Kia Likely To Showcase New-Gen Carnival MPV At Auto Expo 2023

Most Notable Features Of Kia Carnival

The most notable feature of the new-gen Carnival is its design. The new Carnival sports an SUV-esque design rather than the traditional MPV stance of the current model. The new Kia Carnival’s SUV design has some aggression and is likely to attract a lot of attention at the Auto Expo. The closest rival to the Carnival in the Indian market, the Toyota Innova Hycross, also looks like an SUV from several angles. Let’s take a closer look at the design of the new Kia Carnival.

At front, the new Kia Carnival features an upright nose and a flat bonnet. It gets a studded version of Kia’s trademark Tiger Nose grille with 2 strips of LED DRLs and LED projector headlights on either side. The lower portion of the front bumper features LED fog lights and a faux skid plate.

When viewed from the side, the length of the new Carnival gives it an MPV vibe. What really stands out for us is the fact that Kia have retained the sliding rear doors, which makes getting in and out of the Carnival a breeze even in tight parking spots. Other highlights include large chrome appliques on the C-pillar and silver roof rails. 

The rear end of the new Carnival features connected taillights that are in line with Kia’s current design philosophy. It also gets a roof-mounted spoiler and faux skid plates. Overall, we feel the SUV-esque design of the new Kia Carnival will attract a lot more buyers than the current model.

The new Kia Carnival is likely to pack the following features:

• Powered sliding rear doors
• LED projector headlamps
• Powered tailgate
• Powered driver seat
• Dual sunroof
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Bose sound system
• 360-degree camera
• 3-zone climate control
• Adaptive cruise control (ADAS) - New feature
• Captain seats with folding ottoman in 2nd row

Kia Carnival Expected Specs

As you can see from the table above, the new Kia Carnival is substantially larger than the current model sold in India. With a length of 5156mm, width of 2265mm and a height of 1739mm, the new Kia Carnival is 41mm longer, 280mm wider and 16mm shorter than the current Kia Carnival. The increased dimensions should not only give it impressive road presence but also free up more space inside the cabin for passengers and their cargo.

In terms of engine choices, we expect Kia to retain the 2.2L turbo diesel engine that powers the current Kia Carnival. In the current model, this turbo diesel engine puts out 200PS of power at 3800rpm and 440Nm of peak torque between 1500rpm and 2750rpm. Kia offer the current Carnival with an 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission and we expect the new model to retain the same.

Note: Find out more about all upcoming cars In India

Kia Carnival Rivals

The new Kia Carnival belongs to the D2 MPV segment. When launched, the new Kia Carnival will have no direct rivals in the country. The new Toyota Innova Hycross is the closest competitor to the new Kia Carnival. However, based on our expected prices for the new Innova Hycross, the top-spec variant of the Toyota MPV will be around Rs. 10.0 lakh cheaper than the base variant of the new Kia Carnival. 

Since the new Kia Carnival sports an SUV-esque design, it could also serve as an alternative to the D2-segment 3-row SUVs such as the MG Gloster, Jeep Meridian and Skoda Kodiaq. 

Also Read: Toyota Innova Hycross Vs Kia Carnival Compared

Kia Carnival Launch Timeline

The new-generation Kia Carnival is already on sale in the North American and South East Asian markets. Hence, it should not take much effort for Kia to get the new Carnival ready for its launch in India. However, with the Seltos and Sonet facelift also in the pipeline, we cannot give an exact timeline for the launch of the new Kia Carnival in India. We’ll have to wait until the 2023 Auto Expo for more details regarding the launch timeline of the Kia Carnival.

Note: Know more about the upcoming cars In January 2023

Kia Carnival Expected Price

We expect Kia to price the new Carnival MPV around Rs. 39 lakh (ex-showroom). This will allow the new Carnival MPV to reserve its positioning as an upmarket alternative to the Innova Hycross. Besides, the new Carnival is expected to pack more features than the current model, hence justifying our price estimation.

Note: Here’s a list of all upcoming Kia Cars