The facelifted Kia Carnival has arrived in Mzansi with fresh exterior styling and an upgraded cabin.
Embracing the firm’s latest SUV-inspired design language, this roomy people-mover differentiates itself from the outgoing model with the addition of sculpted bonnet lines, pronounced wheel arches and a bold new character line that runs the length of the vehicle, visually connecting the front and rear lighting elements.
Other unique touches include a notably more aggressive 'tiger-nose' front radiator grille, two-tone side mirrors, black and chrome rocker panel mouldings and a rear skid plate garnish.
Completing the Carnival’s SUV-like stance are, depending on the variant, 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels.
The updated interior sports a new central fascia finished in high-gloss black, while a signature chrome strip runs across the dashboard — a feature Kia says adds a 'sense of width and openness to the front cabin.'
You’ll also notice slim, metal-effect air vents and seats upholstered in upmarket two-tone leather. The cabin is capacious and even with all seats in place the Carnival offers 1,139l of stowage space. With the second row removed and the third row stowed flat, this increases to a massive 4,110l. Access is boosted by hands-free electric sliding side doors with Smart Key functionality.
Two Carnival models are being offered from launch, starting with the entry-level EX.
Riding on 18-inch alloy wheels, it comes bundled with a plethora of standard features including a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, front and rear adjustable air-conditioning, automatic LED headlamps, automatic folding side mirrors, overhead console lamps, four USB ports, drive mode select, electrically adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support, front/rear park distance control, seven airbags and hill-start assist.
Fitted with 19-inch alloy wheels, the Carnival SXL gains additional niceties such as a 12.3-inch integrated display supervision cluster, wireless charging, 12-speaker Bose sound system, dual tilt/slide sunroofs, heated and ventilated front seats, a driver memory seat, rear LED combination lamps, head-up display, adaptive cruise control and a 360º around-view monitor.
This top-tier model also ships with an impressive list of driver aids including a blind spot view monitor, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot collision avoidance assist, lane-following assist, lane-keeping assist and forward collision avoidance assist.
Finally, SXL owners can look forward to Kia’s "Slide-Flex" seating system which offers multiple configurations for seven passengers, including a sliding second-row centre seat. When moved fully forward, it allows front passengers easy access to a child or baby, and it can also be transformed into a convenient table. A powered tailgate is also standard.
0 of 2
No matter which model fits your budget best, both are powered by the marque’s proven 2.2l four-cylinder turbodiesel engine pushing out 148kW and 440Nm of torque. This is sent to the front axle via an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.
Now available at Kia dealerships, the Carnival EX retails for R1,049,995 with the SXL coming in at R1,299,995. Pricing includes an unlimited kilometre, five-year warranty and a six-year/90,000km maintenance plan.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.