2024 Kia Carnival Review: The Practical Limo

It’s called by multiple names – Limousine, Multi-Purpose Vehicle, Recreation Vehicle, Van, Crossover… Truth be told, the Kia Carnival is a bit of everything and more. Its makers say this vehicle is a marriage of luxury and technology. And at first glance, it does come across as that. But how will this relationship progress once the honeymoon period is over is what we are here to find out.

Also Read: New Kia Carnival Receives 2796 Bookings In India

2024 Kia Carnival: Dimensions

This is humongous – like a mansion on wheels. This is 40mm longer - 5155mm now, which is just shy of popular three-row luxury SUVs such as the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS. It is nearly two metres wide and 1.7m tall. The wheelbase has increased by around 30mm to 3090 mm, which is more than that of the extremely popular Toyota Innova Hycross. So, that should give you some sense of the size. 

The Carnival has a ground clearance of 180mm which seems fine for on-road driving. Tackle oversized speed breakers with patience, especially with a full load. In case you need to make a quick U-turn in a single take, the Carnival’s turning circle is around 11.8 metres, which spans roughly four lanes. The car sits on similar 18 inch wheels this time too which look adequate. Useable boot space with all three rows of seats in place is 627 litres. The boot is deep and can accommodate 2-3 suitcases without blocking the rear view.

2024 Kia Carnival: Design

This is the facelifted version of the fourth-generation Carnival. The pre-facelift version never came to India. Instead, we had the third-gen model, which was being phased out globally years ago. While that looked more MPVish, this one looks more SUVish with a boxy body and a more pronounced bonnet. The front gets a fresher version of the ‘Tiger Nose’ grille with what Kia calls Star Map headlights – droop down like a handlebar moustache but looks more contemporary. In the profile, it breaks monotony with the use of a big chrome garnish on the C-pillar. The running board seen here is useable but is an optional accessory. 

The car comes with sliding second rear doors that can be electrically operated from both inside and outside. The doors will rebound on encountering an obstacle but not very sensitive so need to be careful with children around. At the rear the tail lamps get a connected lightbar too that mimics the front. Gives it a taut purposeful stance. Faux skid plate here as well. The rear hatch is powered too which is quite handy. Even the front bonnet gets hydraulics to make it easier to open. Closing it needs to be done with a definitive thump.

2024 Kia Carnival: Seats

The Carnival gets three rows of seats in a 2+2+3 configuration, only. This is the only option available unlike last time. Kia says this was the most preferred one with the previous set of customers and it expects that trend to continue. Captain seats for the second row come with motorised function for recline. Front/back and sideways sliding function can be done with manual levers. The latter, unique to the Carnival, helps clear the central passage for easier access to the third row. The left seat on the second row gets calf support as well and can be reclined further for an airline first-class-type relaxation position. Do remember to adjust the front co-passenger seat though as it doesn’t automatically adjust to the reclining rear seat as in some other luxury cars. But there is an easy-access switch on the front seat backrest which can be easily accessed by both the rear passenger as well as the driver. 

Thanks to the increase in leg room, both second and third rows have become more spacious. The only two things that haven’t changed are the already legroom for the second row and headroom for the third row. For the second row, occupants also get their individual roof AC vents, a bottle holder each as well as a Type-C USB charging port. The seats come with arm rests on both sides and in-built, three-pointed seat belts. A carryover “issue” from the previous generation - AC controls remain on the far side of the main seat. On the bright side, second-row seats get ventilation too.

Access to the third row seats is through the centre passage which can be widened by sliding both second row seats outwards. Unfortunately, the second row seats can tumble down and fold like in the smaller Carens because of its size, being motorised and having extensions for the seat belts. The third row seat is best for two. Third passenger can be accommodated with a bit of discomfort. The legroom is pretty good but under thigh support is inadequate. Average sized adults can fit easily. The backrest has multiple reclining positions and comes with handy features like cup holders, AC vents and even Type-C USB charging ports for two.

