FUEL-SIPPER KIA CARNIVAL HYBRID A SERIOUS CONTENDER!

By NITISH S. RELE – motoringflorida@gmail.com

Let’s rattle off some minivan names: Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Pacifica. And lest we forget the 2025 Kia Carnival hybrid, a fine and fitting replacement for the Sedona since it debuted in 2022. No kidding! Within barely three years of its introduction, the Korean automaker has revamped the seven- or eight-passenger minivan for 2025, thereby shaking up the otherwise monotonous segment.

All-new for the year is a hybrid powertrain with a 1.6-liter gasoline-direct injection turbocharged engine that pumps out 242 horsepower @ 5500 rpm and 270 pounds-feet of torque while mated to a 6-speed auto gear box. It is aided by an electric motor and a 270-volt lithium-ion battery. The drive mode selector allows the driver to pick normal, smart, sport and eco. Looking to haul a small boat? With a tow capacity of 2,520 pounds for the front-wheel-drive ride, it’s game on!

You would rarely hear anyone call a minivan good looking but the boxy and SUV-like Carnival is just that. Perhaps, it is now the most attractive minivan on the road. Cube-like LED headlights flank a massive black and matte-chromed, sculptural radiator grille to portray a handsome presence. You just cannot miss Kia’s signature amber-colored Star Map (think constellations!) daytime running lights. The cabin is spacious and functional with a tri-zone auto a/c, eight-way power front leather seats, dual glove box, heated/cooled front seats, head-up display, splashes of hydro graphic wood on the console, leather steering wheel/shifter knob, Bose 12-speaker audio system and power tailgate and dual tilt/slide sun roofs. Mammoth 12.3-inch dual screens that stretch almost all the way across the dashboard display a digital gauge as well as your infotainment system. A passenger-view camera in the rearview mirror enables adults to keep an eye on other occupants, mainly tots. The power-sliding doors open up to lounge seats with footrests for second-row passengers with slide, recline and leg extenders. So, you are basically riding as though a member of the royal family. The third-row 60/40 split seats folds into the floor. With both rear seats folded, you get an impressive 145.1 cubic feet of space.

Dual front and side airbags, side curtain airbag for all three rows, driver knee airbag, electronic stability, traction and hill-start assist controls, four-wheel antilock brakes with electronic brake distribution, lane keep/follow assists, blind spot/parking and rear-cross traffic/forward collision avoidance, surround view monitor, remote keyless entry, daytime running lights and tire pressure monitoring system are standard.

We averaged nearly 36 mpg in combined driving, essentially proving that this hybrid Kia minivan can go almost 600 miles on a tank! Now that is absolutely remarkable as gas prices continue to hover around $3 a gallon! With a solid powertrain, spacious passenger- and cargo-hauling capabilities, the Kia Carnival has arrived in its full-fledged form. Let the festivities begin!

CARNIVAL HYBRID (SX PRESTIGE)

Tires: 235/55R19

Wheelbase: 121.7 inches

Length: 203 inches

Width: 89.2 inches

Height: 69.9 inches

Weight: 4,872 pounds

Suspension: MacPherson strut front; multilink

Steering: motor-driver power

Fuel capacity: 19 gallons

City/highway: 34/31 mpg

Base price: $52,600

Price as tested: $54,755

Web site: www.kiausa.com