• Auto123 gets in a first drive of the new 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid.
San Diego, CA – Yes yes, the title you see above is on the unimaginative side. But how else to describe the arrival of a hybrid powertrain under the hood of the Kia Carnival, one of the few minivans still on the market?
In fact, four companies still offer consumers in North America a minivan - the others are Honda (Odyssey), Chrysler (Grand Caravan and Pacifica) and Toyota (Sienna).
The Chrysler and Toyota models come with hybrid powertrains. Kia now brings to the table its own hybrid model, leaving Honda as the lone holdout.
Better late than never, then, for the Korean automaker, which has come up with something new, without it being anything new at all. We know the model, we know the technology and we know the advantages it has.
So, nothing revolutionary, but the addition of hybridity is undoubtedly a good thing. We headed to San Diego last week to try out the new variant, as well as to see what Kia had in store for its model, in general, for the 2025 model-year.
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid: What's new?
The arrival of the hybrid variant isn't the only thing new for 2025. In fact, Kia offers the model it first introduced in 2021 (for 2022) as an evolution of the Sedona a general refresh.
The refresh includes exterior cosmetic tweaks and noteworthy interior changes touching design, technology and equipment.
And then, of course, there's the new hybrid powertrain.
Design of the 2025 Kia Carnival: 8.0/10
The 2025 Kia Carnival gets refreshed styling front and rear, mainly with the headlight and taillight signatures. We also find new bumpers, and a black package is available with the SX and SX+ versions. The latter blackens the skid plates, wheels, C-pillars, window surrounds, roof rails and mirrors.
Kia jokingly referred to that SX+ model as a “soccer dad” rather than a “soccer mom” special, but as they, behind every joke… In other words, it's clear the aim there is to appeal more to male customers.
The hybrid variants feature more aerodynamic wheel designs, as well as minor tweaks designed to make the model cut more easily through the wind, such as active openings at the front, which reduce the model's drag coefficient to 0.29 cx, equivalent to that of the Kia Niro PHEV.
Incidentally, even if Kia tries to market its model with all kinds of superlatives aimed at distancing us from the word “minivan”, the Carnival is indeed a minivan, with all the features that implies, including good old sliding side doors.
Interior
On board, there are a few notable changes, notably to the format of the instrument cluster and multimedia system screens, each of which expands to 12.3 inches, starting with the EX model. On it we find a new-generation system, by the way.
On the centre console, the Carnival now adopts a feature that has appeared on other Kia models, namely the dual-function horizontal control panel. Its touch-sensitive buttons sometimes control the climate settings, but at the touch of a button, the display switches to the controls giving access to the multimedia system, in particular. It streamlines the presentation. It's ingenious, as long as it doesn't break up the layout.
Many buyers will appreciate another, more subtle change: at the top of the range, the SX version can now be delivered with an 8-seat configuration. The usual strategy with models offering that many seats is to reserve it for base versions, leaving the captain’s chairs to higher trims. Not here. Oh, and the rear seats are all heavy and require a minimum of force to move. The manipulation required to make the third-row seats disappear into the floor could potentially send some users to the chiropractor.
And one last observation, and it speaks volumes about the market Kia is targeting with the Carnival: the cup holders are now wider at the front, increasing in diameter from 75 to 91 mm.
We should mention that in the United States, sales of the Carnival have grown year on year since its introduction. The company sold 43,687 of them last year, while in Canada Kia sold 2,307 units. At the end of September, sales in Canada were up 5 percent year-on-year.
Against this backdrop, the arrival of the hybrid variant comes at just the right time.
Technology in the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid: 9.0/10
We could go on at length here, as manufacturers are constantly adding techno to their vehicles to keep their place in the arms race. Entertainment, safety and drive assist features – all areas have been updated.
Notably, the 2025 models now have a new multi-zone voice recognition system that’s, well, smarter than the old one. For example, if you're sitting behind the driver and ask the system to roll down the rear window, it will do so, on your side.
