In pics: Kia Carnival Limousine lands in India. But should it glide into your garage?
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Kia Carnival marks its return to the Indian market and this time around, it is taking no shortcuts at all. Available in one fully-decked Limousine+ version, the MPV from the Koreans is priced at a whopping ₹65 lakhs even before taxes kick in. Now it may be a lot of money to pay for a Kia but the Carnival is making some epic promises. What does it hold?
Kia Carnival Limousine+ comes in two colour options and arrives into Indian shores via the SKD or semi-knocked-down route. While this alone would partially explain the pricing, the fully-loaded version also offers a whole lot of luxury.
The face of the newest Kia Carnival has received considerable attention with a more promiment Tiger Nose grille in the middle, flanked on either side by LED projector lights, LED DRLs and LED fog lamps towards the bottom.
The Carnival MPV was always massive but the Kia Carnival Limousine+ is bigger still. The vehicle has grown in length, width, height and wheelbase compared to the Carnival India previously had. The vehicle stands on 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, sports a catchy garnish on the C-pillar and continues to offer sliding doors for entry into the second and third row of seats.
The rear profile of the latest Kia Carnival is comparatively simple with the connected LED light the flashiest bit here.
Enter the Carnival and the massive proportions on the outside transform into acres of space in the cabin. The vehicle will mostly be chauffeur driven and as such, the two seats in the middle become the command center. The vehicle has a 2+2+3 seat layout but the middle seats are by far the most comfortable. The cushioning has vastly improved, there is heating as well as cooling function and there is a recline adjustment too, coupled with a footrest. Even when leaving adequate space for people right at the back, Carnival offers a lot of leg and kneeroom for the two in the middle. There is, however, no foldout tray which is a big miss..
Kia Carnival has one of the most spacious third-row seats for any vehicle in the Indian car market. Obviously not as comfortable as the dedicated two seats in the middle, sitting here would, however, not feel like a compromise either. Three-zone climate control allows customised cooling while there are dedicated charging ports, lights and cupholders all around.
The cabin of the Carnival comes in two upholstery colours and the front two seats can be adjusted electronically for position. Two mammoth 12.3-inch screens offer a crisp digital display and there is the feed from the surround camera here as well.
The center console inside Kia Carnival gets the rotary-based drive selector, button to choose between drive modes, two cupholders and a set of additional buttons to operate the 360-degree camera and auto-park functionality. There is a pad for charging compatible phones wirelessly while two Type C ports and a 12v charging socket has also been placed here.
Powering the Carnival is a 2.2-litre diesel motor that is paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The Carnival is best experienced at moderate speeds but its proportions will take some time getting used to in Indian traffic conditions.
A retuned suspension makes Carnival ride better although additional seat bolstering could have further sweeted the deal.
