Kia Carnival 2021 review: SLi petrol

Fitted with eight seats, the Carnival comes in eight flavours – base S from $46,880, Si from $52,380, SLi from $56,880 and Platinum from $64,680, and all before on-road costs. Engine choices are a 3.5-litre petrol V6 or – for $2000 more – a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel. Both drive the front wheels via an eight-speed auto.

Compared to the previous model, the new KA4 diesels jump by some $3200 and petrols $3700, though with the fresh design comes improved power, economy and standard equipment.

Ours is the penultimate, $56,880 SLi V6, and bare like Old Mother Hubbard it is not. You’ll find on/off LED headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, heated and powered folding mirrors, roof rails, keyless entry/start, three-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system, dual Bluetooth connectivity, satellite navigation with live traffic, digital radio, an eight-speaker sound system, power-sliding rear doors, rear privacy glass, a powered tailgate, an electric driver’s seat, synthetic leather trim and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

It's little wonder that (in the first six months of 2021) the Carnival commanded 60 per cent of its entire sub-$60K people mover segment.

While all Carnivals include key safety items such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, intersection assist, lane-keep and steering assist, active blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, speed sign recognition, driver attention alert, high-beam assist, Safe Exit Warning (great for not dooring cyclists), a reversing camera and rear parking sensors, the SLi steps up with active rear cross-traffic collision assist (it applies the brakes!), Safe Exit Assist (doors momentarily won’t open) and surround-view cameras. Nice.

Peace of mind is helped by Kia’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven years of free roadside assistance (if serviced by Kia) and published capped-price servicing.

For people seeking opulence, the statement-making Platinum ushers in matte-chrome exterior trim, black 19-inch alloys, puddle lights, a sunroof, an upgraded 12-speaker Bose audio, a wireless smartphone charger, a heated steering wheel with paddle-shifters, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, powered front seats with driver’s side memory, centre and rear side-window sunshades, ambient lighting and Rear Occupant Alert (so nobody gets left behind inside). That's a lot of lush luxury for an extra $7800.

You’ll find on/off LED headlights amongst the range of additions that come with the SLi.

But while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is also included, it’s not wireless in models with in-built sat-nav (meaning every grade above S), allegedly because one tech giant won’t allow it to work if their proprietary GPS apps have to compete with inbuilt sat-nav in the same vehicle. Petty.

Note that premium/metallic paint adds $695.

So, how competitive is the Carnival SLi V6 at a shade under $60K?

Until the related, Cylon-esque Hyundai Staria arrives, nothing touches it for the money when you combine the packaging, features, performance, refinement and safety.

While Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is also included, it’s not wireless in models with in-built sat-nav.

The only other car-based rival, the recently facelifted Odyssey VTi-LX, undercuts the SLi by $4500 and yet boasts gesture controls for the powered doors, a sunroof, powered front-passenger seat and walkaway auto door locking; but it's also older and smaller, and has fewer seats, litres of cargo capacity, years of warranty, ISOFIX child-seat latches, cylinders, kilowatts of power and Newton metres of torque – among other things.

Everything else, meanwhile, is commercial-van derived like the unsuccessful Toyota Granvia, more expensive (smaller VW Caddy and crude LDV G10 aside) and not as car-like inside, outside, to ride in or to drive.

No contest then, and little wonder that – in the first six months of 2021 – the Carnival commanded 60 per cent of its entire sub-$60K people mover segment. The Kia's a hit, and here's one big reason why.

How large is the Kia people mover compared to before? Here are the main stats.

For reference, it clocks in at 5155mm long (+40mm), 1995mm wide (+10mm) and 1740mm tall (unchanged), with its 3090mm wheelbase (+30mm) boosting cabin space by 60mm.

But the Carnival is no longer merely function over form. Its interior is as modern and appealing as the outside styling, with huge attention to detail revealing the undeniable hallmarks of nearly a quarter of a century of MPV-making experience.

The boxy shape certainly allows for unencumbered entry and egress into the big, glassy and expansive cabin, aided by tall front doors and lofty seats.

Being an SLi, the fit and finish can’t be faulted.

Electrically adjustable for the driver only, they’re big, enveloping bucket seats providing plenty of comfort and support, along with a lumbar switch for the driver. Our only real query is that they don’t slide back as far as you might expect. Still, the driving position for most people is first class – aided by a tilt/telescopic steering wheel – that also provides a commanding view forward and from the sides. Ventilation is excellent and most of the switchgear layout is logical.

Being an SLi, the fit and finish can’t be faulted. Two-tone colour blocking, double-stitched vinyl covering the dash top, piano black glossy trim surrounding the instrumentation offset by metallic circular rings for the analogue speedo and tacho, digital speedo and trip computer functionality and an array of interesting textures and surfaces help elevate this grade of Carnival’s expectations closer to the high asking price.

A trio of USB ports, four big cupholders, wide glovebox, long door bins and a huge centre console box help take care of storage up front, though surprisingly there is no under-seat storage in this model.

The expanse of touchscreen shows of Kia’s latest multimedia set-up, while a touch-sensitive panel below that operates the easy and functional climate control system.  

