2026 Kia Carnival Review

Designed to put large SUVs to shame on the practicality front, the Kia Carnival remains an immense people-mover for families of eight.

To further its appeal, Kia has introduced some more affordable versions of its fuel-efficient Carnival hybrid to the lineup for 2026, but with no less than 13 versions on offer, it can be difficult to know what's your best option.

Let’s take a closer look at the MY26 Carnival range to see what's on offer and whether it remains the benchmark for family-friendly motoring.

Kia Carnival Competition

How Much Does It Cost?

Prices for the latest Kia Carnival range kick off from $50,150 and top out at $76,630 for the flagship Carnival GT-Line hybrid.

A noticeable inclusion for the latest MY26 model year is the introduction of more affordable versions of the Carnival hybrid range, which was previously restricted to flagship GT-Line trim levels only.

• Carnival S Petrol - $50,570

• Carnival S Diesel - $52,800

• Carnival S Hybrid - $56,100

• Carnival Sport Petrol - $56,470

• Carnival Sport Diesel - 58,700

• Carnival Sport+ Petrol - $62,800

• Carnival Sport+ Diesel - $65,030

• Carnival Sport+ Hybrid - $68,330

• Carnival GT-Line Lite Petrol - $66,770

• Carnival GT-Line Lite Diesel - $69,000

• Carnival GT-Line Petrol - $71,100

• Carnival GT-Line Diesel - $73,330

• Carnival GT-Line Hybrid - $76,630

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change and do not include on-road costs.

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Specifications

What Features Does the Kia Carnival Have?

Kia's entry-level Carnival S range comes riding on a set of 17-inch alloys and picks up LED headlights with LED daytime running lamps, adaptive cruise control, a rear-view camera with front & rear parking sensors, keyless entry & start, cloth upholstery and an electronic parking brake.

Stepping up to the Carnival Sport range adds 18-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, LED combination rear lights, leatherette upholstery with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear lever, electric folding side mirrors and a wireless smartphone charger.

The Carnival Sport+ range picks up a set of power-sliding doors and a powered boot lift, alongside a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, heated front & second-row seats, eight-way power-adjustment for the driver's seat, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and rear privacy glass.

Kia's Carnival GT-Line Lite receives a set of 19-inch alloys as well as a dual-pane sunroof, chrome styling enhancements and LED interior lighting.

The flagship Carnival GT-Line picks up projector LED headlights, ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel, an upgraded black front grille, a digital rear-view mirror, remote smart parking assist, a rotary gear selector with wheel-mounted paddle shifters, a digital rear-view mirror and a head-up display.

Connectivity & Infotainment Features

While there are no less than five versions of the Kia Carnival on offer, thankfully, all variants pick up the same 12.3-inch infotainment system sitting atop the dashboard.

This will come as great news for price-conscious buyers who stand to pick up the same infotainment tech as flagship versions.

Kia's 12.3-inch display is a great unit, offering high brightness levels, great resolution and enough processing power to trawl through menus without any noticeable lagging.

There's an eight-speaker sound system packaged into the majority of the Carnival range, with the GT-Line picking up a 12-speaker Bose sound system that offers a considerable power boost.

All Carnival variants also pick up a seven-year subscription to Kia's connected services suite, which offers everything from remote vehicle controls, location tracking, emergency calls, and vehicle status reports.

Does the Kia Carnival Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

Potential buyers will be pleased to know that the Carnival's infotainment system offers wireless smartphone mirroring for both iOS and Android ecosystems.

That means that buyers opting for the entry-level Carnival S through to the range-topping GT-Line can leave the USB cables at home, thanks to Kia's wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto offerings.

Is the Kia Carnival Comfortable to Drive?

The biggest compliment you can give the Carnival is that it doesn't drive like a big, family-friendly behemoth.

In fact, the Carnival has a great set of table manners that make it one of the easiest family chariots to drive around town, which isn't an easy feat by any stretch.

