The surprisingly handsome 2022 Kia Carnival’s name change from Sedona was officially confirmed today; the news had leaked last month. We also get some trim details, and despite Kia claiming the Carnival is now a “Grand Utility Vehicle” it won’t go on sale with the option of all-wheel drive.
Kia’s making a lot of changes to its fourth-generation U.S. minivan. The first three generations carried the Sedona model name, and now the model adopts its Korean sibling model’s nameplate. The design is more SUV-like, hence the attempt at labeling it a Grand Utility Vehicle in earlier teasers, before switching it up and calling the model a Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) in the latest news release. It will also be the first model in the U.S. to go on sale with the redesigned company logo.
One powertrain, a 3.5-liter V6 gas engine making 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, will be available for each of the four trim levels on offer. It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and will be available only with front-wheel drive when it goes on sale.
Average fuel efficiency is now slightly improved by a single point over the outgoing Sedona, achieving an EPA-estimated 19 mpg in the city, 26 mpg highway and 22 mpg average. Kia also says its new MPV will tow up to 3,500 pounds.
Inside the sliding doors, there’s an option to seat up to eight souls, though the standard configuration seats seven. There’s also an optional VIP Lounge Seating package with leg-extending captain’s chairs in the second row that are ventilated and wired to the entertainment system so you don’t ever have to sit up. Some kids are going to be spoiled, and we all just have to sit here and try to be happy for them.
The second row can be moved up so a mounted car seat is within arm’s length of the front passenger, or it can be removed altogether, and the third row folded down flat into the floor, for a huge loading bay. There’s also the now-familiar family van tricks that the Honda Odyssey pioneered, including a rear-row intercom system for the driver and rear-facing interior cameras that now even include night vision.
So far, only AutoGuide has reported pricing information for the new van, which is not yet available on any U.S. Kia website:
When it arrives on North American shores by April 2021, it will sport a starting price of $33,275 (incl. dest.) for the base LX trim and will go all the way up to $47,275 for the fully loaded SX Prestige trim. EX and SX will bring up the middle order and start from $38,775 and $42,275 respectively.
A Kia spokesperson declined to confirm pricing details when emailed by Jalopnik. Official pricing information will be available for the U.S. either this week or next. The MPV itself is planned to go on sale in the summer.
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