the bumper.
The Kia Carnival is longer by 40mm, wider 10mm and higher 35mm than the current outgoing Grand Sedona which means by default it will offer and be more spacious within the cabin and even more practicality at that.
The Kia Carnival has seven colours exterior colours to pick from, you have Snow White Pearl, Panthera Metal, Flare Red, Deep Chroma Blue, Ceramic Silver, Aurora Black Pearl and Astra Blue.
Interior
Inside the Carnival, the cabin is a tad bit more satisfactory thanks to a host of materials used all around the cabin like high gloss black piano accents, signature chrome garnishes across the dashboard, integrated slim metal-effect air vents and as standard you have the luxury of two-tone leather trim.
You can have the option of having seven seats or eight seats according to which derivative you choose, a new addition to the Carnival offers a seven-seater option that has individual seating as opposed to having a full stacked row.
Specifications
There are four trim levels of the new Carnival to choose from. These include the entry-level EX, mid-spec EX+, second to last in the range is the SX Limited and then topping the list is the SXL.
The EX lands you 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto and Apple Carplay,7 airbags around the cabin, 4 USB ports, electrically adjustable seats, leather trim, Hill-start assist control etc.
The EX+ adds 8 seats (2+3+3 configuration), keyless entry (push button start), electric tailgate, rear sunshade blind, paddle shifters and 3 more USB ports than you get in the EX.
The SX gets you Heated and Ventilated seats, Smart cruise control, dual-LED headlamps(high and low beams), dual slide and tilt sunroofs, wireless charging for long drives. The top-tier SXL gains a 12.3 inch TFT Supervision instrument cluster and a 12 speaker BOSE surround sound system.
The Carnival is also flooded with safety features so when you choose the SX Limited and SXL trim you get the brand's Advance Drivers Assistance System (ADAS) as standard. The system is packed with safety features which include Foward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCAA), Around View Monitor(AVM), Lane Keep Assist(LKA) and newly introduced Blindspot View Monitor(BVM) just to name a few features of course.
Under the bonnet of the Carnival, range will sit a turbo-diesel powertrain that was specifically engineered to be more powerful and potent than the previous Grand Sedona it replaces. The Turbo-diesel will be a 2.2litre producing 148kw and 440nm which will be to an 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
Pricing stands as follows
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
All-new Kia Carnival's will come standard with an unlimited Km warranty, 5-year warranty (inclusive of roadside assistance) as well as a 6-year / 90 000km maintenance plan.
It without a doubt looks stunning at first glance and we think it will be able to win over peoples hearts and become a fan favourite without a doubt.
