Minivans are the ultimate piece of parenting gear. No other vehicle type is better at carrying kids and all the stuff that comes with them. I can attest that kids love them, too. Parents, however? Well, let’s just say they are not the coolest thing to own. That said, the 2027 Kia Carnival has a better chance of being a more palatable choice, looking less overtly van-like inside and out. At the same time, it delivers as much, or more, parent-friendly practicality as other vans.
Photo: James Riswick
For 2027, the Carnival’s EX and SX mid-grade trim levels now offer the same second row captain’s chairs that were previously exclusive to the base LX model. They reduce seating capacity to seven and remove the Carnival’s uniquely useful “free mode” middle seat (read more below), but add in-board armrests to the outer seats for added comfort. The only other update is that the Dark Edition package is now available with the EX trim.
This review covers the gas-only, V6-powered Kia Carnival, but the Carnival Hybrid is also available. Trim levels are LX, LXS, EX, SX, and SX Prestige. All are available on the Hybrid except the LX. Base prices range from about $39,000 to $53,000, including the destination charge.
For this Carnival review, Kia provided a test vehicle equipped with SX Prestige trim and no significant options. The test vehicle’s manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) was $53,750, including the $1,545 destination charge. The price does not reflect any current rebates, incentives, or price adjustments since Kia manufactured the minivan in Gwangmyeong, South Korea.
According to verified owners, the Carnival earns awards as the highest-ranked model in its segment in the JD Power 2026 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, the JD Power 2026 Initial Quality Study (IQS), and the JD Power 2026 ALG Residual Value Awards.
Photo: James Riswick
From the driver's seat, the Carnival can help you forget you are driving a van thanks to its more SUV-like dashboard design and a full center console with a traditional shifter. By contrast, the Honda Odyssey screams “VAN!”
These aesthetics do not compromise the front cabin’s functionality, however. Its four console cupholders, including two at the rear that back seat passengers can also use, are big enough to hold a 40-ounce jumbo cup and a wine-bottle-sized metal water bottle. None of the cupholders on the Toyota Sienna could fully accommodate them.
There is also a deep bin in front of the shifter, split between a grippy wireless smartphone charger, included in all but the LX and LXS, and a slightly wider, deeper portion that I used, at different times, for a large sunglasses case, a sub sandwich, and a ramekin full of leftover mac ‘n cheese. Because children.
Photo: James Riswick
Storage in the back is unremarkable, except for the third-row cupholders, which are better than the Sienna’s. Cargo space is typical for a minivan, and the Carnival’s standard second row seats can be removed to maximize cargo capacity. However, the SX Prestige’s optional VIP Lounge seats, complete with pop-out leg rests, cannot be removed.
Speaking of the second row, most trims come standard with the “free-mode” middle seat, which you can remove or slide to an unusually wide range. You can pull it forward to the center console, making it easier to reach little kids in child seats; it can be staggered with the outboard seats to improve shoulder space or make room for three child seats; or it can be pushed all the way back to create a unique solo chair located just ahead of where the third row goes into the floor. This lets you have captain’s chairs and five-passenger capacity without using the third row, while maintaining immense cargo capacity. Also, my son LOVED sitting in the free-mode seat, whether pushed forward or all the way back.
The downside is that the outboard seats lack inboard armrests. I am guessing this is why Kia now offers the LX’s captain’s chairs in the EX and SX. They trade off versatility and an extra seating position (seven versus eight capacity) for armrests. The free-mode seat folds to become an armrest, complete with cupholders and a large flat surface, so you would really need to want the combo of open floor and armrests to check that box.
As for the third row, the seat is at a comfortable height and offers plenty of legroom, even for someone 6-foot-3, and the windows are large enough to keep it from feeling claustrophobic. Getting back there is pretty easy, too, thanks to the far-sliding second row outboard seats. Their seat belts are attached to the van’s C pillar, however, meaning I could not slide them when my belt-reliant Britax child seat was in place. The Sienna’s are mounted to the seat itself.
Photo: James Riswick
All 2027 Carnival vans feature a digital instrument panel, but lower trims have a basic unit with minimal functionality. The SX and SX Prestige shown above look better and can be configured to your taste. Either way, they share the same curved housing as the standard 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen.
Standard infotainment features include:
My SX Prestige test vehicle also featured a 12-speaker Bose sound system, while all but the LX and LXS trims include the “Cabin Camera,” which displays a video feed from the second and third rows on the front touchscreen. This is a great feature for keeping an eye on kids in the back, especially very young ones; it should really be more common.