The model is now available with an head-up display, but only from the SX version upwards, at the top of the range.
With the hybrid versions, a three-stage regenerative braking system is included. Quite frankly, we'll need a longer test drive to analyze the efficacy of that function in depth. In a nutshell, the braking helps keep the battery's energy level up, reducing reliance on the gasoline engine, especially in urban driving.
Also in the hybrid models, the gear selector is a thumbwheel, with no mechanical link to the transmission. A rearview mirror with digital display is also new for 2025.
In terms of safety, the list is also very long; we'll come back to it in subsequent tests.
Powertrain of the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid: 8.0/10
Let's start by mentioning that the gasoline model retains its 3.5L V6, which offers 288 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, and is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.
But this trip to sunny San Diego was all about the new powertrain of the hybrid version. In fact, we're quite familiar with it, since it's the same 1.6L turbocharged 4-cylinder that powers the Hyundai/Kia group's other electrified models. Combined output is 242 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque, thanks to the presence of a 54-kW electric motor, the largest of all the Korean auto giant’s hybrid models.
The powertrain makes use of a 6-speed automatic transmission, and the configuration is front-wheel drive. For us, this raises questions and concerns, since the Kia model’s Toyota's rival offers hybridity and all-wheel drive. On the other hand, the main target market for the Carnival isn't Canada, it’s the U.S., and there the model will be just as competitive with front-wheel drive only.
Fuel consumption
The figures announced for this hybrid version are 6.9L/100 km for city driving, 7.6L/100 km for highway driving, for a combined total of 7.2L/100 km. The Toyota Sienna does better (6.5L on average) with all-wheel drive. Its hybrid system is just more efficient.
Nonetheless, the difference between the new hybrid model and its gasoline-engine brethren is striking. The non-hybrid averages 12.9L/100 km in the city, 8.8L/100 km on the highway and 11.1L/100 km combined.
Roughly speaking, we're talking about a 35 percent improvement in fuel-efficiency.
As you'll see below, the price difference between a hybrid and non-hybrid Carnival, for the same equipment, is around $3,500. You'll need a calculator and some brain cells to figure out at what point, given the use you make of your vehicle, the electrified solution becomes a more economical choice.
Driving the Kia Carnival Hybrid: 8.5/10
Behind the wheel, there's little to complain about. The model is well planted on the road, the ride is smooth and the chassis reacts well to bends and road imperfections.
The weight of the hybrid variant is significant at 2950 kg (6504 lb), however. That's something to consider, because if the engine does its job well with the vehicle unladen (our test), it will have to work harder with kids, pets and gear in the back, which will affect fuel consumption (more so with the hybrid). Note that the gasoline model is also heavy (2850 kg/6283 lb).
Note that the auto transmission does an excellent job; like the reliable stay-at-home defenceman, a transmission you don’t notice is one that’s doing it right.
The final word
Kia is late to the game with its hybrid offering, but what's important is that it's there. The mechanics offer better performance and add choice for consumers, which is always great news.
And as a family vehicle, I'll ramble on about this until my last breath, but no other model is more efficient for families than a minivan.
One thing to keep an eye on: Production of the hybrid variant is due to start in November, with a market launch in early 2025. If Toyota saddles its buyers with long wait times, Kia could make inroads if it can supply to meet the demand quickly.
For 2025, the company expects 30 to 40 percent of its model sales to consist the new hybrid powertrain.
Stay tuned.
2025 Kia Carnival pricing in Canada
Gas-powered versions:
2025 Carnival LX - $40,495
2025 Carnival LX+ - $43,995
2025 Carnival EX - $46,895
2025 Carnival EX+ - $48,895
2025 Carnival SX+ - $53,895
Hybrid versions:
2025 Carnival LX HEV - $46,545
2025 Carnival EX HEV - $49,445
2025 Carnival SX+ HEV - $56,445
Competitors of the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid
- - Chrysler Grand Voyager
- - Chrysler Pacifica
- - Toyota Sienna
