Kia launches fourth generation Carnival MPV, gets 'SUV-inspired design'
Kia Motors has taken the covers off 2021 Kia Carnival MPV in Korea. It will also be launched in the US markets as Kia Sedona later.
Based on Kia’s new mid-size platform, the new Carnival has been dubbed a ‘Grand Utility Vehicle’; more refined, roomy and capable than ever, and offering greater space and efficiency than its predecessors – as well as all current rivals in its segment.
Its new SUV-inspired design is matched with a new interior with a range of technologies designed to assist drivers, while protecting and entertaining occupants. It brings a stronger, more stylish presence to the MPV segment as a result.
Also check these Cars
(Also see more pictures of fourth-gen Kia Carnival MPV)
Compared to the outgoing car, it features a shorter front overhang, with the base of the A-pillar moved backwards to create a longer hood. Its increased wheelbase contributes to greater space throughout the cabin. A single character line runs the length of the car, with bold wheel arches and sharp lines giving a more modern, sculpted appearance. A key design highlight its new ‘island roof’ design, with blacked-out A- and B-pillars beneath a body-colored roof. A new C-pillar signature design also stands out, with a chrome fin bearing a subtle diamond pattern.
Its new ‘tiger-nose’ design spans the width of the vehicle, integrating LED daytime running lights, headlamps and grille to give the new Carnival a new and unique signature. The sculpted bumpers and lower air intake at the front are matched with metallic trim and a black lower bumper – a treatment evident on the brand’s SUVs.
At the rear, the Carnival is robust in stature, and boasts a wide, distinctive new look accentuated by a full-width light bar. Another element of its SUV-inspired design is the metallic lower skid plate, further affording a more robust appearance.
The new Carnival offers customers a choice of up to eight exterior paint colors, as well as a range of aluminum alloy wheel designs, 17, 18 or 19 inches in diameter, depending on specification.
The fourth-generation Carnival offers three- or four-row seating configurations, with space for seven, eight or 11 occupants in total. The car is also more versatile and spacious than before.
The Carnival benefits from a 30 mm longer wheelbase (up to 3,090 mm) and 10 mm wider body (up to 1,995 mm). The overall length of the new Carnival has grown by 40 mm to 5,155 mm, with a 30 mm longer rear overhang (up to 1,130 mm), creating more space for third-row passengers and best-in-class luggage space with it.
In its popular seven-seat configuration, the Carnival boasts Kia’s reclining ‘Premium Relaxation Seat’ for second-row occupants, with adjustable back-, arm- and leg-rests providing ‘business class’ seating. This also offers a one-touch ‘Relaxation’ mode, automatically reclining and adjusting the seats for maximum comfort on a longer drive.
The hub of the car’s connectivity features is the high-tech twin digital display. This links Kia’s latest 12.3-inch digital driver instrument cluster and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment and navigation system under a single seamless piece of glass. This dual-screen display creates a panoramic, widescreen user experience, with many infotainment functions controlled via touch-sensitive buttons around the screen. There is a similar haptic control panel further down the center console for climate control.
The infotainment system also enables users to connect two smartphones via Bluetooth at the same time, enabling separate phones to be used for phone calls or media.
The new Carnival adopts Kia’s latest ‘Smartstream’ powertrain technologies. The most powerful engine in the line-up is a 3.5-liter GDi (gasoline direct injection) V6, producing up to 294 ps and 355 Nm torque. There is also a 3.5-liter MPi gasoline V6 is also available, producing up to 272 ps and 332 Nm torque.new 2.2-liter ‘Smartstream’ diesel engine is offered to customers in many markets, and is one of the cleanest diesel units that Kia has ever made. Producing up to 202 ps, and offering 440 Nm torque over a broad range of engine speeds, the new engine replaces its predecessor’s cast iron block for a 20 kg lighter aluminium block.