The front row seats get ventilation as well as 12 and 8-way adjustable power controls for the driver and co-driver respectively. The view is commanding from here. Kia is currently offering only one brown leatherette interior option for the new Carnival. It looks premium if not luxurious. 

Also Read: 2024 Kia EV9 Electric SUV Launched In India, Priced At Rs. 1.30 Crore

2024 Kia Carnival: Features

At the front, there are two 12.3-inch screens fused into one curved display. These are for the instrument cluster and infotainment screens. The interface is clean but a bit-too-familiar for those who have used any of the other new Kia vehicles. The steering wheel is a good size and looks neat in the overall scheme of things. There is an 11-inch Head-Up display too for the driver’s convenience. Three zone climate control keeps the large volume pleasantly comfortable. For visual comfort there is also 64-colour ambient lighting to choose from. Steering can be adjusted for both angle and reach. 

The centre console is wide and has useful features such as wireless phone charger, a dummy phone stand, cup holders and storage space under the arm rest. There is an elaborate charging ports panel too that includes one Type-C for charging and charging+data (can be toggled by pressing the panel), two additional Type-C chargers plus a 12V socket.

The Carnival now gets Level 2 ADAS as standard. This includes an elaborate 23-feature suite that includes adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, steering assist and lane departure assist. For a big car, driving around in traffic and on fast highways, the ADAS features are mostly reliable and useful.

2024 Kia Carnival: Performance

Under the hood, the Carnival gets a 2.2 litre common rail diesel engine. It’s a four cylinder turbo unit from the Smartstream family. No petrol or hybrid on sale for now. This is similar to the last-gen unit and still makes 190 bhp and 441 Nm. All power goes to the front wheels via an 8-speed automatic torque convertor type of gearbox. New Carnival comes with paddle shifters as well. There are four driving modes – Normal, Eco, Sport and Custom.

The engine is pretty smooth and there is not much noise on the outside and hardly anything can be heard inside unless you really floor the throttle. Vibrations have been even further subdued. While an actual carnival is all about wild rides, this vehicle keeps it well under control. It remains in character most of the time as calm and composed. Even building speed is linear and it doesn’t seem to be in any tearing hurry even when you show urgency. The car weighs nearly two tonnes. During our test runs we did clock a 0-100 kmph time of around 11-12 seconds, but this wasn’t in our usual test conditions.

The Carnival’s suspension is set for ride comfort but Kia has managed to strike a good balance. Frankly, we thought the previous car was good enough but this goes better. It is quite well balanced in soaking up road irregularities and yet not unsettling the vehicle too much. Ride is plush and it will take some serious effort to unsettle the Carnival from a straight line. Quick lane changes are when the weight and length can be felt. But at most times it remains calm and composed.

The Carnival gets disc brakes all round. Just like acceleration, it feels composed even under braking. Panic braking is also not unsettling for this.

2024 Kia Carnival: Verdict

Almost 1800 units of this supposedly “overpriced” Carnival were booked in 24 hours. Company sources say it saw nearly zero cancellations, ensuring all stocks for this year are already spoken for. The company hopes to assemble 250-300 units a month starting next week based on availability of kits.

For now only this top 7-seater Limousine Plus variant will be on sale. The vehicle comes with a 3-year unlimited kilometres warranty as standard. Just like the flagship EV9 electric SUV launched alongside, the Carnival will also feature connected car features such as Over-The-Air updates and even remote diagnostics, a first for Kia, saving customers the hassle of visiting the workshop every time.

The Carnival is an interesting alternative for those looking for a chauffeur-driven vehicle. It is spacious, comfortable and has serious road presence. The sheer size also gives a sense of safety when inside. For the times when more people need to be ferried it can be versatile enough to don the role of a people carrier too making it a near perfect choice for long distance trips as well. While one might argue that the outright price is high, there is little in terms of a direct competitor for the Carnival. Something like a Toyota Vellfire is nearly three times the cost, which makes the Kia, despite its few shortcomings, look like a steal.