Kia Carnival 2022 Review

Following its successful launch of its new Telluride and updated Sorento SUVs, Kia is turning its disruptive attention to one of the most unfairly maligned segments: the family-friendly minivan. So for 2022, the old Sedona is out. The Carnival is in, and it presents an interesting alternative to minivan mainstays such as the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Pacifica.

This people mover has a fresh look similar to that of the Sorento (if the Sorento was stretched and given a set of sliding rear doors, of course). At the same time, the Carnival retains typical minivan strengths, including massive interior space for people and cargo, and gains a few distinctive upgrades. One notable one is the option for reclining lounge-style second-row seats complete with heating, ventilation and extendable leg rests.

For large families with an eye for aesthetics, the Carnival is a solid pick for a minivan. You could even consider it an alternative to run-of-the-mill three-row SUVs. Read our Expert Rating below for our full evaluation.

Which Carnival does MatoCar recommend?

The 2022 Kia Carnival minivan comes in four main trim levels: LX, EX, SX and SX Prestige. Depending on the trim and configuration, the Carnival can seat seven or eight people. All are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine (290 horsepower, 262 lb-ft of torque) and an eight-speed automatic transmission in front-wheel drive. Standout features include:

LX The base trim has no shortage of standard features, including:

• LED headlights
• 17-inch wheels
• Power-sliding rear doors
• Seven-passenger seating with second-row captain's chairs
• Proximity entry and push-button start
• 8-inch touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
• USB ports (3 front, 2 middle, 2 rear)
• Six-speaker stereo

Standard driver aids on the LX include:

• Safe exit assist (can prevent a rear passenger from opening a door into traffic approaching from behind)
• Rear occupant alert (alerts you to check the rear seat before exiting the vehicle)
• Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
• Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
• Lane keeping assist (steers the Carnival back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
• Driver attention warning (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)
• Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)

Optional for the LX is the LX Seat package. It adds:

• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Simulated leather upholstery
• Heated front seats
• Power-adjustable driver's seat
• Second-row bench seat (seating for eight people)

EX Boosts the Carnival's feature content with:

• 19-inch wheels
• Hands-free power tailgate
• 12.3-inch touchscreen with navigation
• Eight-speaker stereo
• Three-zone automatic climate control
• Wireless smartphone charging station
• Rear cabin intercom (projects voice of front occupants to rear speakers)
• Rear camera monitoring system (shows camera view of rear seating on the center touchscreen)
• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Carnival and the vehicle in front)
• Upgraded forward collision mitigation system

SX Gets you more convenience and tech features, such as:

• LED foglights
• Power-folding side mirrors
• 19-inch black-painted wheels
• Roof rails
• Ventilated front seats
• Power-adjustable front passenger seat
• Rear entertainment system
• Surround-view monitor (gives you a top-down view of the Carnival and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
• Parking collision avoidance assist (brakes if sensors detect an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle)

SX Prestige The full slate of tech and comfort features includes the following:

• Heated steering wheel
• 12.3-inch driver information display
• 12-speaker premium stereo system
• LED interior lighting
• Leather upholstery
• Second-row reclining lounge-style captain's chairs with heating and ventilation
• Dual sunroofs
• Blind-spot monitor (displays an image of the vehicle's blind spot in the instrument panel when you activate a turn signal)