New Kia Carnival Australian Pricing and Features announced

A completely new design, with a touch more in every area for the driver, the family and the luggage – the all-new fourth-generation Kia Carnival pricing and specs have been announced for Australia.

There’s a hell of a lot to unpack about the new Kia Carnival, but we’ll leave the detail digging to our motoring dedicated colleagues.

For us, the new Kia Carnival is a line in the sand for the family car market, offering a stunning new design that should appeal to those jumping up to the larger car market, or those who are for some reason hell-bent on owning an SUV seven-seater when their 4WDing is likely to be limited to driving onto the front lawn to wash the car.

As the owner of a 2020 model Kia Carnival – I can safely tell you it’s the best car I’ve owned. Fit for purpose, made for the family.

These are eight-seaters which for the smart family are dropped down to seven seater with the removable middle seat in the second row taken out, and stored in the garage for that rare occasion you actually need to take eight people.

Removing that seat gives a simple walk-through access to the rear row, no need for clumsy moving and flipping of the middle row seats or climbing through the boot.

Most importantly, even with all eight seats up, there’s loads of luggage space. Those are the things that sold us on the Kia Carnival – that and the Seven Year warranty.

And all of that still applies in the 2021 model about to hit Kia showrooms.

This is a market that Kia dominates, as their COO Damien Meredith explains, “The Kia Carnival has always provided practicality, comfort, space and power, which has seen it consistently hold an unchallenged segment share of up to 51 per cent.”

“The all new Carnival still provides these essentials but adds on class leading features, with an outstanding design and driving features similar to a SUV. The appeal has increased; possibly to shoppers looking at the Upper Large SUV <$100,000 segment.” 

The new Carnival is actually based on the new mid-sized platform along with the latest Sorento, which allows for more space and capability for the Carnival that sits on it.

Aussies will get the choice of four trim levels, the entry S, the Si, the SLi and the range-topping platinum. All four can be specced with the diesel or petrol engines.

At the entry-level, you get 17 inch alloys, an 8 inch infotainment, 4.2 inch LCD dashboard, 6 speaker sound system and manual temperature controls. This goes with the cloth seats, and rear parking sensors.

Step it up to the Si and you get 18inch Alloys, 12.3 inch Infotainment and an 8 Speaker sound system, along with dual zone automatic temperature control in the front and a rear zone too.

The SLi ups the look with rear privacy glass, push button start, artificial leather seats, surround view monitor, power opening boot (tailgate), power sliding doors and an eight-way power adjustable drivers seat, along with safe exit alert and rear cross traffic alert.

Range-topping Platinum models have a new electronic gear shifting dial, 19 inch black alloy wheels (a shift from the large Chrome ones on the previous Platinum models), 12 speaker Bose sound system, rear occupant alert, my wife’s favourite the Heated steering wheel, wireless charging, sunroof, memory seats, lumbar support, heated rear seats and more.

You’re looking at $46,880 for the base model Kia Carnival S Petrol, up to $64,580 for the Platinum in Petrol, while the Platinum in Diesel is Kia’s most expensive at $66,680.

Outside, this is more like an American SUV but lowered down.

It’s a very fresh new look.

Inside it’s a tech heaven with the large info-tainment screen.

Strangely, Wirless Apple CarPlay, available on the cheapest Kia the Picanto, is only available on the base model Kia Carnival S – all others need your cable. Very strange.

There’s a touch more space with a longer wheelbase and wider body, plus longer in length too. There’s more rear overhang, and best-in-class boot space up to 2785litres, but 627litres even with the rear seats up.

Importantly, Kia’s local Aussie tuning team have taken the newly engineered platform and tweaked the handling characteristics to be more in tune with Aussie road conditions and driver preferences.

How much is the new Kia Carnival in Australia?

Here’s the pricing for every grade of the all-new fourth-generation Kia Carnival in Australia

We’re going to put the Carnival through its paces next week, stay tuned!

Web: KIA Australia