The Kia Carnival is the Korean carmaker’s flagship ICE-powered offering in India, as well as one of the few contenders in the niche but relatively popular luxury MPV segment. The Carnival rivals the Toyota Vellfire, Lexus LM, and the newly-launched MG M9, and stands as the only diesel-powered option among them. If you’re on the hunt for a luxury MPV, we’ve listed out three reasons why the Carnival is a great pick, and two reasons why you’d be better off with one of its rivals.

Most affordable luxury MPV

Starts just shy of Rs 64 lakh

The 2025 Kia Carnival price in India starts at Rs 63.91 lakh. This makes the Carnival the most affordable luxury MPV you can currently buy, with the M9 costing Rs 6 lakh extra and the Vellfire and LM commanding well over double the Kia’s asking price.

Spacious and comfortable middle row

Second row gets captain seats

The central tenet of a luxury MPV is space and comfort at the back, and the Carnival does very well on this front. Middle row occupants in the Carnival get a pair of heated and cooled captain seats that can be slid and reclined and get deployable ottomans. The Carnival’s rear seat experience is further enhanced with features like 3-zone climate control, ambient lighting, dual sunroofs, manual sunshades, USB-C charging ports, 12-speaker Bose sound system, and more.

Smooth diesel engine

441Nm of torque

As mentioned previously, the Carnival is the only diesel-powered luxury MPV in India at the moment, powered by a 2.2-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged mill developing 193hp and 441Nm. An 8-speed torque converter auto gearbox sends this grunt to the front wheels, and as noted in our Kia Carnival review, the power delivery is strong and the claimed 14.85kpl mileage is very respectable given the MPV’s size.

Now that we’ve discussed the Carnival’s pros, let’s dive into a couple of areas where it falls short.

Engine refinement could be better

Cabin NVH levels don’t befit the price

Though the Carnival’s diesel engine feels torquey and delivers good fuel efficiency, it does let a tad more noise into the cabin than you’d like. This is due to the engine block being forged with aluminium instead of cast iron, which reduces overall weight but increases NVH levels.

Size isn’t ideal for tight urban roads

Over 5,000mm long and nearly 2,000mm wide

At 5,155mm in length, 1,995mm in width, and 1,775mm in height, the Carnival is about as large as a mainstream MPV can be. While the Carnival’s dimensions translate to great space on the inside, they can also make the MPV a bit of a hassle to maneuver on India’s famously crowded streets and bumper-to-bumper traffic.

All prices are ex-showroom, India.

Also see:

MG M9 vs Carnival vs Vellfire: price, specs, features compared

Kia Carnival: Top 6 questions on the MPV answered