The 2025 Kia Carnival will be almost $2700 and $5400 more expensive than its pre-facelift predecessor, with the updated people mover due in Australia in the coming months.
According to industry pricing guide Redbook, Kia’s comprehensively updated Carnival will start from $50,150 before on-road costs in entry-level S petrol guise, while the S diesel is now priced from $52,380 before on-road costs.
This represents price increases of $2670 and $2900 respectively, as well as the return of the petrol model since order books closed in mid-2023 – attributed to long wait times for the non-turbo V6 engine.
The facelifted Carnival will also become better aligned with Kia’s existing naming conventions, with the Sport, Sport+, GT-Line Lite and GT-Line variants replacing the Si, SLi, Special Edition and Platinum grades, respectively.
Price increases continue across the range, with the largest price difference between pre- and post-facelift models coming for the GT-Line Lite (formerly the Special Edition) which is now $5160 to $5390 more expensive in petrol and diesel guise, respectively.
Kia has not yet published a full features list for the 2025 Carnival, though Redbook shows a truncated equipment list for the Carnival S which includes newly standard front parking sensors, a centre front airbag, rear occupant alert and eight speakers (up from the outgoing model’s six).
As previously reported, certain Carnival variants will gain a panoramic curved display housing a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
The new touchscreen runs Kia’s new Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC), capable of receiving over-the-air updates and running Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly.
The Carnival Sport is expected to gain faux leather seat trim, keyless entry and push-button start, while the Sport+ adds side parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, a digital rear-view mirror and blind-spot assist.
The Carnival GT-Line Lite – the replacement of the Special Edition – will feature an 11-inch head-up display, a 12-speaker sound system, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel and remote parking capabilities.
It’s not yet known whether more features from the Korean-market Carnival, such as dual 14.6-inch monitors for rear-seat passengers, will be available in Australia, though we expect Kia’s Blind-Spot View Monitor to be available.
The Kia Carnival’s drivetrains are unchanged post-facelift, with the base 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine producing 216kW of power and 355Nm of torque, while the optional 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine develops 148kW of power and 440Nm of torque.
Both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, sending drive to the front wheels.
The Kia Carnival Hybrid is expected to make its Australian debut later this year, with no price yet locked in.
The 2025 Kia Carnival is due in Australia between now and June 2024.
2025 Kia Carnival Australian pricing
| Model | Pricing |
|---|---|
| Carnival S petrol | $50,150 (+$2670) |
| Carnival S diesel | $52,380 (+$2900) |
| Carnival Sport petrol | $56,050 (+$3070 over Si) |
| Carnival Sport diesel | $58,280 (+$3300 over Si) |
| Carnival Sport+ petrol | $62,380 (+$4600 over SLi) |
| Carnival Sport+ diesel | $64,610 (+$4830 over SLi) |
| Carnival GT-Line Lite petrol | $66,350 (+$5160 over Special Edition) |
| Carnival GT-Line Lite diesel | $68,580 (+$5390 over Special Edition) |
| Carnival GT-Line petrol | $70,680 (+$5100 over Platinum) |
| Carnival GT-Line diesel | $72,910 (+$5330 over Platinum) |
Prices exclude on-road costs.
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MORE: Kia Carnival Hybrid – Fuel-sipping people mover locked in for Australia
