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Caraganza Review 2025 KIA Carnival: More Style, More Tech, Less Minivan Guilt

 

2025 Carnival HEV

Back in 2021, I reviewed the then-new KIA Carnival and concluded that it was, in fact, a minivan, no matter how desperately KIA tried to convince us otherwise. Now, just a few years later, they’ve decided it needed a freshening. Because apparently, in the world of modern car design, if something sits still for too long, it risks becoming irrelevant—much like that gym membership you signed up for in January.

So here we are with the 2025 KIA Carnival, now sporting a styling enhancement that borrows heavily from the EV9, KIA’s electric three-row crossover. The grille, headlamps, taillamps, wheels, and lower body panels have all been updated to give it a more modern, squared-off look that makes it seem a little less like a minivan—which is probably the whole point.

Inside, Kia has made a few tweaks as well. The center console has been slightly revised, and the climate control panel is now separate and mounted on the dashboard rather than being buried within the console. The infotainment system gets KIA’s latest interface, including a voice assistant that can now perform more tasks than before—so if you ever wanted to tell your car what to do like some sort of automotive overlord, here’s your chance. A new lane-centering feature has been added, working in conjunction with adaptive cruise control to better keep the van on track during highway drives.

Kia continues to market the Carnival as a “multi-purpose vehicle,” or MPV, because let’s face it—calling it a minivan might send prospective buyers into a full-blown identity crisis. After all, the term “minivan” has long been the automotive equivalent of a pair of white New Balance sneakers and a fanny pack. But make no mistake, this is a minivan. It has three rows of seating. It has sliding rear doors. And it has the type of practicality that minivans have been quietly perfecting for decades while SUVs desperately try to pretend they’re just as useful.

2025 Carnival HEV

For 2025, the Carnival lineup consists of LX, EX, SX, and SX Prestige trims. My tester for the week was the SX with the new-for-this-year hybrid powertrain. This setup produces 242 horsepower, and KIA claims it improves fuel economy by more than 50% compared to the regular gas-powered Carnival. Given that I averaged 36 mpg during my week with it, I’m inclined to believe them. It’s the best kind of hybrid—the kind that delivers power when needed and otherwise doesn’t remind you that you’re driving a hybrid.

The SX trim gets a sportier and more upscale treatment, adding 19-inch black alloy wheels, a full digital instrument panel, ventilated front seats, a household-style power outlet, rear automatic braking, a surround-view camera system, and a blind-spot camera. So yes, it’s practical, but also a little bit fancy.

The advantage of the Carnival looking less like a minivan than, say, a Chrysler Pacifica, is that young dads today won’t have to suffer the same indignities as those of us who came before them. You’re welcome. On the road, the Carnival glides along effortlessly, and the hybrid setup ensures that fuel bills will be lower than ever. Inside, there’s enough space to host a small family reunion, though thankfully, there’s no requirement to invite your in-laws along.

So, if you’re looking for a vehicle with all the minivan benefits but without quite as much of the minivan shame, the 2025 KIA Carnival makes a strong case for itself. And if you still can’t get over the idea of driving a minivan, just call it an MPV and pretend it’s something else. That seems to be working for KIA.

The 2025 KIA Carnival SX Hybrid
MSRP: $52,600
MSRP (as tested): $54,755
Engine: 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4 hybrid, combined 242 horsepower
Transmission: 8-speed shiftable automatic
Fuel Milage (EPA): 34 city, 31 highway, 33 combined
Fuel Mileage (as tested, mixed conditions): 36 mpg
Curb Weight: 4852 lbs.

Exterior Dimensions (inches)
Wheelbase: 121.7
Length: 203
Width, without mirrors: 78.5
Height: 69.9
Ground Clearance, Front: 6.8

Interior Dimensions
Passenger / Seating Capacity: 8
Front Head Room (inches): 39.7
Front Leg Room (inches): 41.1
Front Shoulder Room (inches): 64.2
Front Hip Room (inches): 59.8
Second Row Head Room (inches): 66.4
Second Row Leg Room (inches): 40.5
Second Row Shoulder Room (inches): 63.2
Second Row Hip Room (inches): 66.4
Third Row Head Room (inches): 38.6
Third Row Leg Room (inches): 35.6
Third Row Shoulder Room (inches): 59.5
Third Row Hip Room (inches): 50.4
Cargo volume: 40 ft3

Warranty
Warranty – Basic (mths/miles) 60/60,000
Warranty – Powertrain (mths/miles) 120/100,000
Warranty – Corrosion perforation (mths/miles) 60/100,000
Warranty – Roadside assistance (mths/miles) 60/60,000

Greg Engle
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