2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid: Loads of Tech, a Few Compromises
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In 2022, Kia took a shot at introducing something new to the dying minivan segment where customers were (and still are) fleeing towards three-row SUVs. The gamble seems to have paid off, because for the 2025 model year, the Korean brand has significantly revamped its Carnival minivan, with not only a new front fascia and a redesigned interior, but also a new hybrid powertrain that aims to bring it up to date with its few rivals – specifically in terms of efficiency.
The Car Guide headed to San Diego late last year to try out the “greener” Carnival Hybrid, which is sold in LX+, EX and SX+ variants.
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Assertive Looks, Complex Cockpit
The changes made to the 2025 Carnival are considerable for a refresh. Kia has given it a new, bolder “SUV-style” front end - and it can even be ordered in a sinister “Black Edition” version in typical modern SUV fashion. In the cabin, the Carnival offers comfortable room for 7 or 8 passengers, depending on the variant. The manufacturer has redesigned the dashboard, swapping the ventilation controls, which were quite functional, for the control strip found in the EV6 and other Kia products. The latter uses a button to toggle between ventilation and radio controls, which is less intuitive than the outgoing controls.
As with any respectable family hauler, the Carnival is loaded with technologies. Occupants can count on an advanced voice assistant that listens to commands from all passengers. While the third row can be fully reclined into the floor to create a flat surface, the second-row seats can only move forward and recline. It is therefore impossible to have a completely flat surface for transporting materials that cover a very large area. On the other hand, unlike almost all three-row SUVs, the Carnival's third row is spacious and easily accessible.
Green, But Not as Green as its Main Rival
In place of the 3.5-litre V6 that powers the regular Carnival, engineers have given the hybrid model a turbocharged 1.6-litre 4-cylinder unit mated to an electric motor and a 1.49 kWh battery. Power output sits at 242 horsepower and is sent exclusively to the front wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission. Even if performance isn't a priority for a minivan buyer, the powertrain managed to convince us in this respect. It does seem a little noisy under full acceleration, and the transmission sometimes hesitates when the Carnival climbs a hill, but the 270 lb-ft of torque provides ample oomph under acceleration. In fact, the Carnival's power output is similar to that of its greatest rival, the Toyota Sienna, but with considerably more torque.
On the other hand, the Sienna outperforms the Carnival on the efficiency front, with an average fuel consumption of 6.6 L/100 km, compared with 7.5 L/100 km for the Kia. In terms of driving dynamics, the Carnival Hybrid behaves like a typical minivan, giving priority to comfort and visibility rather than style and handling. But we found that the Carnival’s manoeuvrability in urban condition was well adapted to urban conditions.
Its biggest disadvantage against the Toyota is that it is not available with all-wheel drive. But the various technologies linked to its hybrid system could make up for this shortcoming, at least in part.
A Hybrid System That Lends a Hand
The hybrid technology at the heart of this new Carnival may not lead in terms of fuel consumption, but it does make a difference beyond the pump. As is the case with many hybrids on the market, the system offers three levels of regenerative braking to store braking energy in the battery, but it can also be combined with E-Ride, which uses the electric motor to mitigate the effects of a speed bump, should the driver fail to spot it in time, by decelerating as it approaches and accelerating once at the top of the obstacle, thus reducing the bump effect. We can only hope that this system will not be used as an excuse for drivers to increase their speed in areas where speed bumps are intended to reduce it!
Kia also puts the electric motor's rapid response to use with driving aids with the E-VMC system. In addition to the long list of active safety systems, this new feature helps the Carnival swiftly respond during evasive maneuvers and emergency braking. One example is the Lane Departure Warning System, which alerts the driver and intervenes on steering if there is a risk of collision with a vehicle leaving its lane laterally. Although useful, we found these systems a little too sensitive, especially with emergency stops when there was no real imminent danger.
A minivan often has more utility to it than a three-row SUV, with a more flexible environment and more accessibility for families. And the Carnival proves that there's still an appetite for these low-to-the-ground family haulers.
A sparsely populated segment often rhymes with compromise. And the Carnival's compromise, when compared to its great rival the Sienna, is the absence of all-wheel drive and slightly higher fuel consumption. However, front-wheel drive will do the job during the winter season and the new Carnival Hybrid constitutes a renewed, bolder and more technologically advanced choice. The base LX+ model starts at $46,545, while EX and SX+ models are priced at $49,445 and $56,445 respectively. These prices exclude transport and preparation costs.
