Knowing that the Carnival will appeal to families, Kia equips it with two valuable technologies. A separate rear power sunroof opens over these seats, and the test vehicle had window shades for both the sliding side door and the rear quarter windows. These power-adjustable lounge seats fully recline and offer a power-adjustable leg rest.

In the SX Prestige, Kia supplies standard heated and ventilated VIP Lounge Seats, and they would be pretty impressive in an ultra-luxury vehicle, let alone something priced under $50,000. The middle seat can slide forward to place a child closer to parents or slide quite far back to add genuinely comfortable seating for three adults across (provided you've stowed the third-row seat away). Depending on the trim level, they reveal individual second-row seats or a Slide Flex arrangement with a middle seat. Kia provides several ways to open the power sliding side doors, including a standard hands-free function. The test vehicle's front seats offered heating and ventilation, and the heated steering wheel is excellent for cold winter days. Kia could easily drop it, and few people would notice. This design approach comes at a cost to storage space, though, and not all of the trays and bins have a lined bottom, which could promote rattles on the road.įeels stiffer and dryer than the perforated SynTex material in most Carnivals, the SX Prestige's genuine leather holds no advantage. The dashboard and controls resemble a crossover SUV instead of a minivan, and because you can see the hood through the windshield, the Carnival feels like a crossover from the driver's seat. Kia decorates the Carnival's dashboard with textured metallic or simulated open-pore wood trim, depending on the trim level. Genuine leather is restricted to the SX Prestige and only in Gray or Tuscan Umber. Colors in other trim levels include Gray, Saddle Brown, or Tuscan Umber in SynTex, which is synthetic leather. It's the only one with a Black interior, and it comes in cloth. Look closely, and you'll spot plenty of hard plastic, but this trim level's dual 12.3-inch screen instrumentation and infotainment setup is reminiscent of a Mercedes-Benz.īold two-tone interior colors define the Carnival's cabin, except with LX trim. Open the Carnival SX Prestige's door, and an upscale, high-tech interior greets you. The price of the test vehicle came to $47,920, including the $1,175 destination charge. Auto-dimming rearview mirror with garage door opener.In the sections that follow, our independent expert provides an analysis of a Carnival SX Prestige equipped with the following options: What Our Independent Expert Says About the Kia Carnival - Find the best Kia deals! Pair the boxy, technical styling with clever seating configurations, impressive new infotainment technologies, and a wide range of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), and Kia's contention that the Carnival is something more than a minivan carries a ring of truth to it. Now, the crossover vibe is more pronounced. With the outgoing third-generation Sedona, Kia trialed subtle SUV design themes to set its minivan apart from the competition. They all have a new 290-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine, an 8-speed automatic transmission, and front-wheel drive. The 2022 Carnival offers seating for seven or eight people, depending on the configuration, and is available with LX, EX, SX, or SX Prestige trim. But since the Carnival still competes with the Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey, and Toyota Sienna, it remains aimed at practical people seeking maximum passenger and cargo space at a minimum cost. The 2022 Kia Carnival replaces the Kia Sedona minivan and features SUV design elements distinctive enough to warrant a vehicle reclassification in the automaker's estimation. Never mind those sliding side doors this is a Multi-Purpose Vehicle, or MPV. Kia doesn't want you to think of its new 2022 Carnival as a minivan.

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