Bold, smart, safe and luxurious. 20 years ago, you wouldn't use those words within five
foot of a Kia Carnival. But today, it's a very different story. This is the fourth generation
2021 Kia Carnival, and it's without a doubt, the best people-mover the car maker has ever made.
When the original Kia Carnival arrived Down Under in the late '90s, it left much to be desired.
Under the bonnet of the people-mover was a sluggish petrol engine,
and the big wagon had about as much handling prowess as a shopping trolley with a bung wheel.
But at around 30K, it was one of the cheapest in its class. In the two decades since then,
the Carnival has come a long way. But to be frank, we didn't think it would come this far.
In 2021, the Kia Carnival is larger in both life and size,
bringing a bold new look, more interior space and brimming with the latest technologies available.
That includes a 12.3-inch digital display, level 2 autonomous driving functions,
dual sunroofs, and safety features such as safe exit assist to help avoid kids opening
the doors onto oncoming traffic. Driver assist technology includes autonomous emergency braking,
rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and more.
In top spec platinum models, features like heated and ventilated seats,
remote start and a driver to rear passenger speaker system all come standard, all the kind
of gear you'd expect to find in a premium vehicle. That's because it is more premium, according to
Kia. Inside, it's more comfortable and luxurious whether you're sitting here, here, here, here,
here, or here. But it's here behind the steering wheel, you'll find it's much more driver-focused.
This is where the Carnival makes its biggest leap from its humble beginnings.
It still comes with an eight-speed auto and front wheel drive layout, but the new 3.5
litre V6 is not only more powerful, but it's quieter and more fuel efficient than before.
The steering is lighter than before with a more car-like feel and it's got a really nice tight
turning circle. And at more than 5 metres long, it's still a big rig, but driver assist systems
like blind spot monitoring and lane-keeping assist make it pretty easy to find your way around.
But on the road, those safety systems can be a little overbearing with things like
lane-keeping assist kicking in a little too often, and sometimes, it's a little too touchy.
Out on the open road, the new Carnival feels really good and it's actually really enjoyable
to drive. The suspension's really good, but I do feel like it drives better with more weight in
the rear, so a full set of passengers or some gear in the back, and it feels a bit better.
Trying to manoeuvre things like a car park or a
McDonald's drive-through is really easy thanks to a 360-degree camera
and front and rear parking sensors. So despite its size, it's actually really easy to get around.
For other packing families keen on road trips or those that simply need to transport lots of
people and gear, the Carnival does it all with ease. With all eight seats occupied,
the Carnival offers a huge 1,139 litres of boot space. That's a lot of soccer balls.
Fold the third row sinking seats away and the capacity increases to almost 2,500 litres.
Pair that with Kia's seven-year unlimited kilometre warranty and it makes a decent offering.
We still live in a world where people-movers are regarded as soccer mum cars,
and it's SUVs and dual-cab utes that Aussie families continue to lap up.
But in 2021, when Australia's favourite people-mover offers this much practicality,
safety and value, big families would be crazy not to consider the new Kia Carnival.