Kia Carnival
Verified193 reviews
Purchased our brand new Kia Car from Northside Kia in Brisbane in July 2023. First complimentary service at Kia Northside they broke the metal bar where the middle row seats connect. I had to bring the car back twice to get it replaced. In June 2025 the car's horn stopped working at 29,000 kms, shortly after this the engine light started flashing.… Read more
We were 3.5 hours from home with three small children under the age of 5. It was a Sunday 8th June and we needed to get home. We were told we would be towed to the closest dealer and have to make our own way back to Brisbane. We drove the car home safely, got home and then got the car towed to Kia Brendale as the closest dealer on 9th June. Issues were identified as premature degradation of the horn and broken engine sensor, both under warranty as per Service Centre. Kia do not offer loan / replacement vehicles UNTIL the issue has been accepted by Kia Australia as a warranty item, this process took over 2 weeks. Lodged a complaint with Kia Australia 23rd June, had a call from the Service Centre within 15 minutes of this to book in for the repair. Let them know we needed the car to be repaired by 2nd July as going away for a driving holiday for school holidays with our children. Car booked for 1st July at Kia Brendale. Received an email 1st July whilst at work to let me know they had ordered the wrong parts and are unable to repair the car and I need to bring it back again. We are due to leave tomorrow for our family holiday and spent $74,000 on a brand new car that is now 18 months old and wouldn't even meet a roadworthy and hasnt met one since noticing the broken horn on 3rd June, a month ago.
We were not offered a loan vehicle, again I had to complain and then was offered a Kia Sportage. I was told that this is the biggest car that they have available. I explained that I purchased a Carnival because I have three children requiring car seats (all under the age of 5) and need a car that has the width to be able to fit these seats. I was told well this is the best we can do and they had no other options for us.
I then called Kia Australia and waited 40mins to speak to a gentleman who told me that there is nothing that Kia Australia can do either, we need to follow up with with the Service Centre to find out if we can receive a loan car more comparable to the size of the car we purchased. Kia Australia told me that they would contact Josh the Service Manager at Brendale Kia and they would request the Manager of the Service Centre to call me. This never happened. It got to 5pm and my husband got his father to drive him to the dealership to find out what was happening, Josh had gone home and no other acceptable outcome was reached, no larger car available, car not driveable and a waiver stating that it was not driveable.
Do not buy this car. It is advertised as reliable and family friendly and this is 100% not the case. We were left stranded 3.5 hours from Brisbane with three children under the age of 5 at 29,000kms. We have been waiting a month for our car to be fixed and its going to be another 2-3 weeks as the parts have had to be reordered (on backorder!) from Korea again.
Not only are the cars unreliable, but the Kia Australia and two Kia dealerships in Brisbane professionalism and customer service is woeful. We have escalated this issue with Kia Australia to no avail and escalated it within Kia Brendal to no avail. My husband found out tonight when he got there that the "trainee" has actually been managing our entire repair. It blows my mind that the manager did not pick up our case and think it would be more appropriate for them to working with us to resolve this complete shambles of a situation. We completely understand that these issues happen with cars but it has been the aftercare and the lack of compensation from Kia Australia and the dealerships that has tipped us over the edge.
To also add, tonight I have also called Car Biz myself, the gentleman told me there are plenty of larger vehicles available in Brisbane tomorrow and shock, even Kia Carnivals... He was confused as to why the dealer told us this wasn't the case. We are awaiting their return call tomorrow morning and will be taking this back to the dealer.
Do. Not. Buy. This. Car.
I bought a GT line. I thought it would be similar but just better than the old one. Then we drove it once the new model arrived. It drives great except for the terrible and dangerous software. You can’t turn off any any of the notifications permanently. It’s is so invasive that it constantly beeps and takes your eye off the road like there is… Read more
something wrong. It turns out you only went from 60kph to 61kph! As soon as you go over 60kph in traffic it does this. Then you have to look at the dash and take your eyes off the road. With a car full of kids you hardly need another distraction. It’s worse than having 4 kids in the car. I have actually made a complaint to Kia and they don’t care. I then had to make a complaint to vehicle safety regulator. It’s just dangerous. Don’t buy a Kia unless you want software that you need to ignore. It’s apparently on all cars and the dealer said everyone complains. It’s their biggest complaint.
