2020 Kia Carnival review

By Jez Spinks

Chances are you’ve seen a Kia Carnival – it’s such a popular option for families that it accounts for about half of all people-mover sales in Australia. 

The third-generation Carnival has been around since 2015, and can carry up to eight people. And while the thought of buying a people-mover might be scary (goodbye street cred, hello soccer mum stereotype), this Carnival actually looks quite cool.

Safety: 4 STARS

The Kia Carnival scores the maximum five stars from independent crash-test body ANCAP. Importantly, the Kia’s side curtain airbags cover all three sections of seating, which isn’t always the case with three-row vehicles. 

You’ll find these safety features standard on all models: 

• autonomous emergency braking, which can help avoid or mitigate low-speed accidents
• rear-view camera
• rear sensors (the SLi and Platinum variants also have front sensors)
• a lane departure warning system that alerts the driver if the vehicle unintentionally drifts across lane markings, 
• adaptive cruise control, which automatically adjusts speed to maintain a set distance from the vehicle ahead.

The range-topping Kia Carnival Platinum has a few handy added extras, including high-beam control that flicks automatically between low and high beam, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert that watches for hazards when you reverse out of a perpendicular spot, and a surround view camera.

Seating set-up  

The Kia Carnival puts its 5.1-metre body to good use by accommodating up to eight people across three seating rows in a 2+3+3 configuration.

There’s plenty of versatility: the second-row seats slide forwards and backwards to adjust the legroom for people in the middle and back rows, and the centre middle seat can also be removed to create a ‘walk-through’ cabin.

And with the flick of a lever, the outer rear seats tumble forward to create easy entry/exit for the rearmost seating.

Access to the second row is through electric sliding doors on either side of the Carnival (electric on the Platinum). 

There’s plenty of headroom and toe space in the third row, while legroom is good, too, depending on the positioning of the second-row seats.

The outer third-row seats just have a touch of lumpiness, so they’re not as comfortable.

Other features include: 

• rear vents for the the middle and back rows, 
• three-zone climate control on all models except the entry-level S
• a flip-down wide-angle mirror to help keep an eye on what’s happening in the back
• a seatbelt warning for the front and second-row seats
• child-proof rear door locks
• a door-open warning.

The Platinum option also includes sunshades for the second and third rows as standard.

An iPad holder – which attaches to the back of a headrest – is also available as an accessory.

ISOFIX and car seats

The middle-row outer seats feature ISOFIX car seat anchorage points with matching top-tether points. There’s a third ISOFIX set-up for the right-side seat of the two third-row seats.

Three child seats can fit across the super-wide bench easily if you’re happy to use a regular child seat without ISOFIX capability in the centre seat, and there’s plenty of space between a baby capsule and the front seat.

Boot space and cabin storage: 5 STARS

Large drink bottles, baby wipes, smartphones, wallets, dummies … you name it, the Carnival seemingly has a place for it. 

Storage areas include two gloveboxes, large door pockets with dividers, front-passenger-side compartment, two centre console cupholders, two rubber-matted trays, and a large front console bin with sunnies holder, USB port and 12-volt socket.

Another USB port and 12V are found up front, with yet another USB available in the second row, and another 12V in the boot.

The Kia Carnival could operate as an airport shuttle as well as a family vehicle thanks to a wide and super-deep boot (960 litres), even with the third-row seats in place. It also includes a luggage net.

It gets even better: fold those seatbacks into the floor and cargo capacity expands to 2200 litres. Or you can almost double that for van-like space by removing the centre middle-row seat altogether, and tipping the outer middle-row seats forward.

All Carnivals feature an electrically operated tailgate. The Platinum gains a hands-free function, where the tailgate will open automatically if you wave a leg under the rear bumper with the key fob on your person.

How it drives

The Carnival’s elongated side glass not only contributes to an attractive exterior design but aids all-round visibility. This includes good over-the-shoulder vision, which is helpful if you can’t afford the Platinum model that comes standard with blind-zone detection.

The suspension can be busy around town as it fusses over smaller bumps, though the Carnival’s ride smooths out at higher speeds.

Rear sensors and the rear-view camera are helpful when trying to reverse into driveways or parking spots – the latter particularly helpful considering the Carnival’s large size.

Light steering makes the big Kia easy to pilot in the city.

The Carnival’s 3.3-litre V6 petrol is smooth and the sportier of two engines that also includes a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel.

The diesel fights back, however, with more muscle – it has more torque that is also produced lower in the engine’s rev range. That will come in particularly handy if you have lots of people and luggage on board.

Fuel economy: 3.5 STARS

A diesel engine adds $2500 to the cost of a Carnival but it will save you money at the servo.

The CRDi engine has an official fuel figure of 7.6 litres per 100km, and it’s 10.8L/100km for the V6 petrol engine. 

The petrol engine runs on regular unleaded.

Pricing and ownership

Pricing for the Kia Carnival ranges from $42,990 to $62,790, not including on-road charges. The line-up comprises four trim grades, each available with a choice of turbo diesel or petrol V6 engines. 

A big bonus is that Kia provides one of the longest factory warranties in the industry: seven years.

Capped-price servicing costs are around the $1380 mark for three years, or about $2510 over five years. Intervals are 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, and roadside assistance comes complimentary of official servicing.

Pros

• Plenty of cabin room for up to eight people
• Three child seats fit across second row (all with ISOFIX points)
• Versatile seating set-up
• Impressive boot space even with all seats used

Cons

• Not cheap to buy
• Not cheap to service
• Petrol V6 isn’t economical
• Ride could be smoother

OVERALL RATING: 4 STARS