The 2025 Kia Carnival offers a handsome design, advanced technology, impressive convenience features, and it exemplifies the carmaker’s push to redefine the minivan. But despite strong visual appeal and excellent driver-assistance systems, the Carnival has notable drawbacks, particularly in passenger comfort.

Pros:

✘ Handsome, SUV-inspired design

✘ Advanced driver-assistance features

✘ Excellent visibility and camera systems

✘ Commendable fuel efficiency

Cons:

✘ High floor height and inset seats makes ingress difficult

✘ Rear-seat comfort is compromised for taller passengers

✘ Disappointing highway acceleration, especially when loaded

✘ Advertised range is overly optimistic

Design

The Kia Carnival stands out with a bold exterior design. The Carnival MPV and Sorento SUV are difficult to tell apart, both sporting Kia’s bold new design language. The Carnival looks more SUV-like than traditional minivans. It’s one of the best-looking vehicles in its class.

Inside, the Carnival presents a near-luxury cabin with high-quality materials, a generous suite of tech features, and a sharp graphics intensive instrument panel and center stack. The front seats offer good comfort and adjustability, but second-row seating can be awkward, depending upon passenger height and seat configuration. While Kia aims for a luxurious experience, the high floor height and oddly inset second-row seats can make ingress challenging, especially for the mobility impaired.

Comfort

One of the biggest concerns with the 2025 Carnival is rear-seat comfort. Sitting in the second-row feels unnaturally elevated. Taller passengers will struggle with headroom—particularly on models equipped with a rear sunroof which further reduces interior height. I needed to recline my seat to clear the headliner and ended up with a view of the ceiling. The experience was reminiscent of sitting in a dental chair at my dentist’s office.

The issue is more pronounced in the third row, where seat bottoms are positioned low to the floor and have no thigh support. Third row seating is useful only for children.

Additionally, accessing rear rows requires a level of effort uncommon in the minivan segment. The door and seat placement demand more climbing than typically expected in a family vehicle. It could be a drawback for those prioritizing ease of ingress and egress.

Performance

The Carnival features a hybrid powertrain that delivers responsive acceleration at lower speeds. It feels sprightly in city driving. The electric motor provides immediate torque, allowing for quick launches from a stop.

Highway performance is less impressive. The Carnival struggles to deliver adequate acceleration during merging and passing. Those who frequent the interstate and carry full loads of passengers and cargo should temper expectations.

Economy

The Kia Carnival Hybrid has an EPA-estimated 34 mpg city and 31 mpg highway with 33 mpg combined. I observed 29 mpg in mixed driving.

Colleagues said to expect a 600-mile range from the Carnival. I don’t know where they got that number. I got a little over 300 miles on a tank of gas. While not impressive, it’s commendable efficiency for a high-profile minivan.

This pattern of optimistic range estimates aligns with a trend in many hybrid and electric vehicles. Projected mileage decreases more rapidly than in-vehicle trip computers estimate.

The 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige is competitively priced with an as-tested MSRP of $57,255 including destination.

 Technology and Safety Features

One of the Carnival’s biggest strengths is its technology and driver assistance features. Highlights include:

Heads-Up Display (HUD): Bright, clear and full of useful driving information such as speed limits, following distance and lane positions.

360-Degree Camera System: Offers excellent visibility around the vehicle, making parking and maneuvering easier—especially helpful for families with small children.

Blind-Spot Cameras: Activates when the turn signal is engaged, providing a live view of adjacent lanes.

Adaptive Cruise Control: Smooth and intuitive, capable of bringing the vehicle to a complete stop and resuming movement in traffic. It even executes lane changes when prompted.

The Carnival SX Prestige also includes rear-seat entertainment screens, adding to its family friendly appeal. However, due to the rear-seat comfort issues, some passengers may find it difficult to sit in an ideal position to fully enjoy these features.

The Verdict

A solid choice for transporting children. The 2025 Kia Carnival is a visually striking, feature-rich MPV with excellent technology and safety systems. It excels in outward visibility, fuel efficiency and infotainment. But it falls short in key areas like second-and third-row comfort, passenger ingress and highway performance.

Those seeking optimal ride comfort and effortless access to all rows may find minivans from rival automakers better-suited alternatives.

For families prioritizing design, technology, safety and value, the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige is compelling.