- +4
I am extremely disappointed with the service from this Kia dealership sydney city kia alexandria. My vehicle is still under manufacturer warranty, yet a clear and ongoing fault has not been properly diagnosed or repaired despite multiple visits. Few months back i came with the issue of turbo hose leaking that’s still not resolved and they gave me… Read more
excuses except to fix the problem under warranty. I gave them bad review and very next day I received call from manager to remove the review and will look after to solve the problem. But last month again second time i went with another issue Kia carnival battery drain they said we are very busy can’t do anything have to wait till march. I requested them to please fix it soon, daily morning time i have to jump start and battery flat anytime. But they didn’t pay much attention and said come in march month. Somehow from last one month I managing to keep start car with jump start. But a week ago battery totally dead and powerless and i went to private mechanic, he listen to me and gave me a demo battery to try for a week to diagnose the problem either it’s battery problem or any other electric issue. So for one week I tried the demo battery and vehicle start smoothly and no need for jump starter. Again on monday 2nd February 2026 i went to dealership and informed the issue is with battery that’s need to be replaced urgent basis and it’s still under warranty. I can request to private mechanic to keep battery with me for couple of days. But Kia service workshop Guys not ready to listen me. Even i spoke with manager he said simply and straight can’t do anything that’s your problem not ours, come on appointment date of march month. Then i said it’s still under manufacturer warranty. I can wait couple of days but they simply not interested. So i gave another option if you don’t have time i can arrange my private job and you can pay the invoice. But they said big No. So enough is enough now. This has wasted my time, caused ongoing inconvenience, and shaken my confidence in both the dealership and the brand. A warranty should protect customers, not be avoided. Each time, I was told the issue was “normal” and i have to visit for the same problem to return. There has been no accountability, no proper explanation, and no permanent solution, which defeats the whole purpose of having a warranty. I would not recommend this Kia Service Alexandria service to anyone expecting professional support or genuine warranty repairs. I am now forced to escalate this matter further.
Reviews with attachments
Great for moving but lots of problems – As a family of 6 the car is great for getting from A to B. However I have a couple of pretty disappointing things to reflect on: - the brakes are very very squeaky which I wouldn’t expect from a 3 year old car. It’s been to the dealership twice in two weeks for squeaky brakes and the verdict is that the brakes are fine but that the car is just… Read more
heavy. I honestly cannot fathom how that is at all reasonable given that the car is not that old.
- the touch panel overheats and does not respond to my touch. I thought maybe this was a design flaw but am starting to think that the unit is faulty (although it has already been replaced once by Kia).
- the genuine floor mats have not stayed in place from day one of purchasing the car. I did try to get that fixed at the initial service but they have never stayed. I’ve taken to folding the small strip along the passenger doors over so that they don’t become a serious tripping hazard.
I called the dealer about my issues and was told that it would be $176 to diagnose the issues if it is found that the problems are not under warranty.
- don’t bother if you have an apple phone unless you like a- buying a new cord every couple of months because it stops registering for CarPlay or b- having your phone calls echo every time you are on a call through car play.
- I recently booked my car in for a major service and when it got dropped off the dealer thought that the car had been booked for a recall which I had never even been informed of!
- other things that have happened: speed warning has not turned off in traffic zones, we had to drive from Canberra to Queensland with a safety beep non stop because a back row buckle was faulty, the back row buckle sinks into the seats which makes it quite hard for one of my kids to buckle their own seatbelt.
