2025 Kia Carnival.
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The Kia Carnival Minivan is getting quite a refresh for the 2025 model year. With redesigned front and rear ends. As well as a new dashboard and console inside.
But the big news under the hood is the new Hybrid version. Using a 1.6 Liter Turbo engine for a total of 242HP. Which isn’t that much less than the 3.5 Liter V6 with 287HP. (The hybrid has also more torque than the V6).
The new Hybrid powertrain will be available in 4 trims. LXS, EX, SX and SX Prestige. While the V6 adds a base LX version. The Hybrid also comes standard with more efficient 17-inch wheels.
The smaller Kia Sorento uses the same Hybrid powertrain with a 37MPG result. The larger Carnival Hybrid will no doubt have lower numbers, but will still compete against the Toyota Sienna, which comes with a standard Hybrid and a 36MPG average.
I think the updates work really well on the 2025 Carnival. The front end is obviously inspired by the Kia EV9 but ends up looking much better than on the big EV. The rear end is a bit busier with both horizontal and vertical lights. And the new dash and console look really good and do improve an already nice interior.
This is no doubt the best-looking minivan you can buy in the US. The Chrysler Pacifica is still very nice but is getting old. (A refresh is due soon). I think the current Sienna just looks really terrible, and the Honda Odyssey manages to both look terrible and old.
The Kia Carnival isn’t the most popular Minivan but sales went way up last year from 14 337 in 2022 to over 38 200. That’s a huge jump, and and getting closer to the Sienna’s 54 347 number for 2023. But still well below the 71 000 Honda Odyssey units sold and the crazy 120 665 units of the Chrysler Pacifica.
I am sure the Hybrid option will add to these numbers next year. The revised Kia Carnival is going on sale this summer.