Kia calls it the Life Utility Vehicle (LUV).
The new minivan arrives in dealerships this spring.
The new Carnival is premium in every sense.
We covered the don’t-call-it-a-minivan 2022 Kia Carnival’s reveal late last summer and have followed its coming to North America ever since. To say that the new Carnival is a departure from the Sedona it replaces is an understatement. The new Life Utility Vehicle is brasher, bolder, far more premium, and tricked out than any minivan from the Hyundai group to come before it.
The emphasis, or the message, being projected by Kia for the new 2022 Carnival is that it’s a fresh take on the old and uncool minivan. From the looks of it, the Carnival is certainly different from the other three players in the segment.
Beyond styling, however, and what truly matters, is content and utility. On the latter point, the Carnival will be offered in 7- or 8-seater configurations. The 7-seater setup can be equipped with power-adjustable VIP Lounge Seats with head and leg rests powered at the touch of a button. The 8-seater comes with a long-sliding center seat in the second row to easily care for kids in the back, or to open up more space for passengers. This same seat can fold into a tablespace. Speaking of tables, if you’re a handy-person and want to build your own 4×8 table, the Carnival will easily swallow the materials.
2022 Kia Carnival | Photo: Kia
As for content, depending on trim, the Carnival will be loaded with tech. A twin set of 12.3-inch displays (IP and infotainment) presents a seriously modern HMI system. Other available features include wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, wireless Smartphone Charging, multi-Bluetooth connectivity, up to 9 USB ports and up to 2 inverters, and much more.
The 2022 Kia Carnival will be powered by a 290-horsepower 3.5-litre V6 which will be mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission that drives the front wheels. Its towing capacity is set at 3,500lbs.
2022 Kia Carnival | Photo: Kia
The 2022 Kia Carnival will be available in five trim levels (LX, LX+, EX, EX+, and SX) with a starting price of $34,495. The previous 2021 Sedona LX was priced from $32,295 while the top-line SX retailed for $42,795. Although not yet shared, we assume the 2022 Carnival SX will fetch between $45,000 and $47,000.
The new Life Utility Vehicle (LUV) arrives in dealerships this spring.