Beyond that bit of parent-friendly wizardry, this is a generally solid infotainment system. It is easy to navigate and to find what you are looking for, and the graphics are modern. I personally miss Kia’s old “Radio” shortcut button and have a few nits to pick with the satellite radio screen (why is the song info so small?!), but nothing made me pull my hair out.
That said, the dual-purpose control panel below is polarizing. Pressing a touch-sensitive icon toggles the two knobs and the touch-sensitive panel between the climate controls and infotainment shortcuts, plus volume. In my experience, people who prefer to operate the climate system manually strongly dislike this setup. Others, such as my wife and I, who set a temp and forget it, are only mildly inconvenienced. It is also better than having everything on the touchscreen.
As for other features, the Carnival’s standard navigation system worked quite well. Its POI search is inferior to Google Maps via Apple CarPlay. Still, its map graphics are superior, directions appear on the instrument panel, and it can provide a split-screen view showing multiple map views of your position and route. I also noticed that it adjusts your route based on traffic conditions.
Photo: James Riswick
The 2027 Kia Carnival is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 287 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard; all-wheel drive is not available. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 21 mpg combined. I averaged just 19.8 mpg on my 75-mile mixed-driving evaluation route, though to be fair, it included heavier-than-normal highway traffic.
For comparison, the Carnival Hybrid does not have as much power (242 hp), but it has more torque (271 pound-feet) and returns 32 mpg combined. According to EPA estimates, the hybrid could save you $1,050 every year at the pump (or more if you live somewhere with pricier gas). I have often found that Kia’s hybrid system falls short of its EPA estimates, but even if the savings are not as big, I do not think it will take long to pay off the Hybrid’s reasonable price premium.
The Carnival Hybrid also delivers smoother, quieter, and punchier power than the hybrid-only Toyota Sienna. It does not have the performance trade-offs you might expect from a hybrid. Furthermore, the gas-only V6 is only an acceptable, “gets the job done” engine. You are not really missing much, if anything, with the hybrid.
Beyond its engine, though, the Carnival felt more agile and less cumbersome on the winding, mountainous portion of my evaluation route than the typical big, three-row family crossover. That includes the new Telluride. Its ride quality was also excellent, even though my test vehicle had the largest wheels possible.
All told, the Carnival is certainly not interesting to drive, but it is also not depressing, which seems like a good thing should you be trying to talk yourself into taking the minivan plunge.
Photo: James Riswick
The Kia Drive Wise suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) has a wide range of well-executed features. They include:
The SX and SX Prestige add the following:
As with every Kia I have tested with these systems, including the Kia Niro EV I owned for two years, Drive Wise consistently impressed me. I was never inclined to turn anything off, including the lane keeping or driver monitoring systems, because of poor sensor performance, hyper-vigilant alerts, false alarms, or some combination thereof. They work without bugging you.
The adaptive cruise control system also did an excellent job of maintaining speed and distance from vehicles ahead, as well as steering on the highway, as long as I kept a light hand on the wheel. I could also adjust the system’s acceleration and braking tendencies, making it possible to better emulate my driving style (if anything, I made it a tad too aggressive).
It is also worth noting how much more sophisticated I found these systems compared with those in the Toyota Sienna and, to a lesser extent, the Honda Odyssey.
Regarding safety ratings, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the structurally similar 2026 Carnival five out of five stars for overall safety. However, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) testing was less favorable, with newer IIHS tests yielding Marginal and Acceptable scores. As of this writing, the IIHS has not published ratings for the Carnival’s ADAS. It is also worth noting that none of the minivans received top marks from the IIHS across the board.
According to the 2026 IQS, the Kia Carnival ranks highest in the Minivan segment, with the Honda Odyssey ranked second.
According to the 2026 APEAL Study, the Kia Carnival ranks highest in the Minivan segment, with the Toyota Sienna ranked second.
Other 2026 Carnival competitors include the Chrysler Pacifica.
If I were in the market for a minivan, I would choose the 2027 Kia Carnival. I love its unique second row functionality, front cabin storage, driver assistance technology, and the fact that it is not so overtly van-like. If there is one major downside, it is fuel economy. That brings me to my final piece of advice: consider the Carnival Hybrid instead.
James Riswick has been testing and reviewing cars since 2007 and has served as an editor at Edmunds and Autoblog. In addition to jdpower.com, he has also contributed to Autotrader, Autoguide Magazine, Auto Express, Capital One Auto Navigator, Car and Driver, and Hagerty. He resides in Southern California and owns a 1998 BMW Z3, a 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350 Wagon, and a 2025 Cadillac Optiq.
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