It’s been interesting to note how successful the Kia Carnival has been in India. We’re not really a market for large MPVs, but the Carnival was quick to become the choice of businessmen, CXOs, politicians and even celebrities, thanks to its space, comfort and premium quotient. And after what has been a long wait for the new one, Kia has finally launched the latest generation Carnival in India, which promises more space, comfort, features and technology. There is a caveat though, which is its price tag, as this new Carnival Limousine costs nearly twice as much as the previous one! A day behind its wheel helped me assess how much of a leap over the older one it is.
It’s easy to notice that the new Carnival looks very modern and classier, especially from the front. That’s thanks to the larger grille, sleeker headlamps with their vertically stacked projectors and also the slim DRLs. From the sides is where you’ll notice that the Carnival looks larger now. And fact is, it is larger – length and width are up by 40mm and 20mm respectively, while the wheelbase has gone up by 30mm. Styling at the rear is in line with that of the front, as the tail lamps look sleek and are connected from end to end. The rear end also looks very clean, without any lines, and Kia has even hidden the rear wiper under the roof spoiler here very cleverly. Overall, there’s lots of interesting elements all around and these, coupled with the Carnival’s larger dimensions, add more grandeur to its road presence.
And this sense of grandeur continues inside the cabin, thanks to the new design and materials. The dual tone, black and reddish brown theme helps the new Carnival feel richer, besides which there’s an abundant use of leather, soft touch plastics, brushed metal and piano black finishes. The dashboard looks as if it belongs to a German luxury car thanks to the rich reddish brown leather. The steering wheel is a new unit, unlike any other Kia car in India and feels nice to hold. The dashboard also houses two 12.3-inch displays, one for the touchscreen and one for the instrument cluster display. The centre console is wide and also has a lot of space, besides housing an array of switches that complement the cabin’s luxurious feel with their finish. There’s a large arm rest as well, which houses a rather large storage space – it’s big enough to take in four to five half-litre water bottles!
But keeping chauffeur-driven buyers in mind, Kia has focused even more on enhancing comfort in the second row. Space for second row occupants is unmatched, besides which the seats are new and a lot better in terms of comfort. Like before, the seats can be reclined and adjusted electrically, besides which you can now move them to the sides or forward or backwards manually to make space or access the third row. It’s also easy to note there’s been a greater focus on enhancing ergonomic comfort for second row occupants, to make the Carnival even better for long, inter-city drives. So pampering yourself, or falling asleep in the second row is easy, especially with the adjustable under thigh support that lets you stretch your legs ahead comfortably.
The third row is a place you wouldn’t mind sitting in, for short drives at least, given the decent amount of space on offer. That said, you’re better off folding the third row seats down to make space for luggage. The mechanism to fold them down is pretty cool, effortless and nifty too. Clearly, a lot of thought has gone into the Carnival’s ergonomics, which also helps in making ingress and egress a breeze. The Carnival also gets some interesting bits inside, like a touch panel that lets you switch between controls for the infotainment system and climate control. The drive selector rotor uses shift by wire and even vibrates when you shift into reverse, to alert you about reverse gear being engaged, in case you do so accidentally, which is quite thoughtful.
The Carnival is also high on convenience features. The driver’s seat gets 12-way electric adjust with memory function and adjustable lumbar support, while the front passenger seat gets 8-way electric adjust. This is in addition to three-zone air-conditioning, ventilated seats in the first and second rows, a 12-speaker Bose audio system with a subwoofer and a dual-pane sunroof with individual openings. There’s a strong focus on safety as well and the new Carnival comes equipped with 8 airbags, Level 2 ADAS that uses 3 radars and a dedicated camera and also a 360 degree view system besides features like hill start and more.
Powering the Carnival is a 2.2-litre, four cylinder diesel engine putting out an impressive 193PS and 440Nm, mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. The engine uses an aluminium cylinder block which has helped in improving power to weight ratio and fuel efficiency as compared to the previous Carnival, and ARAI-certified efficiency stands at a very impressive 14.85kmpl now. The engine feels very refined on the road, and coupled with the Carnival’s enhanced sound insulation, it’s hard to tell there’s a diesel engine under the hood. And this is besides the creamy smooth feel to the performance as power delivery is strong but very progressive. At the same time, acceleration is brisk despite the Carnival’s large size and heavy weight and it is quick to gain speeds at any given point.
When it comes to the dynamics, there’s a clear focus on offering a plush ride quality. But when you drive it, you realise this doesn’t mean the Carnival is dull and boring to drive. And that’s thanks to the improved suspension, the new chassis and the switch from a hydraulic steering system to an electric one. These have helped in improving the Carnival’s stability around corners and in a straight line, besides which, the steering feels more responsive now.
The use of larger brake discs and calipers has helped in improving braking, which adds to the Carnival’s likeable road manners. But what shines through, whether driving or relaxing in the second row, is the Carnival’s excellent ride quality and improved NVH levels. With an even greater focus on comfort, ride quality is nothing short of plush as the Carnival soaks up bumps and undulations with ease, while cabin quietness ensures long drives are extremely comfortable.
So the big question is, does the Carnival justify its price tag of ₹ 63.90 lakh ex-showroom? It does feel pricey but admittedly, Kia has done a lot to make it feel more premium and comfortable. And given the excellent market response despite its price, it is evident buyers see a lot of value. Especially, since there’s nothing like it on sale, even at the price!
