Carnival has minivan conveniences, unique SUV exterior style

The 2022 Kia Carnival does the unthinkable – or at least the unbelievable – by taking what has been the basic shape of every minivan on the market and tossing that out the window. This is the beginning of great things for the Carnival.

While the Sedona was a popular minivan for Kia, it very much looked and felt like every other minivan on the market. The all-new Carnival delivers all the space and convenience of a minivan with a handsome, athletic SUV profile.

The 2022 Carnival rests on Kia’s third generation N3 platform, which also does duty for the Sorento SUV and K5 sedan. Like any minivan worth its salt, the Carnival’s mission is to be a smooth-driving, cavernous people mover.

Great looks

Kia’s signature tiger-nose grille is front and center while the distinctive beltline and rocker designs help elevate this vehicle’s overall appearance from a mere people mover to a more multipurpose vehicle (MPV).

It was really smart to raise the level of the hood and flatten it out – this alone differentiates it from 100% of the minivans out there. Also taking center stage is the all-new Kia logo. The 121.7-inch wheelbase is the longest of any minivan competitor, and Kia designers did a nice job flowing lines across such long metal spaces. The more aggressive wheel wells add a bit of flair to the elongated profile.

Performance

The Carnival offers a capable 3.5-liter V6 that pushes out 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. I found my tester to be smooth, quiet, and responsive. The 8-speed automatic transmission performed admirably all week hauling varying degrees of weight. While I did not get a chance to tow anything, look for a max tow of 3,500 pounds.

This all-new Kia offers fuel economy that is on par with the competition. At 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and combined 22 mpg, the Carnival does a good job of squeezing out every mile possible.

Cabin space

The Carnival offers extraordinary interior space. Behind the second-row seats, look for 86.9 cubic feet, and behind its 60/40-split third-row seat, which manually folds into the floor with the pull of a couple of handles, you get 40.2 cubic feet of storage space. A total of 145.1 cubic feet is available for multi-purpose use.

The Carnival offers two sliding minivan-style doors on either side, which provides uncompromised entry/exit. Spacious and comfortable, the Carnival’s interior looks great and feels like quality from top to bottom. I really like the fact the dash is simple and straightforward. The climate controls, composed of switches and touch-sensitive buttons, are easy to reach and intuitive to operate.

Let’s be clear, this interior looks stylish and does not feel cheap or value-minded. As for convenience, USB charging ports are located all over the cabin. This is a contemporary design and convenient throughout the cabin.

My SX Prestige model featured twin, sliding/reclining VIP lounge seats that made it perfect for long-trip comfort. the seats offered heat and ventilation along with power position controls. As far as the elusive third-row seating – no worries, this is an accommodating bench offering plenty of leg and headroom for adults.

The Slide-Flex second-row chairs will need to be removed in order to tap into that maximum cabin hauling space. They are a bit heavy and awkward to handle, but that’s the cost of being so darn comfortable.

The most impressive aspect of the interior when it comes to the family will undoubtedly be the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You can control everything from the standard 8-inch screen, though I’d recommend the upgraded 12.3-inch display on my tester. The Carnival’s infotainment system is incredibly intuitive to use and a breeze for even the most tech-challenged owner.

The 2022 Kia Carnival is available in LX, EX, SX and SX Prestige trim levels. Look for an impressive base price for this MPV is $32,100. My top-end Prestige landed at a still-impressive $47,275.

• John Stein is a freelance journalist based in Chicago. He has more than 25 years’ experience driving, testing, and writing about the automotive industry, its latest innovations, and vehicles.