2023 Kia Carnival

The 2023 Kia Carnival is available in four different trim levels starting at an MSRP of $33,000. The standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, power-sliding rear side doors, front and rear air conditioning, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 6-speaker audio system. You can upgrade to the higher trim levels for bigger wheels and more standard features with your Kia Carnival. There are also some additional packages to choose from including the LX seat package and the SX Prestige seat package. The SX trim no longer gets reclining captain's chairs as standard and you will have to get an optional package for that. 

Packages

LX Seat package

• 8-passenger capacity with middle second-row seat
• 8-way power-adjustable driver's seat
• Simulated leather upholstery
• Heated front seats
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob

SX Prestige Seat package

• Power-adjustable and reclining lounge seats
• Heated and ventilated second-row seats

We recommend

We recommend going for the 2023 Kia Carnival in the SX trim level. As it gets all the important features that matter while driving your car daily. The bigger 19-inch glossed-black alloy wheel looks great on the Kia Carnival. It also gets you the bigger 12.3–inch touchscreen system and digital instrument cluster on the same side as standard with the SX trim. Those who do not have any budget issues can go for the top-of-the-line SX Prestige trim level.

The 2023 Kia Carnival is on par with its rivals in terms of fuel efficiency. You should not expect anything exceptional in terms of efficiency. The Kia Carnival can return 19 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg of combined fuel efficiency. It comes with a fuel tank capacity of 19 gallons. The highway range is limited to a maximum of 494 miles on a full tank which is not the best range in the class. This will compromise your comfort as you might have to visit the gas station more often on long trips. 

The 2023 Kia Carnival returns the least highway efficiency in the class and also delivers the least range in its class. The Honda Odyssey comes with the largest fuel tank capacity. The Chrysler Pacifica also returns similar fuel efficiency as the Honda Odyssey. The Toyota Sienna is in a league of its own when it comes to efficiency. The hybrid powertrain helps it deliver the best in class efficiency as it can deliver 36 mpg of fuel efficiency in all situations. Even though it comes with the smallest fuel tank capacity in the segment, it delivers the longest range beating all the rivals by quite a margin. 

The 2023 Kia Carnival does not come with a boring minivan interior design. You will appreciate the quality of the cabin. Depending on the trim level the interior design might differ but Kia has maintained the quality pretty well. Going with the upper trims, you will notice the leather upholstery on the doors when you open them with soft-touch materials. The dashboard also gets soft touch material on the top. You get a nice silver line that separates the dashboard in two parts and the air vents are nicely integrated into it. The space inside the cabin is not an issue. There is ample space to stretch out your feet in all three rows of the Carnival. However, the legroom in the last row could be slightly improved. 

The 2023 Kia Carnival comes with a comfortable and spacious cabin for the class. The cargo area is also the best in the class. However, the one area where it lacks is the space in the last row. The passenger in the third row will struggle for space. The 2023 Toyota Sienna on the other hand struggles in the cargo area department. The Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica find a good match in terms of space in all three rows and cargo areas. 

Interior features of the 2023 Kia Carnival:

• 8-way adjustable front seats
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• 40-20-40 folding split-bench rear seats
• Cruise control
• Dual-zone climate control
• Day-night auto-dimming rearview mirror

2023 Kia Carnival Infotainment System

The 2023 Kia Carnival comes standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display. The screen runs pretty smoothly and it is up to the Kia standards in terms of the user interface. You can also get the optional 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display paired with another 12.3-inch display for the instrument cluster making your dashboard look even more futuristic. It becomes standard with the SX trim or the higher trim levels. The infotainment system comes with all the modern connectivity options including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You can get a maximum of 9-USB ports in the Kia Carnival to ensure that all your devices are running on the go. The base trim gets a 6-speaker audio system while the EX or above trim gets an 8-speaker audio system. The SX Prestige gets a 12-speaker Bose premium speakers sound system. 