- +8
Better than most 7-seat SUVs...and it can carry up to 8 people – Having stepped up the build quality in cars like the Stinger and Sorento from Kias of the past, the new Carnival is no different. Kia packages their cheaper materials far away from your major touchpoints, leaving the nicer leather and softer plastics as your main points of contact. The Carnival isn’t a cheaply built car, however itl is… Read more
cheaper to buy since it’s not adorned in excessive amounts of expensive materials. All of this translates to an adequate level of build quality.The doors are heavy and have a comforting weight when you close them - something Kia is working on to lift the perception of their cars from cheap alternatives to viable competitors. Inside, the Carnival presents the steering wheel, seats and door cards in a leatherette material, which feels plush and pleasant to touch. The way the buttons, latches and levers work in the Carnival are reassuring in their operation, their sound and function all feel extremely sturdy. There is nothing of concern when it comes to the build quality, both inside and out. This minivan is likely to stand the test of time against the ultimate measure of build quality… rambunctious children.
The Carnival I tested was the SLi Diesel, which is priced from $62,790 drive away. The range kicks off at $50,890 with the base model. However, like many of Kia’s products, I always recommended heading as high up on the range as you can afford. Heading higher up in the range will reward you with all the fruits of convenience and comfort that these cars have to offer, rather than missing out on key features like a heads-up display or a fully digital TFT drivers display. The SLi acts as a good middle ground between the model below and the range-topping Platinum. This trim has a great range of features such as the 12.3 inch media display, larger alloy wheels and leather interior, therefore, it’s recommended you get as close as possible to the SLi trim when purchasing a Carnival.
The Carnival comes with Kia’s 7 year/unlimited kilometre warranty and capped price servicing over 7 years or for up to 105,000km. The total cost of servicing over 7 services comes to $3,767, with service intervals being every 12 month or 15,000km.
The Carnival kept quiet even at high speeds. You’d expect a brick like this to generate a fair bit of wind noise, but instead, I found it almost tranquil once up to speed on the highway. The speaker system in the Carnival wasn’t as impressive as the Bose system in the Sorento. Instead, I was met with an audio experience that wasn’t mind-blowing but functional, for music and podcasts.
The braking in the Carnival was seriously impressive, with seemingly ordinary brakes I was impressed with being able to stop two tonnes of metal with ease.
The Carnival was fitted with Kia’s universally implemented 2.2L four-cylinder diesel engine, producing 148kW at 3800rpm and 440Nm at 1,750-2,750rpm. Diesels aren’t the best motors when it comes to outright performance or urban fuel economy. However, Kia has appeared to refine this 2.2L diesel to the point where it’s effortless to move not just around town, but also out on the open road. It’s most certainly not a gutless motor; with 440 Nm, there’s plenty of torque - there’s even enough to tow a braked trailer of up to 2 tonnes.
The 8-speed is buttery smooth; there’s no need for manual shifting. Whether it’s going up an incline, or needing to suddenly overtake, the gearbox will be ready to handle anything you throw at it.
People-movers generally have better handling than SUVs. The hierarchy of family wagons and their handling ability starts with the station wagon at the top, followed by people-movers, and then SUVs at the bottom. Thanks to recent trends in SUV design, manufacturers have been cooking up SUVs that can now out-corner sports cars that were considered top-tier a few decades ago. What you can’t engineer your way out of is a low centre of gravity, which the Carnival has. Keeping the weight low means that steering feels more direct, even in a bus like this. Mid-corner body roll on the Carnival is significantly reduced compared to cars with their weight higher off the ground. Kia claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 6.5L/100km. I managed to return a figure as high as 13.6L/100km in the city. However, after mixing up my driving a bit, , I returned a far more conservative figure of 8.1L/100km towards the end of my week with the Carnival.
With a total available space of up to 2785L, you better believe the Carnival is spacious.
It's a good looking, practical, easy-to-life-with minivan with a great warranty period. My only gripe is the lack of AWD which would help broaden this van's appeal. It's more car-like than ever, and for many, this should be considered over large 7-seat SUVs that often compromise on interior space for the sake of mediocre ground clearance.
*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.
