KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Upcoming Kia Carnival spotted without wraps
- Gets major upgrades inside out
- Third gen Carnival discontinued in June 2023
The big MPV from Kia, the Kia Carnival has been taken off the shelves for quite some time now, but not to be confused with a discontinuation. It has been gearing up for a big-time upgrade, and the same has now been spotted without any wraps in India. Let's take a closer look at the details, but before that, make sure to join our 91Wheels WhatsApp Group community of petrolheads to never miss out on any updates from the automotive world.
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Fourth Gen Kia Carnival Spied: Adorns New Front Facia
The upcoming fourth-gen Kia Carnival has been spied without wraps and reveals the entire redesigned front facia. The third-gen Kia Carnival was discontinued back in June 2023, but it was known that a generational update would fill its shoes. After almost a year, it is finally nearing its launch. As evident from the images, the front is now muscular and sculpted with a prominent upright stance. the tigernose grille is bigger along with the vertically stacked headlamp unit with inverted L-shaped LED DRLs extending into the bonnet line with a short break in between.
The design maintains its distinctive L-shaped motif, extending to the rear where the tail lamps are seamlessly linked by an LED light bar. This set-up is now synonymous with Kia cars as previously seen on the Carens, Seltos, and more. Moving along the side, a prominent feature is the expansive glass area, complemented by electronically operated sliding rear doors. Notably, the latest Carnival model is poised atop larger wheels, potentially measuring 18 inches.
Interiors And Expected Features
Although the spy shots offer limited visibility into the interior, it's reasonable to anticipate that the Indian variant of the Carnival will mirror the design and technological advancements of its international counterpart. This suggests the incorporation of dual 12.3-inch displays seamlessly embedded within a unified glass surface, alongside revamped air conditioning controls. Additionally, prospective buyers can anticipate features such as a heads-up display and a digital rearview mirror. Given Kia's track record of offering ADAS in vehicles like the Sonet and Seltos SUVs, it's highly likely that similar functionalities will be present in the India-specific Carnival model.
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Engine Details
While the global Carnival lineup boasts a range of engine options including a 3.5-litre petrol, 1.6-litre petrol-electric hybrid, and a 2.2-litre diesel, it's anticipated that the Indian iteration will maintain continuity with its predecessor's powertrain configuration. This suggests the retention of the 201hp, 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine paired with an automatic transmission.
The launch of the updated Kia Carnival is expected around September-October of 2024. While it doesn't have any direct rivals, it will rival the Toyota Innova Hycross, albeit with a higher price tag.
Verdict
The updated Kia Carnival fills in a huge gap in the MPV space. Without its presence, you either went for the Toyota Innova or the premium Toyota Vellfire, which are 2 options at the broad end of the spectrum. With the space in between, Carnival offered a solid option, and is poised to doubling down even further on the package that it offered.
