Over a year since its global premiere, the all-new Kia Carnival is set for a Philippine debut in the first quarter of this year. One Kia Philippines dealership placed the date at February 3, 2022, while another branch claims that four out of the first five units it ordered are already spoken for.
Potential customers are reportedly being contacted by Kia Philippines dealerships
Dealers are reportedly pre-selling the model to prospective customers, adding to the hype. But what should buyers expect on the fourth generation of Kia’s popular minivan? The new Carnival reportedly sports larger dimensions while weighing less than the outgoing model. It’s based on the latest N3 platform that also underpins the Hyundai Staria.
An angular appearance dominates the new Carnival’s exterior design, with a subtle diamond motif placed among the details, referred to by the carmaker as ‘symphonic architecture.’ The new Kia corporate logo rests on top of the updated tiger nose grille, which now sits between dual automatic LED projection-type headlamps with LED daytime running lights.
The ‘island roof’ design gives the impression of the roof section floating over the rest of the body, bolstered by a signature C-pillar. For ease of ingress and egress, the new Carnival comes with sliding doors and a power tailgate, the latter flanked by a sleek one-piece taillamp with distinctive LED signature. A set of 19-inch alloy wheels occupies the minivan’s external corners.
The fourth-generation Carnival features a sleeker design over the previous model
Inside, the minivan offers room for up to seven occupants, with power-adjusting leather upholstery that features ottoman leg rests on the second row. An automatic sliding sunroof allows more ambient light or fresh air into the cabin. The default 627-liter luggage space can be expanded to 2,785 liters with the second and third seating rows folded.
There’s three-zone automatic climate control, while drivers get a leather-clad multi-function steering wheel. The instrument cluster comprises two large analog gauges flanking a 4.2-inch screen, in contrast with the fully digital display found on overseas markets. An 8-inch touchscreen handles communications and infotainment, with connectivity options including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and voice commands. For a hassle-free way to top up your phone’s battery, wireless charging is available.
That wide tailgate can be opened electronically
Propelling the new Carnival is a turbocharged Smartstream common-rail diesel engine displacing 2.2 liters, rated at 200 horsepower and 440 Nm of torque. Power is routed to the front wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission with Shiftronic. Seven airbags are standard, along with anti-lock brakes and stability control. These are accompanied by driver-assist technologies such as Blind-Spot Detection with Collision Avoidance, Lane-Keeping Assist, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert.
Citing information from dealerships, the 2022 Kia Carnival will have a sticker price of Php 2,988,000 for the lone SX variant. A more affordable EX trim is said to be on offer for Php 2,180,000, but this has not been officially confirmed as of posting.
Be on top of the latest industry releases at Philkotse.com.
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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