KIA Carnival hybride 2025

Have you noticed the considerable number of Kia Carnivals on the road in Quebec? This is certainly due to the product's design quality, but also to the fact that it's currently the most affordable minivan. The Grand Caravan dramatically lost this title when it became a stripped-down version of the Pacifica, swapping its Dodge name for Chrysler in the process.

In the minivan segment, however, "more affordable" doesn't rhyme with "bargain." The base LX trim now costs around $44,000, largely due to a $1,000 price increase over the 2025 version. The latter had already relegated the sub-$40,000 price tag carried by the Carnival LX for a few years after its unveiling.

It's worth noting that the 2025 model year has improved standard equipment with a partial redesign that also added Kia's new inverted L-shaped lighting elements to the Carnival. The Korean brand's signature dual-function touch control bar also appears on a redesigned dashboard.

More importantly, a hybrid option has been added to four of the six trim levels in the range. An additional $2,550 allows you to swap the V6-eight-speed transmission for the combination of a turbocharged four-cylinder, a small traction battery, and an electric motor integrated into a six-speed transmission. On paper, this powertrain, similar to that of the Kia Sorento and Sportage hybrids, offers more torque than the six-cylinder, but 46 less horsepower.

The Toyota Sienna, the only other conventional hybrid in the category, offers almost identical power. Like the Pacifica plug-in hybrid, which completes the trio of electrified minivans, the Japanese model, however, costs several thousand dollars more than the Carnival.

We had the opportunity to test drive the latter for over 1200 km in February 2025, when it served as a support vehicle for the CAA Winter EV Drive. Here are five highlights about this model, which Kia assembles in its native South Korea.

Coming soon!

An efficient, but overtaxed hybrid engine

Heavier, more stable

Roomy enough, but not a champion

Technology is beautiful, but not always practical

All relative savings

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and emergency brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Hill-start assist
• Front airbags
• Driver knee airbag
• Front side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Front seat belts with pretensioners
• Seven or eight adjustable headrests
• Rear occupant alert
• Backup camera
• Tire pressure monitor
• Forward collision warning
• Forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Lane departure alert with automatic steering assist
• Active lane control
• Auto high beam
• Blind spot monitoring with automatic steering assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking
• Adaptive cruise control
• Rear safe exit warning
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Side parking assist sensors, surround camera system and rear automatic emergency braking (standard, SX and SX+ versions, not available, LX+ and EX)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Overall score: Not tested
Frontal impact: 4/5
Side impact: Not tested
Rollover resistance: 4/5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety

Moderate overlap frontal impact: 2/4
Small overlap frontal impact: 4/4
Side impact: 3/4
Rear impact: Not tested
Roof strength: Not tested