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2025 Kia Carnival

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It seems Kia is obsessed with injecting as much EV9 DNA into all of their products these days.

It is now the turn of the 2025 Carnival Minivan. And I think it works, at least from the front. But the rear end’s new lights don’t really look great on the existing Carnival design. The previous design was more modern and much cleaner.

Even the new wheels look like they’re from the EV9. I guess you can’t just transfer bits you like on one of your models onto everything you make. It doesn’t always work…

The powertrain will probably be the same in the US if it makes it here with so few sold in our country (fewer than 14500 sold in 2022). But the Korean market is supposed to be getting a Hybrid version as well.

Conversation 6 comments

  1. Personally I think the rear is now even cleaner with what looks to be a smoother surface. Logo placement is also more modern and cleaner. I do also love the way the current one looks 👍🏻

  2. I don’t mind the new look, it’s definitely part of KIA’s new corp image. let’s hope the rear lights are an improvement over the previous car whose rear turn signals are in the bumper. those little slivers of red/white are turn signals/reverse lights. Almost IMPOSSIBLE to see if you’re at the light behind one of these vans!

    while I’m on the turn signal rant: why are manufacturers dumbing down their rear lights and having the entire light cluster light up as a turn signal instead of maintaining separate brake/turn signal lights? Audi, BMW, Genesis, MB are the worse offenders here. in the name of style we’ve gone from amber rear turn signals to an all red light cluster that doubles up as a brake light and tail light..

  3. I think it looks better. And you have to hand it to Kia for their direction with the Carnival. They made it look like a large SUV, trying to take away the stigma of driving a minivan, call it a MVP, and gave it a starting price below their largest SUV. Too bad most people will spend the extra $2K for the Telluride, so this will never be a big seller, at least in the US.

  5. If you squint, it looks like a Palisade from the side. It’s a shame it sells in such few numbers. Imagine if they called it “Telluride MPV”…..They could easily create a Telluride family and wouldn’t be able to build enough. Throw in a Sportage sized Telluride Sport too.

  6. That’s a lot of sqinting, my wife has a Palisade, and I can promise you, I have never once confused the Carnival for any SUV, much less the Palisade on the road. I personally think the pre-refresh is the more attractive, however I have yet to see the refreshed interior design. I do like the way Kia is heading in that direction though.

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