After a terrific start with the Seltos, Kia is now looking at the affordable premium MPV segment. Coincidentally, Kia will be attending the Auto Expo for the second time (debut was in 2018) and will also be launching its second product at the same venue. If we leave aside the V-Class, there are hardly any options for a premium MPV in the country.
Customers looking for an affordable premium MPV usually land up choosing higher end trims of the Innova Crysta. Though there isn’t much to complain about the Crysta, it still doesn’t fit exactly in the premium category. The Carnival will be filling this gap in the market by offering a way more premium offering at a relatively reasonable price.
Talking about the MPV, Carnival will be offered in multiple seating configurations including 7, 8 and 9-seater variants. It will be getting a 200hp 2.2 litre diesel motor which will be BS6 emission norms compliant. It will be paired with a 8-speed AT as standard. Safety kit will include 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, traction control, ESC, TPMS, front and rear parking sensors, rear parking camera, electronic parking brake and an auto defogger.
On the inside, the MPV will be flushed with multiple creature comfort features, including multiple segment firsts. Couple of major highlights will be the 2 10.1-inch touchscreens for rear passengers and a dual-pane sunroof.
Other note-worthy features of the top-spec Carnival (will be offered in 6-seater configuration) would include keyless entry, three-zone climate control, wireless phone charging, Nappa leather upholstery, 8-inch touchscreen infotainment on the front dashboard, Kia’s UVO Car connectivity suite, a sound system from Harman Kardon, ventilated driver seat and much more.
At the moment, numerous Kia dealerships have started taking bookings for the Carnival unofficially. The South-Korean automaker is expected to officially open bookings sometime in the coming days. While prices will be revealed only on 5th Feb, speculation suggests that the Carnival would cost around the INR 30 lakh mark. Below are the brochure scans of new Kia Carnival.
