Introduction
The Kia Carnival is not a like-for-like rival to the Toyota Innova Crysta.Yes, the Innova Crysta will be the reference point for many buyers interested in a Carnival, but that’s really down to the fact that the Toyota has long been the only premium MPV option in India. In reality, the Kia Carnival is a significantly larger, more powerful and more luxurious MPV. There will be no overlap in prices either, meaning the Carnival will start where the Innova range tops off. In essence, the Carnival is an MPV meant for buyers who want something luxurious but have had to settle for an Innova for lack of choice.
EXTERIOR
The first thing that gets you about this luxury MPV is its size. Measuring 5,115mm long, 1,985mm wide and 1,755mm tall, the Kia Carnival is huge. What the dimensions also reveal is that the Carnival is more Mercedes-Benz V-Class (5,140/1,928/1,880mm) than Toyota Innova Crysta (4,735/1,830/1,795mm) in size.
From the side, the sliding door mechanism cannot go unnoticed. The long footprint gives the Carnival a stately appeal. The polished alloys and subtle chrome garnishes do make the MPV look quite premium. We like that Kia has not over-styled the Carnival and the only design experiments include smooth flowing lines and the smartly done kink for the rear quarter glass. From the rear, again, its simplicity that rules. Despite the straightforward approach to design, the Carnival looks sophisticated and fitting to the class. It gets an automatic tailgate that can open and close at the touch of a button. In case your hands are full and the key fob is in your pocket, the tailgate opens up to ease things up for you.
INTERIOR
Stepping in the Carnival is rather an easy affair, thanks to the car’s relatively low ride-height. The dashboard is fairly ordinary in its appearance and so is the instrument cluster. But many would prefer it that way. The equipment level in the Carnival is exhaustive with even the base Premium trim getting goodies like a touch-screen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, four-speaker audio-system, reverse camera, cruise control amongst others. The top-spec Limousine variant adds Nappa leather, air purifier, 10-way adjustable driver’s seat with ventilation, wireless smartphone charging, rear-entertainment screens and UVO connectivity which will be free for the first three years.
Access to the rear section of the cabin is via standard-fit powered sliding rear doors. These doors can be operated via the door handles, overhead controls at the front and the Remote key. While the doors open wide, getting to the second, third row is a bit easy. The middle-row captain’s seats on the 7-seat Carnival Limousine in focus here get reclinable backrests, can be slid back to maximise legroom and also feature fold-out leg rests. Kia has also equipped Limousine with dual 10.1-inch rear touchscreens with screen mirroring, HDMI and, allowing you to catch up with your favourite shows on the ride back home. A 220V 2-pin plug point at the rear console also makes it possible to connect other heavy-duty devices.
The fit, feel and finish on the inside is superb. Kia has done a great job with the quality of materials and the general sense of premium-ness. There is are enough soft-touch materials and the quality
of switches and buttons feel more than satisfactory. In this digital age, some customers may like that Kia has kept physical buttons and knobs. With all seats in place and the third row at its rearmost setting, the 7-seat Carnival has enough luggage room to comfortably hold two large suitcases positioned upright; the large cavity at the base of the luggage area equals lots of room. You can create more space by taking the seats forward. But to convert the MPV to cargo van, you need to fold the 60:40 split third-row seats. The superbly executed mechanism folds the seats flush with the floor. You’ll be surprised by how much luggage the Kia Carnival can swallow. In case you are wondering, the spare wheel is a space-saver positioned under the body at the B-pillar.
HOW IS IT TO DRIVE?
The India-spec Kia Carnival is powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. It produces 200 PS of power and 440 Nm of peak torque. The motor is a little lazy in the lower rev-band but truly shines
and picks up in the mid-range. Sadly, it seems a little out of breath as it reaches higher up the ladder. In case of a quick overtake, the manual mode of the inhouse transmission helps take matters into our own hands. While Kia claims a range of 13.7kmpl on the Carnival, expect anything close to 9-10 km/l in realtime driving conditions.
DRIVING DYNAMICS
What the Carnival does best, is that it doesn’t pretend to be a driver’s car. It’s here to extend comfort and extend a sublime ride quality and it does that extremely well. As per Kia, the suspension has been tuned to meet the Indian
driving and road conditions. Yes, it delivers, atleast at the first 2 rows. The feedback from the steering is decent and it also weighs up well at triple-digit speeds. The MPV is heavy, weighing over 2 tonnes, but it feels equally distributed. Having said that, avoid hard-cornering, it’s an MPV after all. The tyres offer a decent grip around the corners and don’t screech on heavy braking.
WHAT’S GOOD
➢ Simple and premium design
➢ Sliding rear doors are super cool
➢ Feature-loaded and spacious interior
➢ Punchy performing diesel engine
➢ Comes with 6-airbags, Dual Sunroof, Electric Parking Brake
➢ Infotainment system is easy to use and loaded with ton of features
and gets connected car features
WHAT’S NOT GOOD
➢ Body roll could have been more controlled
➢ At this price point ventilated seats should be offered to Copassenger too.
➢ Ground clearance is low for the car of this length and there is lot of
chances to scratch it’s under belly.
SPECIFICATIONS
➢ Engine: 2199cc, 4-Cyl, Diesel
➢ Power: 200 HP
➢ Torque: 440 Nm
➢ Transmission: 8-Speed AT
➢ Fuel Type: Diesel
➢ Tyre Size: 235/60/18 (Front & Rear)
➢ Brakes: Disc (Front & Rear)
➢ Safety: 6 Airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, Hill Start Assist, Brake Assist
Price
Kia Carnival price starts from 29.95 Lakhs to 40.64 Lakhs (*on road Coimbatore), the we tested is top of the line Limousine variant costs 40.64 Lakhs (*on road Coimbatore).
Also, Kia Carnival is available in 7,8- and 9-seater variants.