Under the bonnet, Kia offers the Carnival with a 3.5-litre V6 petrol that pushes 216kW of power and 355Nm of torque to the front wheels, only, as well as a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel unit that produces 148kW of power and 440Nm of torque.

While the petrol has a significant power advantage, there's more torque in the Carnival diesel range and significantly better fuel economy figures on offer.

One of the main attractions for 2026 is the roll-out of more affordable versions of the Carnival hybrid range, which pairs a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor that produces 180kW of power and 366Nm of torque.

The added electrical system makes an already smooth powertrain even more refined and stands out as one of the best options to power the Carnival, followed by the turbo-diesel and the V6 petrol sitting in last place.

Around town, the Carnival's size definitely takes some time to get used to, though the responsive, lightweight steering rack makes it easy enough to crawl through tight confines.

The inclusion of a surround-view monitor is reserved for Sport+ and higher variants, though, which is something to keep in mind.

It rides well over the bumps and stays nice and composed in the corners, making it a seriously versatile package for the urban jungle and even some excursions on some rougher Australian B-roads, thanks to a local suspension tune.

On the highway, the Carnival is near effortless to drive thanks to its ample power across the engine lineup, solid visibility and clear attention to noise, vibration and harshness levels inside the cabin that won't wake up any young ones from a nap.

All up, the Carnival blurs the lines between a large people-mover and a far more dynamic package and performs exceptionally well on pretty much any road you throw at it.

Is it Fuel Efficient?

With three different engines on offer, fuel efficiency depends on which powertrain you're opting for under the bonnet of the Carnival.

The V6 petrol has the greatest thirst, while the hybrid is, unsurprisingly, the most fuel-efficient, though there’s not a huge difference between the hybrid and Kia's turbo-diesel engine.

On a combined cycle, the Carnival V6 petrol is rated at 9.6L/100km, which drops to 6.5L/100km in the case of the Carnival turbo-diesel, dipping once again to 5.8L/100km for the Carnival hybrid.

• Carnival V6 Petrol Fuel Economy: 9.6L/100km

• Carnival Turbo-Diesel Fuel Economy: 6.5L/100km

• Carnival Hybrid Fuel Economy: 5.8L/100km

Is it Practical and Spacious?

The Kia Carnival is arguably the most family-friendly vehicle on the market today, and we don't say that lightly.

If you've got a large family, no vehicle on the planet can put the Carnival to shame when it comes to offering tonnes of space across a three-row cabin.

In the first row of the cabin, you're treated to a tonne of headroom and excellent forward and side visibility thanks to the lofty headliner and large windows.

Ergonomics are also excellent, thanks to a range of soft touchpoints welcoming your elbows and both reach and rake adjustment for the steering wheel.

The layout of the Carnival's dash is clean, simple and easy on the eyes and offers no shortage of storage options to eat up all the loose items that families accumulate.

The massive centre console sits at the ready, with two cupholders, three separate storage trays and added space inside the folding armrest, joined by the usuals, like door bins and a glovebox.

There’s easy access into the Carnival's second row thanks to the wide-opening doors and generous legroom dimensions, with no issues for headroom, either.

Take note, however, that you'll need to upgrade to the Sport+ or above for a set of power-sliding rear doors and a powered boot lift.

Adults won't have a problem getting comfortable in the second row of the Carnival, which sits on a set of three rails that allow you to slide back and forth and a clever middle seat design that houses a tray and cupholders when folded forward.

This middle seat can also be lifted out completely, providing easy access into the third row if you're happy with a six-seat layout.

The Carnival's third row is seriously spacious, offering more than enough real estate for an adult to sit back here with dignity, let alone kids.

Parents will be thrilled to know that there are no less than five separate ISOFIX anchors inside the Carnival, alongside five top tether mounts that make it a serious baby-moving package.

