2022 Kia Carnival SX

In 2022, Kia replaced its venerable Sedona minivan with a new model, the Carnival. With handsome SUV-like styling, a roomy, minivan-esque interior, and a pair of sliding side doors for easy access, the Carnival does a nice job of straddling the line between the 2 divergent body styles. The Carnival’s comfortable cabin seats up to 8 passengers and can haul nearly 87 cubic feet of cargo behind the second row. As with all Kia models, there’s a long list of standard features and available niceties, including, on our test vehicle, 3-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, and a rear-seat entertainment system. Under the hood, the Carnival gets a strong V6 engine (versus the trend toward turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engines by many automakers). Fuel-economy numbers are just so-so, and there’s a bit of throttle lag, but this powertrain has the muscle to tow trailers up to 3,500 pounds. On the road, the Carnival’s ride quality is a bit bumpy over bad pavement, and steering feedback and braking effort feel less than responsive. Nonetheless, a suite of standard advanced safety features and a 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty make the Carnival a strong value proposition.