
2022 Kia Carnival SX
Vehicle Type: SUV/Minivan Gasoline
79
overall score
Category Ranking: 7
Vehicle Price
Base Price:
$41,100
Price as Tested:
$42,770
Fuel Information
Fuel Type: Regular
Fuel Capacity (gal): 19
EPA City mpg: 19
EPA Highway mpg: 26
EPA Combined mpg: 22

built after March 2021 & with specific headlights
Advanced Safety Features
- Adaptive Cruise Control [S]
- Advanced Headlights [S]
- Automatic Emergency Braking [S]
- Blind-Spot Warning [S]
- Driver Monitoring [S]
- Forward-Collision Warning [S]
- Lane-Departure Warning [S]
- Lane-Keeping Assistance [S]
- Rear Cross-Traffic Warning [S]
- Reverse Automatic Emergency Braking [O]
- [S] Standard, [O] Optional
Overall Observations
For 2022, Kia replaced its venerable Sedona minivan, last redesigned
in 2015, 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/ventilated front seats, and a rear-seat entertainment
system.
Under the hood, the Carnival gets a strong, 3.5-liter V6 (290 hp)
and an 8-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy numbers
are unremarkable, though, 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 a little soft.
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.
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Strengths and Weaknesses
Strong Points
- Attractive exterior andinterior styling
- Plenty of room forpassengers and cargo
- Good value
- Many advanced safetyfeatures are standard
- LED headlamps with autohigh beam
Weak Points
- Cheap interior fit andfinish
- Subpar fuel economy
- Rough ride quality
- Hard-to-use infotainmentsystem touch controls
Vehicle Specifications
Model year tested: 2022
Number of passengers (F/R): 2/6
Curb weight (lbs): 4680.0
Exterior L / W / H (in): 203.0 / 78.5 / 69.9
Wheelbase (in): 121.7
Number of air bags: 8
Warranty (months/miles): 60/60,000
Tire manufacturer and model: Continental CrossContact RX
Front and rear tire size: 235/55 R19
Max towing capacity (lbs): 3500
Headlight type: LED
Transmission type: Auto 8-speed
Drivetrain type: Front wheel
Engine/motor: 3.5L V6 GDI
Engine horsepower @ RPM: 290 @ 6400
Test Data
Test Vehicle Scores
Advanced Safety Features:
9.70Fuel Efficiency:
3.15EPA Emissions Score:
5.00Acceleration:
4.89Braking:
6.94Handling:
6.77Ride Quality:
7.21Interior Size:
5.46Easy of Entry and Exit:
8.23Visibility:
7.99Interior Noise:
4.91Cargo Capacity:
9.21
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Car Guide Categories:
- SUV/Minivan |
- Large |
- Midsize |
- Small |
- Pickup |
All Makes:
IIHS Top Safety Pick Vehicles: