AutoTrader SCORE
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STYLING9.0/10
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Safety9.0/10
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PRACTICALITY10.0/10
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USER-FRIENDLINESS8.0/10
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FEATURES9.0/10
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POWER9.0/10
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COMFORT8.0/10
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DRIVING FEEL8.0/10
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FUEL ECONOMY8.0/10
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VALUE9.0/10
Minivans like the 2025 Kia Carnival don’t deserve the stigma attached to them.
For busy families on the go, there’s no better vehicle than a minivan. Once you experience the freedom and wonders of having a vehicle purpose-built for your family’s convenience, you’ll never be able to settle for anything less.
Styling: 9/10
The 2025 Carnival’s refresh gave it an infusion of style that helps differentiate it from its competitors. With a bolder front end and fresh headlights, the Carnival now resembles its Sorento sibling — and even the all-electric EV9 — and projects a silhouette that’s more SUV than minivan. (Someone even tried arguing with me that the Carnival was an SUV until I pointed out the sliding doors, a defining minivan feature.)
Its upright new grille, vertical headlights, cool wheels, floating roof design, and sculpted bumpers make it look as modern and aggressive as a minivan can. It’s easily the most stylish amongst its small competitive set.
Practicality: 10/10
Practicality is a cornerstone of a good minivan, and the Carnival nails it. The trunk is a deep well that can hold tons of stuff (the space measures 1,139 L), and the shape of it helps ensure bags don’t move around too much. The third-row seats can tumble into that deep trunk floor with one hand to create a larger flat space (an enormous 2,461 L).
The trim tested here featured an eight-passenger configuration, which makes it even more practical, and the middle seat in the second row can fold down to create a surface or table for outboard passengers to put their drinks on.
The second-row seats slide and tumble easily so people can enter and exit the third row, and they also fold flat to create a gargantuan 4,110 L cargo hold that could likely fit an entire fridge, couch, or the spoils from a particularly expensive day at Costco. The second row can be fully removed for even more hauling space, but not when outfitted with the optional captain’s chairs.
Cupholders and cubbies for small items are everywhere, the door pockets are large, and there are USB ports for every occupant along with one 115-volt household plug in the second row and another in the trunk.
And, of course, having automatic sliding doors is a huge bonus. Not only do they make entry and exit easier, with huge openings and chunky grab handles, but they also make it easier to install car seats and load cargo. The doors can be controlled from the front seat near the rear-view mirror, from just inside the doors themselves (as well as from the outside), or from the key fob. Your kids will never ding a neighbouring vehicle, and you’ll never have to convince yourself that the dent you now see was probably there before you arrived.
Features: 9/10
Most trims come well-equipped with all the features a busy family needs. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are now standard, while a heated windshield, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and over-the-air updates are some base-level highlights.
The EX trim adds a wireless phone charger and USB ports in the back, the EX+ adds a digital instrument display and a sort of gimmicky interior camera and speaker system, while the SX tested here adds a head-up display, ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, digital key compatibility, an upgraded sound system, and surround-view parking and blind-spot cameras. The SX+ adds heated and ventilated second-row seats, but only in seven-passenger configuration.
Safety: 9/10
Every Carnival comes standard with a huge list of safety and driver assistance features including adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping and following assist, driver attention warning, automatic high-beam control, and front and rear parking sensors.
The EX trim and up also get a sensor-based rear seat reminder and rain-sensing wipers. The EX+ and up add junction turning assist and a more comprehensive adaptive cruise control system, while the SX adds side parking sensors and reverse automatic emergency braking. The systems all worked smoothly, felt quite natural, and exhibited few false alarms during this test.
Comfort: 8/10
The Carnival is roomy for all occupants, with even the third row not feeling too cramped for a person of average height. The only weird part is how hard all the seats are. A common issue with many Kia vehicles, the seats can get uncomfortable even after a short drive, and I wish they were more comfortable.
User-Friendliness: 8/10
The updated Carnival takes one step backwards in terms of user-friendliness by replacing physical media and climate controls with a touch-capacitive panel. The panel toggles between climate and infotainment functions, so one isn’t visible if the other is being used. For example, the volume knob is also the temperature control knob, and if you want to change the fan speed but the media panel is visible, an extra tap is required to bring up the climate panel. Not only are physical buttons and dials better and less distracting, but the touch panel isn’t sensitive enough, meaning that oftentimes a tap wouldn’t register, which required me to take my eyes off the road for a second too long to complete a simple task.
Besides that, the rest of the cabin and functions are easy to use, everything is clearly labelled, mostly everything is where you expect it to be, and the touchscreen’s menus are easy to navigate and are logically organized. Even the old-school T-style gear selector is handy.
Power: 9/10
The Kia Sorento has a 3.5L V6 under the hood that produces 290 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission gets power to the front wheels only, which isn’t helping the Carnival’s chances in a market where all-wheel drive (AWD) take rates are as high as they are.
Despite that, the V6 is an excellent match for the Carnival’s minivan duty, providing sufficient passing power and enough force to confidently get up to highway speeds even when loaded up with passengers and all of their stuff.
Driving Feel: 8/10
As a minivan, driving dynamics shouldn’t matter too much, and the Carnival gets the job done smoothly and cohesively with nothing sticking out during my test as cause for concern. While it’s a large vehicle, it’s still manageable to park and manoeuvre even in tight spaces. The upright and tall seating position offers SUV-like visibility from the driver’s seat, and large windows also help by keeping blind spots to a minimum.
Fuel Economy: 8/10
The Carnival’s fuel economy is officially rated at 12.9 L/100 km in the city, 8.8 on the highway, and 11.1 combined. Over about 535 km of testing with a lot of highway travel, the indicated average was 11.4 L/100 km — not bad, but I expected a bit better considering how much time was spent on the highway. A new hybrid version joins the Carnival lineup soon, if you want something more efficient.
Value: 9/10
The 2025 Kia Carnival starts at $43,280 and tops out at $51,895 for the SX trim tested. Freight adds $2,050 to the asking price. A less practical Kia Telluride will cost thousands of dollars more without offering many extras — except for AWD.
The Verdict
The 2025 Kia Carnival is a minivan, regardless of what the brand tries to label it as, and it’s truly one of the best and most stylish ones out there. With a new look projecting a strong SUV profile, there’s even less to be embarrassed about, and I can’t emphasize enough how having the right vehicle for the right job will make a world of difference on your next family road trip.
| Engine Displacement | 3.5L |
|---|---|
| Engine Cylinders | V6 |
| Peak Horsepower | 290 hp @ 6,400 rpm |
| Peak Torque | 262 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm |
| Fuel Economy | 12.9 / 8.8 / 11.1 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb |
| Cargo Space | 1,139 / 2,461 / 4,110 L behind 3rd/2nd/1st row |
| Model Tested | 2025 Kia Carnival SX |
| Base Price | $51,895 |
| A/C Tax | $100 |
| Destination Fee | $2,050 |
| Price as Tested | $54,295 |
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Optional Equipment
$250 — Ceramic Silver paint, $250
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