In short, the Carnival remains the benchmark for family-friendly packaging thanks to its large footprint and Kia's seriously clever interior designs that utilise every inch of space and provide endless storage and practical touches to keep large families happy.

How Big is the Kia Carnival's Boot?

The Kia Carnival's boot is quite a feat of engineering.

The boot dips below the floor line when the third row seats are deployed, giving it large-SUV-rivaling volume figures, even while transporting a family of eight.

There's 627L of boot space on offer with all three rows standing, expanding to a monstrous 2,827L when you lay both rows of rear seats flat, making it a serious performer when it comes to boot space.

There's also a pair of little storage shelves on the left-hand side of the boot alongside tie-down points to help secure loose items.

All but the Carnival HEV hybrid range come packaged with a spare tyre, too, with the hybrid picking up a tyre repair kit instead.

• Carnival Boot Space Minimum: 627L

• Carnival Boot Space Maximum: 2,827L

Is it Safe?

All members of the Carnival range pick up a lengthy safety equipment list, while some key additions come to buyers upgrading to the Sport+ and above.

The range comes packaged with autonomous emergency braking, with pedestrian and cyclist detection and junction assist alongside adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alerts with lane centring, rear cross-traffic alerts, blind-spot assist, trailer stability control, multi-collision braking, speed limit assist, rear occupant alerts, a rear-view camera with front & rear parking sensors and curtain airbags.

Buyers stepping up to the Carnival Sport range pick up Kia's Highway Driving Assist I system, while Sport+ variants receive Highway Driving Assist II.

The Carnival Sport+ and above also receive rear cross-traffic assist, a surround-view monitor with side parking sensors, a blind-spot view monitor, rear autonomous emergency braking and junction cross, lane oncoming, and lane direct avoidance systems.

All up, the base model comes packed with all the absolute necessities for active safety tech, while buyers upgrading to a higher-ranking variant receive a tonne of clever technology to sweeten the deal.

Does the Kia Carnival Have an ANCAP Safety Rating?

Family buyers will be pleased to know that all versions of the Kia Carnival have been awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating after scoring the following marks during 2021 testing.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 90%

• Child Occupant Protection: 88%

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 68%

• Safety Assist: 82%

What Warranty Does the Kia Carnival Come With?

Kia offers the MY26 Carnival range with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

The Carnival hybrid range picks up a separate seven-year/150,000-kilometre warranty for the battery and high-voltage system.

Buyers also pick up eight years of roadside assistance and seven years' worth of capped-price servicing.

• Carnival Petrol Seven-Year Servicing Cost: $3,897

• Carnival Diesel Seven-Year Servicing Cost: $4,157

• Carnival Hybrid Seven-Year Servicing Cost: $4,597

Service intervals for the Carnival petrol & diesel range stand at 12 months or 15,000km, which drop to 10,000km in the Carnival hybrid.

Our Verdict: Is the Kia Carnival Worth it?

We can't speak highly enough of the latest Kia Carnival range, which remains arguably the most family-friendly, practical vehicles anywhere on the market.

With an incredibly spacious interior and large-SUV-rivalling boot space figures, even with three rows of seats standing, the Carnival is an incredibly hard package to beat if you're after pure, family-friendly practicality.

In its latest form, the Carnival's appeal is stronger than ever before, thanks to the addition of more affordable hybrid versions, which, alongside the turbo-diesel, are the best powertrains for the task.

As a result, we can’t help but recommend you put the Kia Carnival firmly at the top of your shortlist if you're after a supremely practical family wagon with great on-road manners.

Don't forget that our team of car-buying experts is waiting on hand to help find you the best possible price on your next car.

Five Kia Carnival Specs You Need to Know

1. Seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty

2. Three engines available - petrol, diesel and hybrid

3. 5.8 - 6.5 - 9.6L/100km fuel economy figures (hybrid, diesel, petrol)

4. 627 - 2,827L boot space figures

5. Five-star ANCAP safety rating (tested 2021)