2022 Kia Carnival priced up as 3-row minivan bucks style trends
Kia has revealed pricing for the 2022 Carnival, the three-row minivan which will replace the Sedona with something a little more stylish. Announced last month, the Carnival will kick off at $32,100 plus $1,175 destination for the entry-level LX trim when it arrives in US dealerships in Q2 2021.
On the outside, you can tell that the Carnival really, really wants to be an SUV. A bigger, bolder grille flanked with LED headlamps, along with bulging wheel arches and a contrast C-pillar set it aside from the Sedona, while at the rear there's a trunk-spanning light bar and Kia's new logo.
Still, the name of the game remains practicality. That means sliding rear doors for ease of access to the second and third rows, along with a choice of 7- or 8-seat configurations for the 168.2 cu-ft of passenger space. Drop or remove those two rows, meanwhile, and you'll get up to 145.1 cu-ft of cargo room.
In the 7-seat models, there's the option of heated and ventilated second-row VIP Lounge Seating captain's chairs, with power adjustment, wing-out headrests, and leg extensions. The 8-seat Carnival has a "Slide-Flex" second row center seat, meanwhile, which can be shifted forward and back for easier third-row access, or converted into a table. Third row seats fold into the floor, while in all but the SX-Prestige trim the second-row seats can be physically removed.
The 2022 Carnival LX with Seating Package will start at $31,100 (plus destination), while the EX will be from $37,600. The Carnival SX will be from $41,100, while the flagship Carnival SX-Prestige will be from $46,100.
Regardless of trim, the same 3.5-liter V6 engine will be under the hood. That packs 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, and comes with an 8-speed automatic transmission as standard. Kia says it'll tow up to 3,500 pounds.
What you can't get is an all-wheel drive Carnival – only front-wheel drive – or a hybrid version, at least for the moment.
Standard across the board Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Blind-Spot Avoidance Assist, and Lane Keeping Assist. Options include Blind-Spot View Monitor, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist-Cyclist, and a 360-degree camera, along with Kia's Highway Driving Assist and navigation-based Smart Cruise Control-Curve. There's also Parking Collision Avoidance Assist to help prevent low-speed dings.