Australia’s top-selling people-mover has moved upmarket with its latest generation, but the entry S model still represents strong value below $48K
- A no-frills affair
- Ticks all the boxes
- Too much of a good thing
- More car than van
- Overlooking the small stuff
When the fourth-generation Kia Carnival landed in Aussie showrooms in 2021, we were blown away by how far the South Korean brand’s people-mover had come. From its bold new design and tonne of new technologies, to powertrain upgrades and chassis improvements, it’s no surprise the new-generation Carnival continues to be Australia’s favourite people-mover. But what’s the cheapest Carnival like to live with? Come with us to find out…
A no-frills affair
The 2022 Kia Carnival line-up consists of two powertrain options – petrol or turbo-diesel – across four model grades – S, Si, SLi and Platinum – the priciest of which tops out at around $68K before on-road costs.
Here, we’re testing the most affordable Carnival S, fitted with the 3.5-litre petrol V6 engine and priced from $47,480 plus ORCs. Add another $2000 to the invoice if you go for the turbo-diesel donk.
Kia Australia’s current drive-away pricing offers put the entry-level S at just under $52,000, depending on your location, while ticking the premium paint option box adds $695.
For the money, you get 17-inch alloy wheels (but a space-saver spare), roof rails, LED headlights and daytime running lights (DRLs), halogen tail-lights, eight seats, cloth trim and front and rear manual air-conditioning.
The S is the only grade to miss out on a “premium steering wheel”, although the rubbery-plastic one, aside from being a little rough, isn’t too bad to live with.
And as long as you don’t expect a luxurious cabin full of the same plush materials you’d find in the top-spec Carnival Platinum, most should find the tech, comfort and safety levels acceptable.
Kia covers every Carnival with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and services are due every 12 months or 15,000km, costing $1318 over the first three years, and $2463 over five years.
Ticks all the boxes
Every 2022 Kia Carnival model comes packed full of all the critical safety gear you’d expect.
Even in the most affordable variant, you get autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection and junction turn assist, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane assist, rear cross traffic alert, driver attention warning and a reversing camera.
All of that earns the South Korean people-mover a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating.
The base-spec Carnival is the only grade to come with a clear, responsive 8.0-inch central touch-screen, instead of the larger (and slightly more tech-laden) 10.25-inch unit found in every other model.
Strangely though, the smaller touch-screen uses a wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connection whereas the larger infotainment unit requires a wired connection for smartphone mirroring.
Most of the time, the wireless connection works well, and not having to always plug your phone in is admittedly very convenient. But the connection isn’t perfect and tends to drop out often.
Meanwhile, standard features include voice recognition (when using smartphone mirroring), a six-speaker audio system and five USB ports throughout the cabin.
Too much of a good thing
When the all-new Kia Carnival ‘KA4’ lobbed 12 months ago, we were impressed by just how good it was to drive. Today, even in base-spec form, the same sentiment rings true.
Our tester is fitted with Kia’s 3.5-litre petrol V6 engine, a new donk that replaces the previous 206kW 3.3-litre petrol V6.
Not only is it said to be more efficient, but it’s more powerful too, delivering 216kW of power and 355Nm of torque (up 10kW/19Nm) exclusively to the front wheels.
If you want all-paw power, you’ll have to go for the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine (upgraded, but not new) which is all-wheel drive only.
Both engines come mated to the same eight-speed automatic gearbox and every Carnival comes with a two-tonne braked towing capacity.
If it were our money, we’d go for the more efficient turbo-diesel powertrain, however the petrol V6 is still a strong performer.
There’s plenty of grunt right across the rev range, but being a big front-drive bus it’s also prone to a bit of torque steer under sharp throttle inputs and some corner exits, as the front tyres struggle for grip.
As we’ve experienced on a previous test of the petrol-powered Carnival, the eight-speed auto can feel sluggish at times, and a bit like it’s not sure which gear it should be in.
For the most part though, it feels like a good match for the petrol V6.
Our tester averaged around 10.4 litres per 100km during our seven-day test, which consisted of highway, suburban and country roads. That’s just a little more than Kia’s official claim of 9.6L/100km.
More car than van
Another area where the 2022 Kia Carnival shines is in the ride and handling department.
At more than 5.1 metres in length and almost two metres wide, the Carnival is no small family wagon. But Kia has done a good job of concealing its size (and mass) from the driver’s seat, with light steering making it feel more car-like than you’d expect from an eight-seater wagon.
But nimble is not the Carnival’s middle name, and while it feels most confident and sure-footed with weight (passengers and/or gear) on board, don’t expect it to corner like smaller, sportier vehicle.
Visibility out front is fantastic, aided by big glasswork and a commanding seating position. However, it’s worth mentioning the significant blind spots you get due to the Carnival’s length.
While you’ll be thankful for blind spot monitoring, those not used to driving such a large vehicle might be more comfortable in a higher-spec Carnival, where extra driver aids include a 360-degree camera and reverse AEB, not to mention creature comforts like keyless entry, electric side doors and an electric tailgate.
Cabin amenities, meanwhile, are great, with a total of 13 cup holders and four phone pockets throughout the cabin.
There are more seat configurations than you can poke a stick at, and even children will be able to let themselves in and out of the third row with ease… after a little practice, at least.
And when it comes to space, yep, you guessed it. Heaps. With all eight seats in use, a generous 620-litre boot (that’s very deep) still leaves room for plenty of luggage or sporting gear.
Overlooking the small stuff
As a budget-spec family hauler, the 2022 Kia Carnival S V6 ticks a lot of boxes, thanks to high levels of safety, outstanding practicality and a stylish design.
We reckon lots of families could easily overlook the lack of creature comforts in this entry-level people-mover and simply take the circa-$50K Carnival S for what it is: outstanding value for money.
How much does the 2022 Kia Carnival S V6 cost?Price: $47,480 (plus on-road costs)Available: NowEngine: 3.5-litre V6 petrolOutput: 216kW/355NmTransmission: Eight-speed automaticFuel: 9.6L/100km (ADR Combined)CO2: 220g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2021)
Keyword: Kia Carnival S 2022 Review