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What kind of vehicle is the 2024 Kia Carnival? What does it compare to?
The Carnival is a minivan with SUV-esque good looks. Shop it against the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey.
Is the 2024 Kia Carnival a good car/SUV?
It’s a strong overall choice for those in the market for a three-row vehicle. Spacious, suave, and loaded with tech, the Carnival’s only demerits are its lack of a hybrid powertrain and the lack of an all-wheel-drive option. It’s a 7.0 on the TCC scale. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2024 Kia Carnival?
The Carnival sees minor feature tweaks to its EX trim level but otherwise carries over unchanged.
Its sliding rear doors place the Carnival firmly in the minivan camp, but this is one stylish choice. SUV-like details such as a broad front end, oversize fenders, and chunky taillights aim to lure SUV faithful.
It’s modern and sophisticated inside, with great attention to detail throughout. We’re less enamored with all the shiny black plastic, which begs to be scraped up. But otherwise, this is a proper executive express—even if those bosses may be your kids. (We know who’s really in charge.)
Ride-and-handling-wise, the 2024 Carnival tops most SUVs with its buttery smooth ride and quick handling. It’s quiet, too. With 290 hp on tap from its 3.5-liter V-6, it can lug a 3,500-pound trailer, too. Sadly, there’s no all-wheel-drive version. Then again, how often do you really need power going to each corner?
The Carnival’s big top interior offers up comfortable accommodations in all three rows. Most versions have second-row captain’s chairs, though a small mid-row middle seat that folds into a console table is available. Don’t look for the second-row seats to tumble into the floor like in the Chrysler Pacifica, though they can be removed.
Befitting its family-hauler status, the Carnival boasts excellent crash-avoidance and driver-assistance tech plus an IIHS Top Safety Pick award.
How much does the 2024 Kia Carnival cost?
The base Carnival LX is a bargain at $34,565 to start, or $2,000 more with second-row captain’s chairs and synthetic leather trim. The intuitive infotainment system displayed via the 8.0-inch touchscreen also includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
We’d probably spend up to $40,065 for the mid-level EX and its digital instrument cluster and upsized 12.3-inch touchscreen.
Where is the 2024 Kia Carnival made?
In South Korea.
