When it comes to moving people in comfort and style, there’s really only one vehicle to get the job done, the model which consistently stands head and shoulders above the competition – the Kia Carnival.
DriveLife has always been impressed by previous generations of the Carnival, and at one point in 2016, managed to fit 23 people inside the people mover (while it was stationary, of course) – and we ran out of people to squeeze in. We reviewed the car again in 2021, and came away impressed yet again.
And now, with the midlife refresh available from Model Year 2025, Kia claims it has reimagined what’s possible and taken the marque’s people moving flagship to an entirely new level.
Sporting an all-new look, fresh new interior, leading edge technology and a new hybrid powertrain option, they say the Carnival is now even better than ever.
“The new Kia Carnival is reshaping expectations when it comes to transporting people in elegance and sophistication, as well as impressing with power and all-round performance,” said Managing Director of Kia New Zealand, Todd McDonald. “It’s a remarkable vehicle which features many of the best attributes of Kia’s award-winning SUV models and repackages them into a technology-rich and impressively luxurious vehicle offering seating for up to eight people.
“It is big on style, big on technology and huge on comfort. It is the most refined, roomy and capable Carnival ever and is an absolute revelation when it comes to the driving experience. If you need a large, spacious and well appointed vehicle to transport you and seven passengers in safety and luxury, then Carnival has to be at the top of your list.
“It really is the best in the business in the world of people moving options.”
2025 Kia Carnival: Design
The new Kia Carnival has been described as ‘a character evolution of the flagship People Mover.’ And, when viewing the new model for the first time, it’s clear to see why.
Sporting distinctive ‘Opposites United’ design language, the new model apparently “fuses SUV-inspired forms and surfaces with a distinctive, purposeful appearance and adds a sense of prestige to the segment”.
The bold yet understated appearance is complemented with a variety of futuristic-looking alloy wheel options. Depending on variant selected, wheel sizes range from 17-inches through to 19-inches, all with their own distinctive appearance.
The Kia Carnival is available in four gloss different colours, including Snow white pearl, Panthera metal, Aurora black and Ceramic silver.
2025 Kia Carnival: Interior
Opening the door to the new Kia Carnival reveals a modern, stylish and roomy cabin finished with premium materials and high-end connectivity.
Taking pride of place in the front of the vehicle is a split-screen panoramic display (available on Deluxe, Premium and Water HEV), consisting of a 12.3-inch full colour TFT-LCD instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment system. The EX model features a 4.2-inch Colour LCD and 12.3-inch Infotainment System.
The user experience is enhanced thanks to an interface which enables the driver and front seat passenger to pinch, zoom, swipe and customise the screen.
The higher specification Premium and Water HEV also feature a full colour Heads-Up Display as standard. The HUD projects information in the driver’s field of view, such as vehicle speed, navigation instructions and alerts from the car’s driver assistance technologies.
A dual sunroof, with front and rear tilt plus sliding, is also an option on the Premium model while the Water HEV offers a digital rear-view function.
Seating configurations can be grouped according to requirements, ranging from two up front, a seven person set up with ‘spare space’ in the middle of the vehicle through to a full complement of eight people.
Ingress and egress to all models is made all the more convenient thanks to dual Power Sliding Rear Doors on each side of the vehicle, while Deluxe, Premium and Water HEV models have enhanced all-round ease of operation with the addition of the ‘One Touch Open/ Close’ feature operated via the key fob.
The higher-specification models also have front row heated and ventilated seats, as well as second-row outer heated seats.
Dual Zone climate control is standard on Deluxe, Premium and Water HEV, with separate controls for driver and front passenger as well as second row passengers, which helps regulate the temperature for everyone in the car and create personal comfort zones.
From a load carrying perspective, the Kia Carnival offers a cavernous 2,827-litres of cargo space when the second and third rows are folded down.
2025 Kia Carnival: Safety
When carrying a carload of passengers, safety is a paramount consideration whatever vehicle you are driving – even more so when there are as many as eight people on board.
The Kia Carnival aims to prevent accidents from happening with a suite of advanced safety technologies and, should they be required, there are airbags throughout.
Safety features available on all model grades as standard include Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Advanced Smart Cruise Control and Lane Following Assist.
The systems operate through use of the front view camera and front radar and alert the driver to potentially hazardous situations through a series of audio and visual alerts, even engaging the brakes to help prevent or minimise the potential effects of a collision.
A Surround View Monitor helps make parking the large vehicle easier, activating when reverse gear is selected and which provides a 360-degree view around the vehicle. The feature is available on Deluxe, Premium and Water HEV.
Diesel variants of the Kia Carnival feature a five-star ANCAP safety rating. (NB: The Water HEV is unrated).
2025 Kia Carnival: Engines
The model is available with two powertrain options. Engine choices are a 2.2-litre Smartstream turbo-diesel with an eight-speed automatic transmission, or a 1.6-litre Smartstream turbo-petrol with parallel Hybrid System, returning fuel consumption figures of 7.5-litres per 100km and 6.4-litres per 100km respectively.
Maximum power and torque from the turbo-diesel engine is 148kW and 440Nm, while combined figures for the smaller capacity turbo-petrol engine plus electric motor is 180kW and 367Nm.
Towing capacity is 2,000kg braked/ 750kg unbraked for the turbo-diesel models and 1,000kg braked/ 750kg unbraked for the Water HEV.
2025 Kia Carnival: Pricing and Warranty
The new Kia Carnival is available from $62,990 +ORC. Variants with an ICE powertrain feature a five-year/ 150,000km factory warranty, which increases to seven-year/ 150,000km for the Water HEV. Both include a five-year, unlimited kilometre Roadside Assistance programme which is transferable from one owner to the next.
Kia is considering the introduction of an additional hybrid model, the Light HEV, which would sit below the Water HEV in terms of specification. More information will follow in due course.
For more information, visit Kia Carnival.
| Model | Powertrain | Price +ORC |
| EX | 2.2-litre Turbo Diesel | $62,990 |
| Deluxe | 2.2-litre Turbo Diesel | $72,990 |
| Premium | 2.2-litre Turbo Diesel | $78,990 |
| HEV Water | 1.6-litre Turbo Petrol with Hybrid System | $81,990 |
