Kia’s third-generation people mover has just copped its mid-cycle makeover, and the 2025 KIA Carnival now looks like a shrunken EV9 that swallowed a tech store. A reshaped “Tiger Face” grille, slimmer LED lights and a fresh hybrid option sit atop a platform that Aussies already love for sheer space. In short, the eight-seater keeps the minivan practicalities while wearing a smarter, SUV-inspired suit.
Pros and Cons
Pros
On the upside you get stadium-style seating for eight lanky adults, a redesigned infotainment panel that finally banishes the button-maze, and up to 4.9 L/100 km from the new 1.6-litre turbo-hybrid, which feels surreal in something the size of a Bondi apartment.
Cons
The flip side? The price nudged north, lane-keep still nags like an over-zealous driving instructor, and Kia still will not sell Australians an all-wheel-drive version.
How Much Does It Cost?
The range opens at $50,150 plus on-roads for the base S and stretches to $76,210 for the flagship GT-Line Hybrid, a hike of roughly three to five grand over the pre-facelift cars.
Features and Benefits
Key talking points for eager tyre-kickers:
- 2025 KIA Carnival features now include twin 12.3-inch curved displays running Kia’s new CCNC software, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, over-the-air map updates and fingerprint driver profiles.
- Power-sliding doors and tailgate are standard from Sport trim, while GT-Line adds a suede-roof liner and a “Relaxation” lounge seat that will ruin you for economy-class flights.
- Under the skin you choose between a 3.5-litre petrol V6, a 2.2-litre diesel or that frugal hybrid. Headline 2025 KIA Carnival specs list 210 kW for the V6 and a combined 180 kW for the hybrid, both driving the front wheels through an eight-speed (six-speed for hybrid) auto.
Safety
The refreshed people mover carries over its five-star ANCAP rating with improved side-impact reinforcement and adds junction AEB plus rear-cross anti-collision braking as standard, lifting its 2025 KIA Carnival safety ratings to a class-leading level.
Running Costs
Official fuel numbers sit at 9.6 L/100 km (petrol), 6.5 L/100 km (diesel) and 4.9 L/100 km (hybrid). A 1,000 km Queensland road trip in the GT-Line Hybrid returned 6.1 L/100 km in real life, better than many mid-size SUVs. Kia’s seven-year unlimited-kilometre warranty remains, though the hybrid battery is capped at seven-years/150,000 km.
Comparison To Its Competitors
Against the Hyundai Staria, Carnival wins on fuel thrift and dashboard polish, although the Hyundai offers optional AWD. Toyota’s Granvia feels tougher but drinks harder and costs more once optioned. Volkswagen’s Multivan still masters Euro chic yet cannot touch the Carnival’s tech or eight-seat flexibility.
2025 KIA Carnival Hybrid Review: Design Tweaks, Pricing Details, Efficiency Gains and Safety Updates
Conclusion
If your weekends involve IKEA raids, footy carpools or coastal getaways, the 2025 KIA Carnival turns the dreaded “minivan” label into bragging rights. It looks sharper, drives with calmer steering, and the new hybrid trims weekly servo stops without stealing power. Price creep stings, but the bundle of interior gadgets, family-first safety and SUV-style presence softens the blow.
Rating: 8.7/10
Spacious, clever, and sipping fuel like it costs $3 a litre, the Carnival stays the king of Aussie people movers while adding enough polish to silence the SUV faithful.
