
What's on this page
Kia Carnival 2020
This is what Malcolm Flynn liked most about this particular version of the Kia Carnival: More room than you could ever wish for, So much more car like than the vans of old, Impressive real-world diesel consumption
The 2020 Kia Carnival carries a braked towing capacity of up to 2000 Kg, but check to ensure this applies to the configuration you're considering.
The Kia Carnival is also known as the Kia Sedona in markets outside Australia.
Kia Carnival 2020 Price and Specs
Pricing guides

Kia Carnival Model | Body Type | Specs | Price from | Price to | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Platinum | Wagon | 2.2L Diesel 8 SP AUTO | $46,300 | $58,520 | |
Platinum | Wagon | 3.5L ULP 8 SP AUTO | $52,500 | $66,330 | |
Platinum | Wagon | 3.3L ULP 8 SP AUTO | $44,500 | $56,210 | |
S | Wagon | 2.2L Diesel 8 SP AUTO | $32,200 | $42,130 |
Kia Carnival 2020 Dimensions
Dimensions for the 2020 Kia Carnival are dependent on which body type is chosen. The maximum width and height is 1995mm x 1775mm and can vary on the basis of model.


Kia Carnival Model | Body Type | Height x Width x Length | Ground Clearance | |
---|---|---|---|---|
S | Wagon | 1740x1985x5115 mm | 171 mm | |
S | Wagon | 1775x1995x5155 mm | 172 mm | |
SI | Wagon | 1740x1985x5115 mm | 171 mm | |
SI | Wagon | 1775x1995x5155 mm | 172 mm |
Kia Carnival 2020 Towing capacity
The Kia Carnival has maximum towing capacity of 2000kg. Some models also offer heavy-duty or towing option packs which can increase towing capacity, as well as options which can hamper towing capacity. Towing capacities can vary wildly on a large number of factors. These include engine, transmission, model, and options chosen. Always check with the manufacturer or in your vehicles handbook before attempting to tow anything.
Kia Carnival Model | Body Type | Specs | Braked Capacity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
S | Wagon | 3.3L,ULP,8 SP AUTO | 2000kg | |
S | Wagon | 2.2L,Diesel,8 SP AUTO | 2000kg | |
S | Wagon | 3.5L,ULP,8 SP AUTO | 2000kg | |
SI | Wagon | 3.3L,ULP,8 SP AUTO | 2000kg |
Kia Carnival 2020 Q&As
Check out real-world situations relating to the Kia Carnival here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.
-
What should I do to fix problems on a Kia Carnival 2009 that isn't covered by the warranty?
This is precisely why I loathe the typical aftermarket warranties dished up by used-car yards. They are written very carefully to cover the stuff that won’t go wrong, and not cover the things that typically do fail or break. It’s often been said that these warranties are not worth the paper they’re written on, and here’s proof yet again.
What does it matter if the engine failure was caused by a radiator that is blocked, broken, cracked or leaking? The bottom line is that a dud radiator (sold with the rest of the car) appears to have caused the car to overheat and destroy its engine. And yet the fine print of this warranty will allow the warranty company to wriggle out its responsibility to repair an engine it accepted money to cover. The ACCC should get involved in this grubby end of the car trade and sort it out. Now.
As for your friend, I’m not sure what can be done. Allowing somebody with the right legal background to read the warranty might be a good idea. But the used-car dealers who profit from these warranties know the fine print backwards. And I suspect that even if the blocked radiator exclusion hadn’t scuppered her warranty cover, the fact that a previous owner did his own servicing (and therefore, no stamped service book) would have been an alternative get-out for the warranty company. Actually, that’s a thought: If the service book wasn’t fully stamped, should the warranty have even been offered when the car was sold? I’d be asking that of the car-yard.
I’d also be asking who diagnosed the radiator as the problem. If your friend noticed coolant disappearing but not leaking on to the ground, I’d say that was more consistent with a blown head gasket – for which these early Carnivals were infamous. Find out if a blown head gasket is covered in the warranty. If it is, I’d be very suspicious about blaming the radiator. And yes, I’m absolutely suggesting that you’re potentially being lied to about the cause of the engine failure to move the official reason into an area not covered by the warranty. I reckon I’d be having the RACQ (which has a fair bit of clout in these matters) inspect the engine and rule on what caused the meltdown.
