Kia Carnival 2023 review: Platinum diesel

There are four grades for the Carnival with a petrol and diesel variant per grade. Our Platinum diesel model sits right at the top and costs $67,580, before on road costs.

However, that seems fairly priced considering the competition. It’s roughly on par with another 2XL people mover, the Hyundai Staria ($67,000) and a tad more expensive than newcomer LDV Mifa ($63,990). But there’s not a lot on the market that competes with the luxury factor this model offers, nor are they as smartly dressed.

The features list is stellar, with the following items coming as standard: electrically-adjustable, heated and ventilated front seats, heated outboard seats in the middle row, a powered tailgate, three-zone climate control, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, eight seats (2/3/3 configuration), 19-inch alloy wheels and not one but two sunroofs. Just to name a few.

The Carnival Platinum Diesel model is $67,580, before on road costs. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

The interior is what makes people movers so practical as a family car, and the Carnival is no different. In this case, it's packaged beautifully, too.

The interior invokes a sense of limo-like space with ample head- and legroom for even taller occupants in the front and middle rows. Even the third row is adequate for my 168cm height (5'6").

Amenities throughout are great and each row benefits from a healthy features list. There are a minimum of two USB-A ports in each row, as well as, two 12-volt ports in the car.

The interior invokes a sense of limo-like space. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

The middle row was a favourite for my six-year old because of the directional air vents, climate control and retractable sunblinds. Third row passengers get the same, minus the climate control.

A special mention to the designers for putting the controls for the electric sliding rear doors and boot lid on the RHS of the steering wheel and key fob. As a parent, I salute you for these very useful placements!

Individual storage is good with a glove box, large middle console, phone tray, device holder (passenger side), two cupholders and drink bottle holders in the first row.

Middle row amenities include directional air vents, climate control and retractable sunblinds. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

The second row gets map pockets, cupholders, a phone holder plus two extra cupholders and ‘table’ when you fold down the middle seat.  

Third row occupants get a couple of cupholders each plus a small snack tray.

The boot, how I love thee. It’s ginormous. With all three rows in action, you still get 627L of capacity because the floor is deep.

Even the third row is adequate for taller occupants. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

It’s deep because the third row folds down into the well to create a level loading space when not in use and that pumps up the capacity to 2785L! It’s also easy to gain access to because of the powered boot lid.

Basically, you’ll have the room necessary to ferry the crew and their gear around.

The technology throughout feels modern and user-friendly (a winning combo) with a large 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system that has Bluetooth connectivity, satellite navigation as well as wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Carnival Platinum has two engines available, a 3.5-litre V6 petrol version, and our model, which has a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine with a maximum output of 148kW and 440Nm of torque.

That makes hauling the big body plus your gear a breeze. It also has a braked towing capacity of 2000kg, if you need to add a trailer for weekend pursuits.

The eight-speed auto transmission combined with the grunty engine makes for a very pleasant driving experience.

Under the bonnet is a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

It’s powerful but is it efficient? Deliciously, so. The official combined fuel figure is 6.5L/100km and after driving around 850km, my trip computer was reading an average of 6.7L. That’s better than some hybrids on the market but I expect it to be higher in the city.

The Carnival has a 72L fuel tank with an approximate range of 1100km.

The official combined fuel figure for the Carnival Platinum Diesel is 6.5L/100km. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

The safety list is extensive with the following being standard features: LED daytime running lights, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, emergency lane keeping aid, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert (always good to have), 360-degree view reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors.

The ‘check rear occupant’ alert and autonomous emergency braking with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection and junction assist (operational from 5.0-85 km/h), forward collision warning and rear collision warning are always great to have on a family vehicle.

It is missing a feature you tend to see on Kia's top models and it's one I would have liked to have seen on such a large car - the blind-spot camera view that pops up on the instrument panel when you indicate.

Safety features of the Carnival Platinum Diesel includes a 360-degree view reversing camera. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

The Carnival was recently awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2021 and, surprisingly, only has seven airbags but that does include a drivers’ knee airbag and curtain airbags covering all three rows. It’s missing the newer front centre airbag, though.

There’s a total of five ISOFIX child seat mounts and five top tether anchor points across the middle and third rows (3/2) and with the middle row is wide enough to have three child seats side by side.

There is plenty of room to install a 0-4 rearward facing child seat in the middle row.