Infotainment features include:

• 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display (Optional)
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• SiriusXM
• WiFi hotspot
• 6/8/12 speakers audio system

Kia has put some efforts in the Carnival to make it look more like an SUV than a minivan. The buyers will appreciate the subtle design that looks futuristic in the Carnival. The front of the 2023 Kia Carnival gets a small LED headlight housing, and the LED DRLs are placed right below that. Kia’s signature tiger-nose grille sits in the between while you get sleek fog lamps on the bottom. The long side profile looks good too. The wheels depend on the trim you buy. At the rear, the LED taillights go all along the rear doors with an integrated Kia badge on it. The overall design language will impress the buyers of the 2023 Kia Carnival.

The 2023 Honda Odyssey is the longest minivan in the segment but also comes with the shortest wheelbase in the class. It also comes with the least ground clearance in the competition. The Kia Carnival on the other hand offers the best ground clearance in the segment followed by the Toyota Sienna. The Kia Carnival comes with the longest wheelbase too followed by the Chrysler Pacifica with just a marginal difference. The Chrysler Pacifica holds the title of the widest minivan in the segment. 

Exterior features of the 2023 Kia Carnival:

• 17”/19” wheels
• Deep tinted glass
• Lip spoiler
• Automatic headlights
• Front fog lamps
• LED brake lights

The 2023 Kia Carnival comes with a long list of standard safety and driver assistance features. The earlier model year of the Kia Carnival managed to score “Good” ratings in most of the area in crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It also managed to secure its position in the Top Safety Pick award for 2022. However, the current model year of the car has not been tested so far but it is the same vehicle with the same set of safety features. So, the ratings for the previous model year should apply to the current model year too. It comes with a ton of driver assistance features including rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, blind-spot collision avoidance, driver attention warning, and lane-keep assist.

Safety features include:

• Electronic stability control
• Hill-start assist
• Vehicle stability management
• Driver attention warning
• Lane-keep assist
• Lane following assist

2023 Kia Carnival vs. 2023 Honda Odyssey

The 2023 Honda Odyssey is not the most modern minivan out there in the class. The interior has started to look outdated along with the infotainment system. It is even more evident when you compare it to the Kia Carnival. However, the 2023 Honda Odyssey has better space inside the cabin. The third row of the Honda Odyssey gets more space to stretch your legs. It also feels more lively to drive and you enjoy the nimble handling it offers for a minivan. The decision between the two depends on your requirements. If you wish to get a more modern cabin the 2023 Kia Carnival is a better choice, but for those who want extra space can go with the Honda Odyssey. 

2023 Kia Carnival vs. 2023 Chrysler Pacifica

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica has many advantages compared to the Kia Carnival in its favor. The biggest advantage is the plug-in hybrid powertrain option with the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica. The Chrysler Pacifica also gets an AWD drivetrain option that allows it to go on any terrain with more ease compared to the Kia Carnival. There is not a big difference in terms of space in the cabin of these minivans. The Kia Carnival on the other hand looks better from the outside and is also more premium from the inside with a better infotainment system. 

2023 Kia Carnival vs. 2023 Toyota Sienna

The 2023 Kia Carnival is hands down a better-looking car compared to the Toyota Sienna. The Kia Carnival also gets a more technologically advanced cabin. But the Toyota Sienna offers better space in the last row compared to the Carnival. The driving experience might be slightly better in the Kia Carnival. However, the Toyota Sienna crushes not just the Kia Carnival but also any other car in the segment with its segment-leading fuel efficiency. The Toyota Sienna comes standard with a hybrid powertrain. The choice melts down to your personal preference and requirements. 

The 2023 Kia Carnival comes with a great package for the price. It comes with great interior quality with ample space in the cabin. The cabin feels premium with the use of leather and soft-touch materials on the doors and dashboard. You can get the optional 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display and pair it with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster screen. The cabin also gets many other technology features with the infotainment system. The exterior styling is the biggest highlight of the 2023 Kia Carnival as it looks more like an SUV. People are going to love the looks of the Kia Carnival from the outside as it does not look like a traditional boring MPV design that limits most of the buyers to enter the segment. However, the space in the third row surely takes a hit. If you can compromise on that aspect, the 2023 Kia Carnival is a great minivan for the price.