We REVIEWED the Hell out of the 2021 Kia Carnival.

It’s hard to make a bus look cool, but Kia’s new Carnival looks nearly as sexy as the new Sorento. It’s almost as if Sorento backed into a granny flat. The thing is vast.

When Carnival emerged from its covid-bound chrysalis , we reviewed it HERE.

The outside:

The cathedral-like interior is wrapped in slinky sheets of metal. Strategic use of extra-tough steel makes the cocoon a palace of safety, should the unfortunate happen.

Our Platinum V6 is the petrol version of the top model, and it my preferred pony. It has 19” wheels and electric side doors. The rear hatch is also electric, and adds a cool automatic function for good measure. The front doors and rear hatch magically open if a key is sensed. In fact, the rear hatch operates without any kind of human interaction, which can be surprising if you’re not prepared.

But, it isn’t the whizz-bangery under the skin, it is the ultra-modern design that turns a boy’s head. The headlight arrays, bejewelled with dazzling LEDs, sidle up to some clever side profiling, to make an 8 seater van appear a little less like a fridge on wheels. What is this alchemy?

Carnival proves transporting the team doesn’t have to look like a mass breakout from a borstal.

Above: This Week 2021 Kia Carnival Platinum V6 Petrol REVIEW

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ABOVE: 2021 Kia Carnival

Inside:

Kia says the interior is luxurious.

While Kia interiors have made leaps-n-bounds, “luxury” is a bit of a stretch. What we can say is that with each generation, they’ve become more comfortable, and tasteful, and yes, desirable. People set out to visit a Kia showroom because that cars are dead sexy, not dead cheap.

The cow-covered driver’s seat has memory for 2 positions, and the second row has a plethora of armrests, and the cabin has an army of cup holders and USB ports. It is the modern version of a Pullman Carriage. No passenger is more than a small reach away from an air-conditioning duct, and the seats slide and turn in a beautifully choreographed ballet. The cabin can be configured from just 2 seats, to 8. If you don’t have a powder-wigged flunky to do it for you, it only takes a jiffy to do for yourself. Take as many people on your journey as you wish, or go by yourself.

If you’re feeling lonesome, stream your music with CarPlay and Android Auto. The Bose speakers do a marvellous job of giving those tunes the polish they deserve. I didn’t try head banging, but Buddha Hits sounded rather grand.

The driver is the most spoiled. His posh pew is bound by a dizzying array of controls. The knobs and dials at his fingertips are all carefully considered. The cockpit is designed in zones, but no zone is an island and each is connected to another. Driver aids can be fettled through the steering wheel buttons, or menus in the infotainment system. The touch screen is ginormous with comforting beeps to confirm matron’s gentle touch.

Some functions are so important that they have their very own controls. The effect is neat and tidy, and the look is classy and elegant. The brake is electric and has an auto-hold function, and the gears are found on a rotary dial.

Comfort is maintained in 3 zones, 2 in the front and 1 in the back. They’re all controlled from the centre stack with a rear panel as an auxiliary control. The top-shelf feeling continues with seat heating and cooling, whose controls sit further back against the armrest. There, you’ll also find the heated steering wheel, parking sensors, and surround view camera controls.

The genuine cow is augmented by touches fake cow, simulated wood and mock-metal. You can’t always tell what is the real thing, and I double-dog dare you to pick it.

See our story HERE about sleeping in carnival overnight after being caught keyless outdoors.

There are opening glass roofs overhead, for the days where the heavens haven’t opened. Now the climate is on shuffle, it will be a matter of luck rather than planning I suspect.

The entire list of features reads like War and Peace, and it would be churlish to even attempt to name them all. Instead, download your full specifications list HERE: All New Kia Carnival MY21_Specifications

The Drive:

Normally, Kia’s local tuner, Graham Gambold, would have a year to fully fettle local Kias. Covid is being blamed for all manner of thing but in this case, international travel clipped wings worldwide.

Nonetheless, Carnival remains a very special and soothing experience.

Column mounted electric steering is light. It has the effect of making Carnival feel slightly ethereal. It might weigh almost 2,100kg, but the old girl feels like a frisky little city car. While we’re on the subject of city-slicking, let’s talk about parking. Parking should be near impossible in something the size of a block of flats, and probably would be without the surround view cameras. Not only that, but side mirrors dip so you always know where the wheels are.

On a side note, I took the diesel SLi out to see how different the oil-burning unit is. It was this very Carnival that gave me a true Code Brown moment when it developed a somewhat loose tail in a tight corner. I’ve long said Lane Departure can be a trifle intrusive. If fought to put me in a place I didn’t want to be. I resisted its advances, but then it suddenly released its grip, and as I was still resisting, I oversteered a smidge, and over the middle line I went. Had someone been coming the other way, the result would have been disaster.

The legal limited is 80, and yes, I was giving her a bit of a seeing to in the downhill bends, but I know this road intimately and always keep to the limits. It is recommended that the lane trace is turned off in corners, and this timely reminder backs that up. This particular code brown moment is one I’ll never forget.

Another moment I’ll never forget, is the night Casper and I were forced to bunk down, cocooned in the back of the Platinum Carnival. We were locked out of our cottages with a fortuitous load of comfy soft furnishings. Read about it HERE.

Some cars create memories, others are just transport. Carnival, I suspect, will be the former

In the video, I make mention in of the excellent ride, engine, and smooth transmission. There is a hint of limousine, a touch of SUV, and a soupçon of bus to make things rather serene.

The wipers have an automatic function of sorts. it is only “intermittent” with 5 speeds as opposed to “rain sensing” which seems a bit mean.

Conclusion:

Carnival proved itself a worthy companion.

It cosseted me in nanny’s ample bosom. Safety gizmos worked silently behind the scenes, aided by the driving assistants. Carnival drives more like an SUV than a bus, which is as well. If you have a large family, or a small harem, Carnival is for you. I suspect it will continue to be the big bwana in its segment.

Warranty:

KIA’s 7 year unlimited KM warranty is still the industry leader. Although there are 10-year warranties around, KIA’s Damien Meredith says their terms and conditions place the KIA 7-year warranty ahead of the opposition.

Price:

Grade RRP Driveaway Price
S Petrol Auto $46,880 $50,390
Si Petrol Auto $52,380 $55,790
SLi Petrol Auto $56,880 $60,290
Platinum Petrol Auto $64,680 $67,990
S Diesel Auto $48,880 $52,390
Si Diesel Auto $54,380 $57,790
SLi Diesel Auto $58,880 $62,290
Platinum Diesel Auto $66,680 $69,990

Engines: Petrol/Diesel 3.5L or 2.2L Turbo (both Euro 5)

Power: V6 216kw/355Nm, 4cyl 148kw/440Nm

Trans: 8 Speed Automatic

Econ: 9.6L/100k, 6.5L/100k

CO2: 220g/k, 170g/k

More KIA Reviews HERE:

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