2025 Kia Carnival review
There are multiple noteworthy changes for the 2025 Kia Carnival. The most obvious are the design changes, with a bold new grille and headlights and a lightly refreshed rear end as well. The interior also receives multiple updates, including a new integrated instrument panel and touchscreen layout. Under the hood, there's a new hybrid engine available. It delivers very good fuel economy with only a slight penalty in performance.
Explore the evolution of the Kia Carnival
Get our expert take on used Kia Carnival models, or view year-by-year changes.
First generation Kia Carnival
Minivan shoppers should do themselves a favor and check out the Kia Carnival. Styled more like an SUV than a van, the Carnival has a lot more going for it than just its looks.
The Carnival has more cargo space behind the third row than any other van. Standard equipment includes driver assist technology like automatic emergency braking and blind spot warning; moving above the bottom-most trim gets you adaptive cruise control and more. A fully digital instrument panel is available on higher-end trims, along with a huge 12.3-inch touchscreen that's standard on all trims for 2025, and on all but base models before that. Kia also introduced a hybrid engine for the 2025 model year, which promises very good fuel economy with almost no performance penalty. While some of the controls can be distracting to use, and the ride quality is occasionally too stiff, the Carnival is still a strong player in the minivan world.
Model highlights
SUV-like styling
Available hybrid engine (added for 2025)
Plentiful standard driver assist features
Best-in-class cargo space behind the third-row seat
Comfortable front seats
Changes by year
Latest generation from 2022 - present
2025 Kia Carnival
Highlights
New front- and rear-end styling
New interior design blends instrument panel with touchscreen
Standard 12.3-inch touchscreen
New hybrid engine available
Learn more
2024 Kia Carnival
2023 Kia Carnival
Highlights
Blind spot camera and digital instruments now standard on SX
SX Prestige now standard with bench-style second-row seat
Learn more
2022 Kia Carnival
Highlights
All-new Carnival replaces Sedona in Kia's lineup
SUV-like styling distinguishes Carnival from other minivans
Available 12.3-inch digital instrument panel
Best-in-class cargo space behind third row
12.3-inch touchscreen on EX and higher trims
Extensive driver assist features on EX and above
Learn more
Keith Buglewicz has worked in the automotive industry since 1994, writing thousands of car-related articles, and he's tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Keith is a Managing Editor at Edmunds, and he considers himself exceptionally lucky to be working the dream job he’s had since high school.
We hope you found this information helpful. This content is intended to inform and is not meant to provide legal, financial or investment advice. We make every effort to provide accurate information, but please verify before transacting and consider talking to a qualified professional about your unique circumstances.
Statements of fuel economy or EV range are based on EPA and other third-party estimates for vehicles when new. Fuel economy and EV range will degrade with time and vary based on age, driving conditions, vehicle history, and other conditions. See fueleconomy.gov for more info.
Editorial content contained on this page comes from Edmunds.com, Inc., a subsidiary of CarMax Enterprise Service, LLC, and information related to featured vehicles comes from third-party sources, including manufacturer information. Product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of third-party entities. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by these entities. By clicking on any video links, you will be taken to a third-party site maintained by YouTube, Inc.