Kia India has introduced a 6-seater variant of the Carnival, while the 9-seater variant has been deleted from the MPV’s range
Kia India’s flagship model – Carnival – has seen a revision in its range. The MPV now gets a new 6-seater variant, which features captain chairs in all three rows. The 6-seater version is based on the mid-spec Prestige trim and is priced at Rs. 28.95 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). Alongside that, the 9-seater variant of the Carnival has been discontinued in our market.
As such, Kia Carnival is now available in 6-, 7- and 8-seater configurations. The new 6-seat model gets a larger boot compared to other variants – 540 litres, which can be expanded up to 1,624 litres with the third row folded down, and up to 2,759 litres by folding down the second row as well.
Under the hood of the Carnival is a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine, capable of generating 200 PS and 440 Nm. It comes paired with an 8-speed torque-converter automatic transmission only, which sends power to the front wheels. Although powerful, this engine is decently frugal as well, delivering up to 13.9 kmpl (ARAI tested).
Kia Carnival is extremely feature-loaded as well. Its top trim comes with three-zone climate control, power-operated rear doors, cruise control, keyless entry and go, cooled glovebox, ventilated seats, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), 10.1-inch entertainment screens for the second row, UVO connected car tech, six airbags, cornering brake control, etc.
Currently, Kia Carnival is priced from Rs. 24.95 lakh to Rs. 33.99 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). Although it is quite a brilliant vehicle, which also offers extreme versatility and comfort, the Carnival’s premium price tag keeps it in the niche zone. Its sales figures are not as impressive as Kia’s other offerings in India, namely the Seltos and Sonet.
In the Indian market, Kia Carnival doesn’t have any direct rivals. It serves as a premium alternative to Toyota Innova Crysta, with much more features and luxury on offer. It can also be considered as an alternative to Toyota Fortuner, MG Gloster, and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace.