The Kia Carnival EX rides on 18-inch alloy wheels. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe When you hear the word multipurpose vehicle or MPV, the cars that spring to mind are concoctions with body-coloured rear windows configured to carry a mix of passengers and cargo. Although the Kia Carnival is technically classified as one, it is just too damn suave to be associated with the usual riff-raff of the MPV circle.
Much more fitting is the American description of mini-van. The Kia Carnival offers many van-specific vestiges like proper legroom and headroom for all three rows of seats, sliding rear doors and versatile space. Yet it looks, feels and behaves like a posh SUV.
In other words, it is the perfect solution for those stuck between a large SUV and a van. And surprisingly, the only of its kind in South Africa. The Kia Carnival, previously known as the Grand Sedona, was introduced under its new nomenclature locally three years ago.
Read Full Article on The Citizen
[paywall]
A few months ago, it received its first update in the form of styling and tech enhancements and a streamlined model line-up. After starting life with four models, the range is now down to only two. The entry-level EX and the flagship SXL.
After a few adventures in the pre-facelift model,The Citizen Motoringrecently sampled the new EX model, which is at R1 049 995 R250 000 more affordable than the SXL. Straight off the bat, the updated Kia Carnival sports square new touches up front, making it look much more modern. It features new LED headlights with L-shaped daytime running diodes alongside a Tiger Nose grille.
Below the grille, the fog lamps are integrated into the lower air intake. At the rear there is a new bumper and new light cluster that are connected by a horizontal light bar. The grab handle has been dropped from the tailgate, with the button moved next to the reverse camera.
The side profile reveals 18-inch alloy wheels, two-tone side mirrors and brushed aluminium roof rails.The Kia Carnival EX’s cabin has also received some serious upgrades. Gone are the analog dials in the instrument cluster, replaced by a 12.3-inch screen alongside the 12.3-inch infotainment cluster like the Sedona. The row of digital buttons that double acts as climate control panel and infotainment controls that made its debut in the Sportage has also been introduced to the Carnival.
A redesigned centre console sees the rotary gear selector make way for a traditional gear lever. The rest of the interior is largely unchanged, with the combination of two-tone leather, soft-touch finishes and imitation alloy inserts creating an elegantly styled cabin. The biggest party trick is found in the rear, where the theme is acres of space.
With both rows of three-seaters upright, the boot offers a ginormous 1 139 litres of space. This is not a typo, but rather the result of the generous cubic space from the deep cavity at the bottom to the roof. Once you fold down the third row, only a van can match the Kia Carnival in terms of cargo space. We were slightly miffed that the boot doesn’t feature an electric tailgate, features reserved for the SXL.
[/paywall]
