Kia’s new Carnival people mover has arrived in Australia in four specification levels – S, Si, SLi and Platinum – with both petrol and diesel engines.

Both the Smartstream 3.5-litre GDI V6 petrol (216kW and 355Nm) and Smartstream R2.2-litre CRDI diesel (148kW and 440Nm) drive the front wheels through a Kia-developed 8-speed automatic.

Thanks to a new platform and larger body, the fourth-generation Carnival also boasts improved space for up to eight passengers. The new Carnival benefits from a 30mm longer wheelbase and 10mm wider body. Overall length grows by 40mm.

The entry-level S specification comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, roof rack, solar glass windshield, 8-inch AV unit with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 6-speaker sound system, manual temperature control, drive mode select with normal/eco/sport/smart, keyless entry, cloth seats, rear parking sensors, rear view monitor with dynamic guidelines, tilt and telescopic adjustable steering wheel.

The Si adds 18-inch alloys, , 8-speaker sound system, dual zone automatic temperature control front and single zone rear, and front parking sensors.

The SLi brings privacy rear glass, smart key with push button start, surround view monitor, power tailgate with auto close, smart power sliding doors, one-touch power doors and tailgate, eight-way power driver’s seat, Safe Exit Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist.

The top of the range Platinum adds electronic shift-by-wire, 19-inch black alloy wheels, 12-speaker Bose sound system, rear occupant alert, heated steering wheel, wireless charger, paddle shifters, dual tilting and sliding sunroof, eight-way integrated memory seats with four-way lumbar support and rear heated seats, ventilated front seats, LED interior lamps and second and third row sunshade blind.

Safety and Driver Assist features are comprehensive.

Topping the new technology is the Speed Limit Information Function which reads and displays road-side speed signs. Intelligent Speed Assist uses the speed information to alert the driver to a change in speed limit.

Additional tech includes Multi Collision Braking, AEB Junction Assist, Driver Attention Warning, Safe Exit Alert (SLi and Platinum) and Rear Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist (SLi and Platinum). There’s also Lane Keeping Assist, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, Driver Attention Warning+, High Beam Assist, Smart Cruise Control, Lane Following Assist, and Surround View Monitor (SLi and Platinum).

Safe Exit Assist is available on SLi and Platinum and prevents the power-sliding rear doors from opening if the system detects a car approaching from behind on either side.

In Si, SLi and Platinum trims, cabin tech includes Kia’s latest 4.2-inch digital driver instrument cluster and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment and navigation system under a single piece of glass. The S level trim has an 8-inch Audio Visual Unit and a 4.2-inch TFT information cluster.

There’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, voice recognition, and built-in SatNav. The infotainment system also enables users to connect two smartphones via Bluetooth.

Pricing starts at $46,880 for the S petrol and rises to $64,680 for the Platinum version of the same engine. The diesel starts at $48,880 for the S trim and tops out at $66,680 for the Platinum.

Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (February 2021)

25 February 2021