LX Seat Package Passenger Van
2023 Kia Carnival

Pros: Stylish; great tech; trick second-row seat options Cons: No hybrid or all-wheel-drive option; comparatively small third row The 2023 Kia Carnival is guaranteed to wow you in the minivan segment. And no, Kia does not call it a minivan — it uses “MPV," which is basically the European word for minivan — but everything about the Carnival’s feel, ride and drives screams minivan. And that’s OK! Minivan are cool, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Not only are they cool, but the Carnival is the coolest with wild features like the VIP Lounge second row seats. Show up to the school drop-off line in one outfitted like the Carnival in the photos above, and you’re sure to turn a few curious heads. Of course, utility is still king when it comes to the Carnival. Its box-like shape leaves you with a plethora of cargo space and rear seat legroom that is similar to or more than many of its competitors. If you don’t want the fancy VIP seats, Kia offers the unique "Captain Kirk" seat in the eight-passenger Carnival. Opt for the top trims, and the interior is slathered in eye-catching trim, massive screens and tons of tech. We’re disappointed that the Carnival doesn’t offer powertrain options to compete with alternatives like the hybrid-only Sienna and Pacifica PHEV, though. They have a gigantic fuel economy advantage that could be reason enough to chose one of those rather than the big Kia. Furthermore, the Carnival doesn't offer all-wheel drive as the Toyota and Chrysler do. Still, if fuel economy and AWD are not priorities, the Carnival is well deserving of a spot on your shortlist. It may even look enough like an SUV to convince minivan detractors to give it a chance, too. Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive | Pricing & Trim Levels | Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2023? Kia doesn’t change a lot for 2023, and all the minor changes take place inside. The SX trim snags the 12.3-inch full digital instrument cluster that was previously exclusive to the SX Prestige. Additionally, the SX Prestige gets a new standard seat configuration. Instead of the reclining VIP Lounge seats coming standard, the regular model’s 8-seat configuration is the standard setup. You can optionally add the VIP seats if you want those instead now. What are the Carnival’s interior and in-car technology like? The Carnivals pictured on this page represent the nicest you're going to find. Both the SX and SX Prestige (pictured above) are the range-topping models, and with them you get improved materials quality and far more equipment. Keep this in mind before expecting to see multiple big screens and VIP Lounge seats in a $33,000 base van -- you can't even get those on the regular SX, they're optional on the Prestige only. Still, there's not as much of a drop-off in terms of quality and ambiance as you'll find …
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