The venerable minivan may have been shoved out of the spotlight by SUV and CUV entries (remember when they dominated the 1990’s?) But these versatile Swiss army knives on wheels still play a key role in the family vehicle market. Kia is hoping that some of this magic will help the 2024 Kia Carnival carve out a slice of the sales pie for itself. But does the Carnival have the chops needed to stand out in a world where SUVs and technology have become the new must-have items for growing families?
Carnival Styling Attracts The Masses
While the Carnival may look like a traditional minivan at first glance, Kia does not like to call it such. Instead, the Korean car giant prefers to call it an MPV. While we will still roll our eyes in response, the Carnival does infuse some SUV DNA into its boxy look with the front fascia getting a larger front grille, Kia’s trademark headlight design as well as splashes of silver accents that attempt to give it a more rugged look.
The rear lightbar looks a bit odd but in a segment where rear styling tends to be sacrificed for the sake of functionality, we’ll give the Kia a pass here. The large liftgate features a strategically placed grab point that’s within easy reach of shorter drivers and minor updates for 2024 see the power liftgate become standard on the mid-range EX model. Move up into an SX Prestige like our grey-colored example and you get darkened accents including a sinister shade for the bigger 19-inch alloy wheels. The higher trim levels as a whole are also where we would go if we were looking for a Carnival for ourselves since the base LX model looks a bit hokey, especially with its smaller 17-inch wheels.
The Carnival is also fresher looking than some of its rivals including the Chrysler Pacifica which has gone several years without a major update or refresh.
VIP Carnival Interior Experience Comes At The Cost Of Cargo Hauling
Slip inside the Carnival and you’ll find a cabin that’s very roomy and functional. Front seat occupants get access to a large central storage bin with various controls and switches being laid out in an ergonomically friendly manner. SX Prestige models like our tester come with leather upholstered thrones and our tester even came with Kia’s optional dual-screen system which gives owners a large 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a matching 12.3-inch infotainment system.
Things get interesting when you get into the second row, with the Carnival being the only van in its segment to currently offer reclining second-row seats as an optional extra. These seats also feature pop-out footrests and are supposed to be an attempt to improve comfort on long road trips. But while the nifty chairs are certainly worth the extra money when it comes to an overall upgrade, they also force you to make compromises. For example, the VIP seats can neither be removed nor stored in the floor and they cut into cargo space as a result. This is especially apparent if you are trying to fold the three-step manual-folding third-row seats down to the floor with the fully reclined seat preventing it from operating properly. As a result, you’ll either have to have a second-row occupant move to the other seat or plan accordingly. As a bonus, the third row is heavy and will be a good substitute for your arm routine at the gym with long-term exposure. Cargo space here is roughly what you would expect in the segment, but the Honda Odyssey and the Chrysler Pacifica.
The Carnival is also home to nine different USB ports and certain trims can even be equipped with advanced features such as a voice intercom system, a separate voice command system that allows passengers to control the front-mounted infotainment system, and even a camera to help keep an eye on rowdier members of the family.
V6 Performance Paints Typical Minivan Picture
Performance for all Carnival models comes from a 290-hp, naturally aspirated V6 that’s mated to an eight-speed automatic. Contrary to what its SUV-like styling is trying to project, the Carnival doesn’t offer all-wheel drive and there’s also no plans for a hybrid model either. This makes the Carnival an interesting throwback especially when you consider that the Toyota Sienna has hybrid-only performance while the Pacifica goes one step further and has an available PHEV setup.
That aside, the V6 in our tester delivered impressive amounts of acceleration with our tester only needing 7.0 seconds to make the sprint to 60 mph. Handling was also smooth and composed but only if the Carnival is firmly in its comfort zone with howling tires and body roll appearing if you ask it to to tackle winding sections of tarmac. The Carnival gets an EPA-rated 19/26/22 mpg in city/freeway/combined driving which makes it pretty thirsty for the segment. We suspect that these figures would go up if Kia decided to add hybrid technology to the V6 but we’ll have to wait and see if Kia decides to change its mind on that front or not.
Value Quotient
Pricing for the 2024 Kia Carnival lineup starts at $34,995 for the base LX model. Adding the seat package raises the price to $36,995 while the volume-focused EX gets a base MSRP of $40,495. Our range-topping SX Prestige tester had a base price of $48,095 (all pricing includes the destination fee) but optional extras pushed the final as-tested price to just over $50,000. That’s on par with a $51,615 Chrysler Pacifica Limited though it’s noticeably less than the $57,470 Pinnacle variant. It’s also in the same ballpark as the $51,765 Honda Odyssey Elite which also has a naturally aspirated V6 but has a 10-speed automatic versus the Kia’s eight-cog box.
When viewed for the full sum of its parts, the 2024 Kia Carnival is a potent entry in the minivan segment. While its lack of hybrid or PHEV technology causes its fuel economy woes to stand out when being cross-shopped, the novel second-row VIP seats and some of its baked-in functionality allow it to be a unique value and that should please families looking to haul the kids in something distinct and luxurious.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.