Meantime, forget about a $7000 engine. Find a parts recycler (we used to call them wrecking yards) that specialises in second-hand engines and get a good, tested, used engine fitted. Just make sure it doesn’t have the same head gasket problem.
Show more -
What Does GUV Stand for?
What does GUV stand for? Glad you asked. GUV is a relatively new term on the motoring landscape and, in bald terms, stands for Grand Utility Vehicle. The broad view is that it was an acronym first coined by Kia to describe its current-model Carnival on the basis that it was a step up in luxury from the average SUV and, therefore, needed a grander name; literally, Grand Utility Vehicle.
Like a lot of marketing, of course, the name is more or less meaningless when it comes to being an actual descriptor for the vehicle in question. Yes, the Carnival is well equipped and luxurious for a family vehicle, but 'Grand'? Grammatically, there’s also scope to interpret the vehicle as having a grand level of utility which, given its eight-seat capacity and family friendliness it arguably achieves. Beyond that, however, the definition is rooted purely in the imaginations of the marketing department. Searching for more GUV meaning than that is unlikely to expand the sum of human knowledge.
But now that Kia has slipped the genie from the bottle, you can expect to see the GUV tag applied to all sorts of vehicles formerly known as SUVs, both large and small, and both in Australia and globally. It’s also likely that the vehicles to adopt the GUV tag will be high-end versions of more prosaic SUVs, and there’s a good chance that the prestige brands might introduce the term to their brochures as well.
That said, GUV could also disappear without a trace. The same thing happened to Toyota’s AUV (Action Utility Vehicle) tag a few years ago which was applied to variants of the HiLux range. But the AUV moniker has since been reclaimed by the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle industry which builds unmanned submarines to explore the undersea environment.
There’s another reason GUV could disappear from car advertising and marketing: In the US, rising fuel prices have forced older, gas-guzzling SUVs into the driveways of a poorer demographic who can’t afford anything more efficient. At which point, as Urban Dictionary points out, the term GUV was coined to describe the 'Ghetto Utility Vehicle'.
Show more -
Kia Carnival 2018: Can the software be updated to support Android Auto?
In short, no, there is no software upgrade available. The head unit was changed for the 2019 model, and it is the new unit that has the capability of Apple and Android compatibility.
Show more -
Kia Carnival 2005: Where can I find an electrical wiring manual?
You can buy a workshop manual for the car on the Internet, and it contains a wiring diagram.
Show more
Kia Carnival 2020 Fuel consumption
Fuel consumption for the 2020 Kia Carnival is dependent on the type of engine, transmission, or model chosen. The Kia Carnival currently offers fuel consumption from 6.5 to 10.8L/100km. The Kia Carnival is available with the following fuel types: Diesel and ULP.
Kia Carnival Model | Body Type | Specs | Fuel Consumption | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Platinum | Wagon | 2.2L,Diesel,8 SP AUTO | 6.5L/100km | |
Platinum | Wagon | 2.2L,Diesel,8 SP AUTO | 7.6L/100km | |
Platinum | Wagon | 3.5L,ULP,8 SP AUTO | 9.6L/100km | |
Platinum | Wagon | 3.3L,ULP,8 SP AUTO | 10.8L/100km |
Kia Carnival 2020 Wheel size
Wheel size for the 2020 Kia Carnival will vary depending on model chosen, although keep in mind that many manufacturers offer alternate wheel sizes as options on many models.The wheel size available will alter the range of tyres available to be fitted.
Kia Carnival Model | Body Type | Front Tyre Size | Front Rim | Rear Tyre Size | Rear Rim | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S | Wagon | 235x65 R17 | 17x6.5 inches | 235x65 R17 | 17x6.5 inches | |
S | Wagon | 235x65 R17 | 17x6 inches | 235x65 R17 | 17x6 inches | |
S | Wagon | 235x65 R17 | — | 235x65 R17 | — | |
SI | Wagon | 235x65 R17 | 17x6.5 inches | 235x65 R17 | 17x6.5 inches |
Kia Carnival 2020 News

2021 Kia Carnival pricing and specs detailed: Popular Honda Odyssey rival moves upmarket with bold new model

Kia Australia wants new Carnival 2021 to step up against seven-seat SUVs like Toyota Kluger, Mazda CX-9 and Hyundai Santa Fe

The best new cars coming to Australia in 2020

What has Kia got in store for 2020? New Sorento, Stonic, Carnival and Rio headline bumper year to come

New Kia Carnival 2021 spied testing in Australia
