MSRP: $38,235
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Overview
The 2025 Kia Carnival minivan disguises its practicality in SUV-inspired styling, appealing to families who want minivan space, people-carrying capacity, and sliding-door convenience without the soccer-mom stigma. Besides the 287-hp V6, you can now also get the Carnival in a parsimonious hybrid with 242 hp.
As for the rest, it’s still a roomy bus, ready to accommodate up to eight passengers with best-in-class cargo space behind the third row. It’s covered by Kia’s market-leading warranty, so carpoolers, growing families, and road-trip enthusiasts who prioritize value and space (and can live without some rivals’ AWD ability) get peace of mind too.
What’s New for 2025?
The 2025 Carnival gets a facelift, with exterior updates including new vertical LED headlights, revised taillights, a rugged-looking new grille, revised lower body panels, and new wheel designs, inspired by those of the electric EV9 SUV. More important is the arrival of the Hybrid, which uses a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and dual electric motors, and achieves 33 mpg combined.
The interior is updated, gaining new infotainment software with a voice assistant that can control the climate control, navigation, and power windows. There’s a reconfigured center console with a new rotary gear selector, freeing up storage space. The climate controls are no longer on the console, but on the lower part of the center stack.
Exterior
Kia blurs the line between minivan and crossover with the Carnival’s aggressive fascia, broad shoulders, upright stance, and robust new nose. The 2025 refresh also adds vertically stacked LED headlights and sharper LED lighting signatures, in line with Kia’s corporate design language.
The base 17-inch wheels make way for larger 19-inch units in designs inspired by the EV9 on the upper trims, and the Carnival hides its minivan frame well among the SUVs in the school parking lot. It still has minivan-typical power sliding doors that open widely for easy access, even to the third row, while the tailgate opening is wide and the cargo floor flat.
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Interior
Inside, the revamped dashboard is especially impressive with the 12.3-inch screen on the higher trims, combining the digital gauge cluster and infotainment touchscreen. Two household power outlets and seven USB-C ports keep devices charged in all three rows. The optional rear-seat entertainment system comes with dual 14.6-inch screens for streaming content.
Accommodation is commodious, with up to eight seats and optional VIP Lounge second-row chairs that recline, with pop-up leg rests for first-class comfort on long journeys. However, they cannot be removed to maximize cargo capacity. A panoramic sunroof lets natural light in on top trims. Oddments space is generous, with a more spacious new center console.
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Price Range and Best Value Trim
| Trim Level | Price (V6) | |
| Base Trim: LX | $36,800 | |
| Top Trim: SX Prestige | $50,900$52,900 (Hybrid) | |
| Best Value: EX | $41,000 |
The 2025 Kia Carnival’s price of just under $37K for the LX represents great value, but the EX strikes the best balance between price and features. It has 19-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, second- and third-row sunshades, a power liftgate, the 12.3-inch display, heated power front seats, an 8-speaker audio system, an in-cabin intercom, a wireless charger, and a voice-control system that responds to the rear passenger’s commands.
Key Specs
Powertrain
| Engine | Power | Torque | Transmission | Drivetrain |
| 3.5L V6 | 287 hp @ 6,400 rpm | 260 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm | 8-speed automatic | FWD |
| 1.6L Turbo Hybrid | 242 hp (combined) | 271 lb-ft | 6-speed automatic | FWD |
Fuel Economy (EPA)
| Powertrain | City | Highway | Combined |
| 3.5L V6 | 18 mpg | 26 mpg | 21 mpg |
| 1.6L Turbo Hybrid | 34 mpg | 31 mpg | 33 mpg |
Dimensions
| Specification | Measurement |
| Wheelbase | 121.7 in |
| Length | 203.0 in |
| Width | 78.5 in |
| Height | 68.5 in69.9 in w/ roof rails |
| Passenger Volume | 167 cu ft |
| Cargo (behind 3rd row) | 40.2 cu ft |
| Cargo (maximum) | 145.1 cu ft |
| Curb Weight | 4,555–4,967 lbs |
| Towing Capacity | 3,500 lbs2,500 lbs Hybrid |
| Seating | 7 or 8 passengers |
Warranty
Exceptional peace of mind comes from Kia’s market-leading warranty coverage:
| Coverage | Duration |
| Basic Vehicle | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Powertrain | 10 years / 100,000 miles |
| Corrosion Perforation | 5 years / 100,000 miles |
| Roadside Assistance | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- SUV styling disguises minivan practicality
- New hybrid delivers 33 mpg combined
- Best-in-class cargo space behind the third row
- Industry-leading 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty
- Available VIP second-row lounge seating
- Infotainment with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Cons:
- No AWD option
- VIP lounge seats cannot be removed for cargo hauling
- Less total cargo space than Pacifica and Odyssey
- Hybrid has less power than gas V6
- Ride quality can be unsettled over rough pavement
Verdict
The Kia Carnival delivers everything families want and need in a package you won’t be embarrassed to park at the country club, but it remains a practical minivan under the skin, with a flat floor, sliding doors, and a cavernous three-row interior. The new hybrid addresses the V6’s mediocre fuel efficiency with 33 mpg combined, at the expense of less power. The EX is the sweet spot in the range, thanks to added features that make family duty more pleasant.
Drawbacks are few, but worth mentioning, such as the lack of an AWD option for drivers in snowy climates and the non-removable VIP second-row seats on the SX Prestige. The Honda Odyssey is still more fun to drive, and nothing beats the Chrysler Pacifica’s Stow N Go rear seats. Still, for value-conscious families who want unmatched warranty protection, the Carnival is hard to beat.
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Competitors
- Honda Odyssey
- Chrysler Pacifica
- Toyota Sienna
About the author
Cobus F. Potgieter
Reviews and Features Editor