KIa Grand Carnival Review

With no less than eight exterior colours and eight seats, the new Kia Grand Carnival is very much the comfy, funky people mover of Australia. Packed to the hilt with all sorts of nice touring goodies, the Grand Carnival is exceptionally nice to spend a long journey inside. 

From the tidy instrumentation and switch gear, boasting a dual trip meter, cruise control with steering wheel mounted controls and a digital clock, to the beautiful clarity of sound coming from the six-speaker stereo, the relaxed feel that the new Grand Carnival has is sumptuous to say the least. You’ll find the auxiliary input, USB audio input with iPod compatibility, steering wheel mounted audio controls and masses of storage compartments very useful indeed.  And while all occupants can enjoy the benefits of the dual-zone air-conditioning, or even tri-zone climate control in the Platinum model, the driver will be very contented with the power and refinement of the lusty engine. There are two engines offered. One is the torquey 2.2 CRDi diesel-fed motor, and the other is a smooth, powerful 3.5-litre V6 petrol.

Loaded with passive safety features and dynamic ESP and ABS, each of the Grand Carnival models are designed with safety in mind. Kia’s five year/unlimited kilometre warranty is very enticing.

Premium van manufacturers had better watch their backs. The all new Kia Grand Carnival is a very worthy people mover that is luxurious and competitively priced. 

Can the Kia Grand Carnival compete with Euro luxury barges? Let’s take a look. 

Design: The design of the Kia Grand Carnival is tasteful and roomy. I can think of a number of van-like designs that perhaps should not have left the design room. Not so with the Kia Grand Carnival. The Grand Carnival has a poignant exterior design that features a slanted nose (No scary drop offs at the front windscreen here!) at the front and a smooth flowing roof line overhead. Large curvy, triangular headlights at the front and tall taillights at the rear offer exceptional night vision and certainly keep the big wagon looking sharp parked at your kid’s mate’s house during the school rushhour. Colour coordinated bumpers, door mirrors and outer door handles, and a prominent waistline create an elegant and sophisticated look. The stylish lines, and attention to detail, spill over into the beautifully crafted interior. Smooth curves and clever use of space have made the interior of the Kia Grand Carnival a very open and spacious area.

This is certainly no wimpy van. The large 225/70 tyres, and 16 inch steel rims, on the EXE model give the van a strong and solidly built presence on the road. The tyre size on the Premium and Platinum models are increased to 235/60 tyres.  These sit on 17 inch alloys. Add front fog lamps, roof rails, a powered sunroof, electric sliding side doors (Platinum and Premium models only), eight seats, a six-speaker audio system and cruise control ito the mix, and you get the picture that the Kia Grand Carnival is designed for doing the business. 

Safety: When trusting your entire family or friends to a long journey on today’s busy roads it is important that you consider your vehicle to be of premium quality in its safety credentials. Here the Kia Grand Carnival does very well indeed. Driver and front passenger SRS airbags are standard on all models. The Premium and Platinum models include front side SRS airbags to protect the pelvis and thorax, as well as having curtain SRS airbags front and rear to protect the head and upper torso. Very good dynamic safety is on offer as well. ESP (Electronic Stability Program), TCS (Traction Control System), ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) and EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution) with brake assist are standard across the board. You can add to these: front seatbelt pre-tensioners, side 3-point seatbelt, height adjustable head rests (all seats), driver seatbelt, an energy absorbing steering column, child proof rear door locks, child restraint anchorage points (5), central locking with keyless entry and an immobiliser, and to top it all of a security alarm with a panic button.

Luxury: If you like that little bit extra when it comes to bells and whistles, then the Premium and Platinum models cater to your needs. Leather trim becomes standard. There are armrests in the first row.(1st row). You have an electrically adjustable driver's seat with awesome lumbar support , a leather wrapped steering wheel /gear shift knob, a 6 CD stacker with an AM/FM tuner, steering wheel mounted controls, an additional central speaker with a sub-woofer and, for the Platinum model, tri-zone air-conditioning. 

The high end Kia Grand Carnival Platinum can rightly claim the title of an executive MPV with a host of gadgets.  The petrol engine is a V6 DOHC CVVT motor with 3.5-litres to play around with. The 202 kW at 6300 rpm offers loads of smooth grunt. Thinking diesel? Then the CRDi 2.2-litre motor is leading edge in its design and power delivery, and with 429 Nm of torque at 2000 rpm you can load this baby up and hit the hills with ease!

This is a genuine luxury vehicle wrapped in an MPV, people moving body shell.  This is the perfect vehicle for lengthy periods on the road because, despite its size, the Kia Grand Carnival is incredibly easy to drive.  Yep, Euro’s look out!

The current model series includes the:

• Kia Grand Carnival EXE
• Kia Grand Carnival Premium
• Kia Grand Carnival Platinum

For any more information on the Kia Grand Carnival, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you'd like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Kia dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet - car buying made easy!