ROW 2

The SLi’s doors open electrically, via a touch of a door handle, or remotely by pressing on the key fob or specific button besides the driver’s right knee. Thus, getting in and out could not be easier. Step in and sit on the seats. Closing the door again is possible via the interior door pull or a natty little button on the B-pillar ahead.

The second-row seats are divided up into three in a 35-30-35 arrangement, with each able to slide and recline individually of one another. The outboard buckets are very-slightly narrower than the front ones, to allow for a wider body to fit in the centre seat.

Let’s talk seat comfort first. Even the tallest person should find enough room back there, owing to the deep floor and tall ceiling.

The outboard ones are nicely sculptured and quite supportive, while the middle is a little flat but not too bad for shorter journeys. Longer legged people might find the cushions are set too low, however, forcing an unnatural knees-up seating position. This can be alleviated by pushing the seats right back, or completely cured by sitting in the middle pew and pushing it as far back as possible, allowing for a total legs-stretched-out posture. It’s a favourite.

Alternatively, the middle seat folds on to itself to present a table with cupholders for the outboard occupants, which of course can also be slid back well behind into the area where the third row is, or completely removes altogether if you feel you have the personal strength, as it isn’t light. It can be stored in the boot well where the third-row seats stow in.

Second-row amenities include: entry and exiting grab handles mounted on the side; seat-sited retractable three-point seat belts for all three passengers; a roof-mounted climate control set-up offering directional air vents and full temperature, fan speed, temperature and auto settings for both the centre and rear rows; two USB ports on the side and a map pocket each in the back of the front seats; a 12V socket and storage shelf behind the front centre console; bottle storage in the doors; child-seat tethers on the rear of each middle-row seat base; overhead reading lights and a takeaway-bag hook and at the back of the passenger seat. Kia’s experience here shows.

Note, however, that the middle centre row does not have a seatbelt-off warning buzzer while the huge sliding door windows do not lower all the way down.

ROW 3

On either side, the SLi’s reclinable bucket seats fold and slide forward with a tug of a lever, then return to their original position. Alternatively, a strap allows the third-row occupants to easily adjust its fore and aft position.

The rear is a pleasing mix of MPV and wagon. My 178cm frame and large work boots fit in with room to spare, on a firm but adequate cushion and backrest that offers more than 15 reclinable settings.

There’s space galore for two adults, or three at a big squeeze. Each outboard occupant gets to enjoy two cupholders plus a phone holder plus a USB charger and speaker/mic to talk/listen to the driver up front (or music). The middle-row’s climate control system distributes air via face-level roof-mounted vents. A trio of overhead reading lights are fitted. And the speakers in rows two and three can be muted so as to allow peaceful travel without denying the driver and front passenger’s multimedia entertainment. Thoughtful.

Be aware that the third-row seating when stowed down does not seem to lock in place, so moves about over speed humps.

Overall, it is a fairly quiet place to travel in, with not as much road noise as you might expect.

One of the Carnival’s great strengths is its ability to carry eight people and still offer a reasonably large and surprisingly deep cargo area behind. The floor is as low as the car itself, making it an ideal part-time panel van with a carpeted load area if you need to move bulky items. You'd be surprised how handy something like this becomes.

For the record, the KA4's cargo capacity (VDA) with all seats in situ is 627 litres (up 268L) while storage capacity grows 67L to 2785L when the third row is stowed.

While no spare tyre lives there (a space-saver wheel is accessed under the car, below the floor between the driver’s seat and middle row), a jack and tools for changing a spare tyre do. There is also additional side storage, 12V outlet and a couple of tie-down hooks.

Overall, with the deep windows affording an expansive, airy cabin and great vision all round, the Carnival’s interior is an enjoyable and pleasant way for a family to travel.

It’s not just the body and interior dimensions that have grown in Carnival IV.

The previous 206kW/336Nm 3.3-litre V6 has grown into a so-called ‘Smartstream’ 3470cc 3.5-litre double overhead cam direct-injection V6, offering up 216kW of power at 6400rpm and 355Nm of torque at 5000rpm.

Late in the life of the old model, the Carnival switched to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission, and this remains the case here.

Tipping the scales at a hefty 2136kg, the Kia’s power-to-weight ratio is 101kW per tonne – a strong showing.

Late in the life of the old model, the Carnival switched to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission, and this remains the case here.

With no more than four people on board, but at times used to cart items around, and with a mix of inner-city and freeway driving, we averaged a reasonable 10.6 litres per 100km at the pump during our 464km of testing, which is better than we expected.

Such consumption isn't a disaster given that this near-2.2 tonne eight-seater wagon’s combined average figure is 9.6L/100km, for a carbon-dioxide emissions rating of 220 grams per kilometre. With a 72-litre tank, about 750km between refills is possible.

Kia has tuned the SLi V6 to run on regular unleaded petrol, as well as on E10 ethanol.

One of the better schemes in the business (only Mitsubishi’s conditional 10-year warranty tops it), the Carnival arrives with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. There is just 12 months of roadside assistance, though a further six years is available if you choose a Kia dealership.

The Carnival arrives with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, while published basic capped-price servicing is available.

Prices start at $324 for the first year, then years two to seven are priced at $598, $396, $779, $365, $747 and $387.