The facelifted fourth-gen Kia Carnival made its global debut in October 2023 in South Korea. Spy shots of the model being tested across various countries, including India, have surfaced on the internet. Now, the Korean carmaker has unveiled its flagship MPV in the USA at the recently held Chicago Auto Show.
The latest iteration of Carnival is expected to go on sale in the US this summer and it will be available in five trims namely LX, LXS, EX, SX, SX Prestige. Barring the base variant, Kia will also offer a hybrid Carnival HEV in the other four trims.
2024 Kia Carnival design
Based on the Kia KA4 concept presented at the Auto Expo in India last year, the latest iteration of Carnival gets a comprehensive visual makeover. The new Carnival highlights the ‘Modern Boldness’ concept while still being based on Kia’s brand design philosophy ‘Opposites United’. However, there are some noticeable styling changes in comparison to the KA4 concept.
Unlike the KA4 concept, the production version of the new Carnival gets a more upright nose featuring a wide grille flanked by L headlamps with integrated DRLs. The new grille gets fin-like inserts with chrome treatment while the bumper houses a small air intake lower down featuring a faux brushed aluminium skid plate.
Side profile remains largely unchanged barring the new alloy wheel designs inspired by the new-gen born electric Kia models like EV5 and EV9. At the rear, the inverted L-shaped LED taillamps are connected to each other across the tailgate. The reprofiled rear bumper gets a fusion of matte black and chrome.
2024 Kia Carnival interiors & features
The new Kia Carnival gets a twin-screen setup featuring a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Controls for HVAC and stereo are located below the central screen on the dashboard. The dual-tone dashboard gets a a yellow ambient light cutting across it in the middle.
The smart entertainment system receives over-the-air updates. In typical Carnival fashion, it offers multiple seat layouts — 4, 7 or 9. Based on the variant, it also offers massage seats for the second row. Other notable features expected to be offered include an updated digital key, ambient lighting, front and rear dash cameras, a digital rear view mirror, and more.
The 2024 Carnival benefits from an Advanced Driver Assistance System suite offering features like forward and rear collision avoidance assist, blind spot collision-avoidance assist, rear parking assist, lane assist and much more. Other safety features on offer include eight airbags and a 360-degree camera
2024 Kia Carnival engine options
In the USA, Kia is offering two engine options with the new Carnival. The first option is a 3.5-litre V6 naturally aspirated petrol engine which kicks out 287 hp and 352 Nm of peak torque. On the other hand, the hybrid Carnival is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with a 54 kW electric motor.
Combined peak output from this powertrain stands at 242 hp and 367 Nm of peak torque. Transmission duties are carried out by a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The India-spec model is likely to continue with the existing 2.2-litre diesel engine that pumps out 197 bhp and 440 Nm of peak torque. This motor is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard.
