By Ewan Kennedy
Kia chose New York to unveil its all-new Carnival, a smart move as people movers are very much a major part of the automotive scene in the USA.
Australians also like people movers, though many opt for the macho look of an SUV rather than a bus-type vehicle.
Cleverly, the 2015 Kia Carnival has a bold look that may suit both types of Australian buyers. The big grille certainly gives new Carnival a semi-SUV look.
Interestingly, the all-new Carnival completes the restyling of Kia’s entire lineup by the famed German car designer Peter Schreyer.
The new Carnival is aimed at maximising
interior volume, both in the cabin and
luggage area. We are told that considerable attention has been given to providing a quiet, comfortable cabin.
Carnival is available in seven and eight- passenger configurations, though at this stage the Australian specifications are to be finalised. We may not get both seating
choices here.
Despite the overall width and height remaining virtually unchanged, the Carnival provides more front shoulder room and greater leg room in all three rows of seats.
The horizontal design theme of the dash and instrument panel creates a sense of width and provides a more upmarket feel.
The use of soft-touch materials gives it a more upmarket feel.
As before, the new Carnival has various interior storage options to keep passengers occupied. The bells and whistles include Kia’s UVO infotainment and telematics system.
This will be the first Kia model to offer four new eServices safety features: geo-fencing, speed alert, curfew alert and driving score. The Kia app connector can provide you with Pandora, iHeart radio and Yelp.
At its heart, the Carnival is powered by a direct injection 3.3-litre V6 engine, replacing the 3.5-litre V6 found in the current Grand
Carnival. It produces up to 205kW of
power and has been tuned for mid-range torque. The engine is mated to a high-tech six-speed automatic transmission.
As the Americans don’t particularly like diesel engines, only the petrol unit was discussed in the New York reveal.
We certainly anticipate that Australian buyers will be able to buy a turbo-diesel, probably an enhanced version of the
2.2-litre four-cylinder unit seen on current models.
New Carnival models will come with active safety features such as electronic stability control, traction control system, brake assist system, electronic brake force distribution, and ABS brakes.
For easier parking and vehicle manoeuvring, the surround view monitor provides images from cameras placed around the vehicle.
The Carnival will come to Australia
in the first quarter of next year, with specifications and prices to be announced closer to that time.
