Kia Carnival: Top 6 questions on the MPV answered

Kia India launched the fourth-generation Carnival almost a year ago, and it is its flagship MPV. Keep reading as we answer the six most asked questions about the Kia Carnival, including its price, mileage, key features, seating configurations, and everything else you might want to know.

1. What is the Kia Carnival price in India?

Kia Carnival India price is Rs 63.91 lakh.

The Kia Carnival is sold in a sole Limousine variant at Rs 63.91 lakh, ex-showroom. The Kia Carnival price (on-road, Delhi) is about Rs 75.61 lakh, while the same in Chandigarh and Haryana may cost less at Rs 72.63 lakh and Rs 73.90 lakh, respectively.

2. Why is the Kia Carnival so expensive?

The current Kia car marks a generation-and-a-half jump.

Despite still being locally assembled, the present Carnival costs almost twice as much as it did earlier. The current Carnival, however, is a generation-and-a-half leap (or fourth-gen facelift) and boasts comprehensive design, interior and comfort feature upgrades. With no direct rivals to the MPV, Kia effectively has a monopoly in this space. The new Kia Carnival had received over 3,000 bookings in under 20 days since its October 3, 2024, launch; so there is demand despite the steep price.

3. What features does the Kia Carnival interior offer?

Twin 12.3-inch screens, dual sunroofs, Level 2 ADAS.

Since the Carnival in India is exclusively sold in one fully loaded trim, it packs creature comforts like twin 12.3-inch screens for the touchscreen and driver’s display, dual electric sunroofs, three-zone climate control and a 12-speaker Bose sound system. As most Carnival buyers are chauffeur-driven, Kia has equipped the second row seats with heating, ventilation and extendable ottomans. There's also a 'boss mode', which lets you adjust the front passenger seat from the rear and free up more space. Access to these extremely comfortable captain's seats is via powered, sliding rear doors.

The Carnival safety suite comprises 8 airbags, rear disc brakes, ESC, hill hold, a tyre pressure monitor and a 360-degree camera setup. Kia has also added a Level 2 ADAS system to the Carnival, featuring lane keep/ departure assist, front collision warning, adaptive cruise control and high beam assist.

4. Is the Kia Carnival a 9 seater or 11 seater?

Strictly a 7 seater.

While Kia in India has offered the Carnival in 7-, 8- and 9-seat layouts previously, the present model is sold only in a 2+2+3 seating configuration. Kia chose to go with the 7-seat format as this was the most popular in the previous Carnival, with buyers primarily purchasing it for second-row use.

5. Can the Kia Carnival be considered a luxury MPV?

Kia India positions the Carnival as one.

The Carnival finds itself sandwiched between two Toyotas: Innova Hycross and Vellfire, whose top models retail for Rs 32.58 lakh and Rs 1.33 crore, respectively; a gap of about 34 lakh and 63 lakh. While the old Carnival was positioned at the lower end, it has now climbed up to the middle. Considering the price hike and across-the-board improvements, along with the rising acceptance of MPVs as desirable luxury transport, Kia is clearly positioning the Carnival in that space.

6. What is the Kia Carnival mileage in India?

Carnival fuel efficiency is 14.85kpl.

At a time when most have made the shift to petrol or hybrid powertrains, Kia has chosen to stick with a traditional diesel powerplant in the Carnival. Powered by a 193hp, 441Nm 2.2-litre diesel engine mated to an 8-speed AT, the Carnival mileage is an impressive 14.85kpl on the India-centric ARAI cycle. Even the Carnival real world range of 10.9kpl (returned in a day of hectic driving and shooting) isn’t far behind. On a full tank (72L), the Carnival should be good for approximately 785km.

Also see:

Kia Syros: 6 things to know before buying

Maruti Grand Vitara: FAQs on price, mileage, features

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