It was only a few months back that Kia Malaysia’s official distributor announced the availability of a locally-assembled version of Kia Carnival. The thing with the CKD version is that it's quite different from the previously available CBU counterpart. However, it is to be noted that all Kia Carnival variants except for the 11-seater are now locally-assembled.

The Kia Carnival CKD version is offered in three variants - 11-seater, 8-seater, and 7-seater. Their prices are mentioned in the table below -

Variants	Price
2.2D 11-Seater	RM 196,340
2.2D 8-Seater Mid	RM 231,228
2.2D 8-Seater High	RM 247,228
2.2D 7-Seater High	RM 261,228

Let us now check out Kia Carnival's key highlights

Picturesque sight

The new Carnival is a great companion for all your picturesque moments. Helping the MPV become striking are design elements like the futuristic headlamps, tiger-nose grille, and rear combination tail lights with broad dramatic stripes. All these details establish a luxurious new design vernacular among the owners. Also, the car’s sleek body lines not only add to the design but are an integral part of the car’s aerodynamic bit. The expansive window totally compliments the car’s airy and open cabin.

Versatile seating configuration

Kia is offering the Carnival MPV in three seating configurations - 7, 8, and 11, all of which come with an accommodating and flexible cabin. Helping the car become super comfortable and accommodating for every passenger are its firm, welcoming seats, tasteful materials, and enviable headroom. Not to forget the easy sliding doors and adjustable seats, the cabin is engineered to make the ride joyful.

Part of the setup is -

Multi-function free mode seat, available for the 8-seater model only, with this the 2nd-row seat, can be turned to face the 3rd row. Or it can be turned or folded to create a shared table

Premium relaxation seats, this one offers the 2nd-row passengers a first-class experience. In this mode the 2nd-row seat’s back reclines, leg supports lift & extends, and the seat base tilts upward.

Ventilated & heated seats, making the seating environment even more comfortable are the 3-step adjustable ventilated and heated seats.

Luggage mode, get as much inside as you want by removing the 2nd and folding the 3rd-row seat.

Advanced information technology

The new Kia Carnival is surrounded by screens that will change the driving experience forever. While the cockpit is designed keeping the driver and the required key information in mind, the rest of the cabin takes care of the passengers' connectivity and entertainment needs.

Part of the set-up is -

12.3-inch Supervision Cluster, which provides the driver all the key information, thus helping them stay focused on the road.

12.3-inch Capacitive Touch-Screen, this one comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support and helps passengers view and select audio sources, radio stations, and adjust audio quality.

Bose premium sound system, helps one feel the bass with its 12-speaker audio system which delivers an immersive sound experience thanks to the external amplifier.

Wireless charger, is now a given in premium cars. Just keep your device on the dedicated charging tray bin and get your phone charged wirelessly.

Surround View Monitor, gives the driver the ease of pairing with its 360-degree surround views, high-resolution, and variable guidelines.

Powerful, yet efficient engine

The Carnival is powered by a 199hp/440 Nm Smartstream 2.2L Turbo diesel engine that apart from offering significant output is fuel efficient, all thanks to its reduced friction and advanced cooling. The drive is sent to the wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission that offers smooth gear changes with more gear ranges.

Part of the car powertrain configuration is an E-shift knob, paddle shifters, and a drive mode selector.

Strong built

The Carnival is built on an integrated new platform that comes with technological advances such as improved body materials & chassis rigidity. All these things offer better protection in the event of a collision.

Speaking specifically about 3rd gen platform, it standardized the arrangement of steering, powertrain, and cabin floor, thus resulting in a spacious cabin along with improved aerodynamics, stability, handling, and collision safety performance.

For the new model, Kia has used stronger, more formable steel in key areas that help the car better disperse collision forces.

A high level of handling responsiveness and ride smoothness is assured by the car’s higher torsional rigidity.

Impressive protection

 

Kia Carnival offers a wide range of high-tech safety features that assures a truly safe drive, thus giving the owner complete peace of mind.

The long list of safety features includes -

7 airbags, protect the driver and occupants in the event of a collision (driver, driver’s knee, front passenger, two side-curtain, and two front-side)

Hill-Start Assist Control, it prevents the car from rolling backwards

Safe Exit Assist, it scans oncoming hazards before a passenger opens the sliding door to exit

Rear Occupant Alert, it sounds an alert to remind rear seat occupants when exiting the car

Multi Collision Braking, it engages automatic braking when an airbag is deployed

Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, its rear corner radars detect the presence of cross traffic and alert the driver of the same

Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Junction Turning, it uses cameras & radars to scan the road ahead of hazards

Lane Keeping Assist, it offers both audio and visual alerts on indicating a lane change

Lane Following Assist, it identifies lane boundaries using the front camera and automatically steers the car back in position

High Beam Assist, it automatically turns on the headlights in low ambient lighting & turns them off to prevent blinding other drivers

Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance, via audio-visual alerts and steering feedback this system prevents or reduces the risk of collision

Smart Cruise Control, using a camera and front radar the system helps the car automatically maintain a safe distance from the car ahead

Which Kia Carnival feature impressed you the most? Let us know in the comments.

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