34
242
6 speed, Automatic w/OD
Intercooled Turbo Gas/Electric I-4
Front Wheel Drive
Minivans are perhaps the best vehicles for hauling people and cargo comfortably, yet consumers have shunned them, overwhelmingly preferring the crossover SUV.
Believe it or not, Kia has offered a minivan entry in its lineup for over 20 years. For the 2022 model year, the Korean automaker introduced the new Carnival. Fully aware of consumer preferences, Kia gave the Carnival SUV-like styling and removed the minivan moniker, instead referring to it as an MPV (multi-purpose vehicle). For 2025, the Carnival gets a range of updates in style, features, and technology.
Photo: Perry Stern
Kia introduced the current-generation Carnival in 2022—the last time JD Power reviewed this stylish minivan (yes, we still call it a minivan). The 2025 Carnival gets a number of updates that include:
The 2025 Kia Carnival has five trim levels: LX, LXS, EX, SX, and SX Prestige. Prices range from around $38,000 to around $54,000, and all variants come standard with a conventional 3.5-liter V6 engine. The new hybrid powertrain is available on all trims except the entry-level LX; it adds $2,000 to the price.
JD Power previously published a review of the 2022 Kia Carnival. This review focuses on the Carnival's updates for 2025 and how they potentially impact its overall consumer appeal.
For this 2025 Carnival review, Kia provided a test vehicle equipped with SX Prestige trim and the following options:
The test vehicle's price was $54,490, including the $1,395 destination charge to ship the minivan from the Kia assembly plant in Gwangmyeong, Korea, to your local dealership. Kia invited me to San Diego, California, to test drive the new 2025 Kia Carnival, covering my costs for travel, meals, and lodging.
Photo: Perry Stern
The Kia Carnival had bold, SUV-like styling when it launched in 2022. For 2025, Kia embraces this idea even further. The Carnival stands out with new vertical LED headlights and a stylish, sculpted grille, giving it a look that ties closely with Kia's Sorento and Telluride SUVs. Amber daytime running lights give the Carnival a distinctive look day or night.
The rear hatch gets a cleaner look, moving the license plate down and featuring new LED taillights that span the width of the Carnival. The rear bumper also features a skid plate, adding to the bold SUV-like style.
The basic dimensions and seating options remain unchanged for the 2025 model year. Still, the Carnival boasts excellent rear-seat legroom and headroom, both in the second and third rows. Its cargo-carrying capability is equally impressive.
Kia updates the Carnival's cabin for 2025, featuring a fresh, clean look. Highlighting the changes is a new panoramic curved screen encompassing the available 12.3-inch driver and infotainment displays. Ambient lighting and high-quality materials, especially on higher trims, elevate the cabin for a premium experience.
Adding to the updated design are simplified controls for audio and climate functions, which frees up more space in the center console. However, in this case, simple is not better. The dual-function panel combines the climate and audio controls in one place; a toggle switches the function of the knobs and buttons. This setup is frustrating to use, and I found myself turning the volume knob to the right only to find the cabin temperature increased.
The 2025 Kia Carnival has many new and updated features to accompany its new look. With its new display screen, the Carnival gets the latest version of Kia's Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) infotainment operating system. The result is quicker response and a higher-resolution display, and it also allows for over-the-air updates.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, with the convenience of a wireless connection. I connected my Samsung Galaxy S23+ via Bluetooth, and a Kia screen appeared on my phone to walk me through the connection process. Setting up Android Auto was a simple process utilizing the entire screen.
Kia also updates the voice interface to recognize natural-language commands and detect where the request has come from. Saying, "Hey, Kia," activates the system, and when my front-seat passenger told the system he was too cold, the temperature on his side of the vehicle increased. The system also recognizes passengers in the second row, and they can use the voice interface to recline the optional VIP Lounge Seats.
Second- and third-row passengers in the 2025 Carnival will enjoy the newly available rear-seat entertainment system. Dual 14.6-inch screens—one on each front seat back—offer full HD resolution and can play movies or videos from YouTube, Prime Video, and other streaming services.
Kia also adds new safety tech for the 2025 model year, with many updated advanced driver assistance systems coming standard. Automatic emergency braking with car, pedestrian, and cyclist detection is included, as is intersection turn assistance and adaptive cruise control.
Higher trims are available with Kia's Highway Driving Assist 2, which utilizes adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance to provide a hands-on semi-autonomous driving experience. This latest system also features lane-changing assistance. The navigation-based cruise control will automatically slow for curves in the road.
Photo: Perry Stern
Powering the new Carnival Hybrid is a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine paired with the most powerful electric motor Kia has in a non-plug-in model. With the 74-horsepower electric motor, total output is 242 hp and 271 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard.
While the hybrid may not be as powerful as the Carnival's standard 3.5-liter V6, which produces 287 hp, it makes up for any lack of oomph with impressive fuel savings. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid at 33 mpg in combined driving, considerably better than the V6's 21 mpg combined rating.
During my drive in the Carnival Hybrid, the trip computer showed just over 30 mpg—relatively close to the EPA’s 33-mpg estimate. Your passengers may not be able to make it 627 miles between stops, but the EPA says the Carnival Hybrid can go that far between fill-ups.
The Carnival Hybrid also allows the driver to choose the level of regenerative braking, which can slow the minivan when lifting off the throttle without braking. Three levels selected via the steering column paddle shifters adjust how much regeneration (and, in turn, how much slowing) occurs when coasting. The system won't bring the vehicle to a complete stop like a fully electric vehicle, but it is enough to slow down before a curve without needing to use the brakes.
There's a reason that the Carnival is so good at transporting passengers comfortably with all their gear: It's a big vehicle. That's not a negative, but its size was noticeable as I drove through traffic leaving downtown San Diego. But visibility is good, and the Carnival felt comfortable maneuvering the busy streets. The hybrid system works quite well in stop-and-go traffic, seamlessly turning the gas engine off and cruising in electric mode when possible, then restarting when it needs more power.
I've driven the Carnival with the 3.5-liter V6 engine and was impressed with its performance. While the hybrid version drives well, the throttle response is somewhat soft and not nearly as crisp as with the V6. Acceleration is adequate for most driving situations, but the Carnival Hybrid feels slow off the line, and the smaller gas engine works hard when accelerating uphill.
Aside from feeling slightly underpowered, the Carnival Hybrid works well as a daily driver, delivering a smooth, comfortable, confident ride. Driving on the twisty Sunrise Highway east of San Diego, the Carnival performed better than expected, with excellent steering response and good grip. I probably pushed the Carnival harder in the corners than most minivan drivers will, and while the handling is not sporty, the big van holds its own. Ultimately, the Carnival Hybrid is more of a cruiser, feeling more at home on the interstate than on a winding back road.
Photo: Perry Stern
Despite reports to the contrary, the minivan isn't quite dead yet. Those few left on the market compete for a tiny slice of the pie. Kia is one of the few brands that still offers a minivan in America, and the Carnival is one of the best options on the market. Its appeal is its combination of minivan utility and roominess with SUV-like styling.
With the updates for 2025, the Carnival's bold new styling and modern, high-tech cabin, along with its wide range of offerings, help it to stand out against strong competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey, and Toyota Sienna. Adding in the fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain makes it even more desirable. For any shopper looking to move people and cargo, forget the crossover SUV and check out the Kia Carnival. You may be surprised at how much you like it.
Perry Stern has worked in the automotive industry for over 30 years and has always been a car enthusiast. Driving almost every new car on the market, Perry has written for multiple publications in addition to his work for JDPower.com. Recently relocated to southeast Michigan, Perry is still crazy about cars, especially his 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
