Kia Motors Corporation has officially unveiled the interior of the updated Carnival minivan, which will be released initially in South Korea in the coming weeks. The company shared pictures of the revamped interior via its South Korean-focused social media pages.
A peek inside the updated Kia Carnival
The interior reveal comes days after initially showing off its updated exterior design, and just like on the outside, most recognizable shapes were kept albeit with some added improvements.
One example is that a dial-type gear selector replaced the lever gear shifter creating a more open feel for the center console. The automatic air-conditioning (AC) system controls, meanwhile, were changed to a more streamlined single row of tactile touch buttons.
In comparison, the pre-facelift Carnival that’s currently available locally uses three rows of physical buttons for its AC which takes a lot of space up on the dash. Plus, the fan speed and temperature controls on the update were also changed to knobs instead of the toggle buttons on the pre-facelift model. The new knobs will presumably make the AC easier to control while on the go.
For the displays, the South Korean carmaker opted to make the updated Carnival fully digital. Specifically, its dashboard now houses a sleek panoramic curved display consisting of a 12.3-inch central touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The rear cabin was also improved thanks to the addition of two 14.6-inch monitors mounted on the rear of the front seats.
Its new interior is much sleeker compared to the older one.
Of note, the Philippine-spec pre-updated Carnival currently uses a smaller eight-inch central touchscreen with sizable bezels. It also utilizes a pair of analog gauges straddling a small digital driver’s display.
Other new features confirmed for the upcoming Korean-spec Carnival are USB-C ports instead of USB-A ports, a new digital rear-view mirror, fingerprint authentication, a built-in dashcam, as well as an “ergo motion” driver’s seat. This type of seat uses pockets of air to provide an optimally comfortable seat while keeping the seat itself thin and neatly packaged.
The Korean car company further enhanced the ease of use of the updated minivan with the addition of its Digital Key 2 system. This allows for vehicle control via smartphone, specifically remote starting locking, and unlocking.
On the safety side, the company says the update also provides vast improvements like new advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) via Kia’s Highway Driving Assist 2 system. No specifics for this, however, were mentioned, but on other global Kia models, this is capable of semi-autonomous driving thanks to its adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality and lane-centering assist.
The 2025 Kia Carnival
For now, the company is also mum when it comes to the updated Carnival’s mechanicals. It was previously shared though, that it might be getting a new 1.6-liter hybrid turbo gasoline and diesel powertrains. As a reference, the Sportage Hybrid for the global market utilizes a similarly sized hybrid mill that can churn out 226 horsepower and 349 Nm of torque.
The updated 2025 Kia Carnival will be officially launched in the coming weeks initially in its home market of South Korea. More details will be shared about the minivan by then, so stay tuned here on Philkotse.
Know more about Kia Carnival 2024
The 2025 Kia Carnival is a seven-seater minivan. It is now in its fourth generation, and it has two different variants for the Philippine market.
These include the Carnival SX AT, and the Carnival EX AT. Its prices range from Php 2,888,000 to Php 3,368,000.
Under the hood of the all-new Carnival is a 2.2-liter turbodiesel mill that can generate up to 200 horsepower and 440 Nm of torque. Both variants are front-wheel-drive, and both use an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Size-wise, the new Carnival is 5,115mm long, 1,985mm wide, and 1,740mm in height. It also has a wheelbase length of 3,060mm.
Locally, the 2025 Kia Carnival rivals the Honda Odyssey, Hyundai Grand Starex, and GAC GN8, among others.
>>> New and used Kia Carnival 2025 for sale in the Philippines
Kia Carnival Launch
The Kia Carnival’s first-gen model was initially introduced as the Kia Sedona back in 2001. Later on, it reached other markets around the world as the Kia Carnival, Kia Grand Carnival, Hyundai Entourage, and the Sedona.
For the Philippine market in 2022, it was now known as the Kia Carnival. It replaced the old third-gen model, and it came in two different variants.
Kia Carnival Exterior
On the outside, the new Carnival 2025 offers a sophisticated-looking design with SUV-like qualities. It sports the new Kia logo, classy-looking C-pillars, and a pair of sharp-looking headlamps. For the EX, it rides on a set of 18-inch wheels. The SX meanwhile, gets a larger 19-inch set.
Kia Carnival Interior
At most, the 2025 Kia Carnival Philippines can comfortably seat up to seven occupants. It features captain second-row seats with leg rests, a wide bench-type third-row seat, and plenty of cargo space. The front seats for the driver also come with electronic adjustment. All the seats are then clad in leather or leatherette.
Access to the vehicle is also made easy with power sliding doors, and a power tailgate. Other features found inside the new Carnival are a sunroof, and a 3-zone automatic climate control system, among others.
The driver is then provided with cruise control, a push-to-start button, and a digital gauge cluster.
Technology & Safety Features
Safety-wise, the Carnival Philippines gets a total of six airbags, a rear camera, anti-lock braking with electronic brake-force distribution, front and rear parking sensors, stability control, ISOFIX anchors, and hill-start assist, among others.
Those standard safety features are then supported by blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision avoidance, and lane keep assist.
Entertainment is handled by an eight-inch headunit with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The said headunit is linked to a six-piece speaker system. The top-spec SX trim also comes with a wireless smartphone charger.
Platform & Chassis
The all-new 2025 Kia Carnival rides on the N3 platform which it shares with the Kia Sorento. For suspensions, it uses a MacPherson strut for the front, and a multi-link type for the rear. Braking is then handled by disc brakes for all four wheels. It also uses an electronic parking brake.
Engine & Drivetrain
Under the hood of the new 2025 Carnival is a 2.2-liter turbodiesel engine capable of producing up to 200 horsepower and 440 Nm of torque. Power is then sent to the model’s front wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Locally, the 2025 Kia Carnival has a total of three different color options. These include Astra Blue, Snow White Pearl, and Aurora Black Pearl.
The Kia Carnival has shaped up to become one of the more feature-rich and high-tech the Korean brand offers locally. And yes, it also has a very comprehensive safety kit, which rivals other locally available premium models. Power-wise, it also gets a diesel engine, which we all know is used sparingly in other vehicles of its class. Well, at least in the Philippines.
Kia Carnival 2025 Price List
| Variants | Price |
|---|---|
| Kia Carnival 2.2 EX Diesel AT | ₱2,888,000 |
| Kia Carnival 2.2 SX Diesel AT | ₱3,368,000 |
Kia Carnival Pros & Cons
Pros
- Diesel engine
- Loads of features and on-board tech
- Roomy
- Macho but elegant styling
Cons
- Its size might intimidate new drivers
₱ 2,640,000 - ₱ 3,088,000
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