A near perfect people mover – In mid 2024 I bought a new updated Carnival GT Line diesel 2.2l as a replacement for the Multivan. This model doesn't lack any features that would be options for many 'prestige' European brands. In summary the car is reliable, well put together, spacious, excellent seat arrangements allow flexible cargo floor which proves very useful, allowing 4… Read more
passengers and sleeping area for camping for two. The dashboard is modern with well illuminated HUD, LED high beam assist is superbly convenient, engine start is instant, smooth with excellent fuel economy which is 8.4 lit/100km for city driving and 6 lit/100km for open road, measured carefully after each filling. I also enjoy the absence of engine stop start feature and AdBlue. Steering is accurate with good feel, suspension is compliant over poor road surface, it handles the corners at high speed very well despite the car's long wheelbase, heavy weight and front wheel drive. The rear-cross auto braking has activated 5 times since I own the car. The adaptive cruise control s very easy to use. Missing features include arm rests for front seats which I consider crucial for long country driving. Overall a near perfect car which I'm looking forward to daily drive.
Unbelievably disappointing customer service by Kia – Unbelievably disappointing customer service by Kia. I have been a Kia customer for many years. I purchased a Kia Carnival in 2017 and then another Kia hatchback in 2019. My recent experience with Kia customer service deeply disappointed me. Coming out of 7-year warranty for only about 6 months, my Kia Carnival’s infotainment system suddenly… Read more
stopped working on November 11th, the whole screen was dark, but response with another control buttons, no revering image or 360 degrees image, no radio or Bluetooth, no display of aircon information. Very inconvenient to drive such a big car without revering image or 360 degrees image.
I contacted Kia Pennant hill where my Kia has been serviced on Tuesday morning and the Service people asked me to bring the car in on Thursday. Then after about 5 hours they told me to take the car away and waiting for the quote from the supplier which they said would come back on Thursday afternoon. Then I have been waiting and calling the service centre for update on Friday and Monday, the response was they are still waiting for the quote to come back. They estimated the cost between AUD 1300 to 1600, but they said they can’t book a time to do that until suppler comes back with a quote then I pay a deposit.
In the meantime, the service people keep advising me to not have the car fixed there with the original Kia part as they said I may have to wait between 3-6 months. They advised me to find something after market and I did try hard to find it with no outcome, the aftermarket part would lose the function of some key controls like physical buttons under the screen.
I bought this Kia Carnival with a group of other buys, we bought a total of 9 Kia Carnivals, 4 out of 9 including myself experienced the same problem with the infotainment system breaking down, and one of us experienced it twice, luckily for them, their system broke down within 7 years.
The service people in Kia Pennant hill have been good and I don’t blame them for the problem. However, obviously there is something wrong with Kia’s customer service, especially the supply of its original part to its owners should any problem occur with their car. The service people told me it takes only an hour to install but I have to wait months for the part. The screen, reversing and 360 image are such important parts of the Kia Carnival, I can’t believe I have to wait months for such a essential part to be fixed. If this is what is going to happen, I don’t think I would or would recommend any family member or friends to consider a Kia car, as the car would become useless for so long. And Someone should take a close look at the problem, it may be easily fixed instead of having to replace the whole system. The whole experience just indicated how careless Kia is about its custom service for the owners.
Positive reviews
HAPPY CUSTOMER – For the first time ever I have bought the same car twice, and that is the best recommendation I can give. Value for money you can't beat this car. The downside - the panel is not reliable and we have had a few issues. The upside everything else: Look - they really have done a great job on the latest version. Comfort - this car fits 7 comfortably… Read more
with plenty of leg room Space - with the seats folded down it is like Dr. Whos tardis and can fit so much stock. Safety - you would do well to crash this car as has so many safety features. Economy - I cannot understand how such a big beast is so economic on fuel Support - the warranty is unbeatable and includes capped servicing Reliability - aside from the screen at the front, we have had no issues across 2 models Other - sliding doors great, folding chairs great.... Ok I am not sure what else you would need to know.
Great Car great people mover – I recently went interstate with a number of family members and hired a car to get around with 8 people. In fairness the Kia isn't what i first booked but due to their similar car policy i ended up with the Carnival. The carnival is not a car i would typically buy as i have a small family but anyone with 5 or more members or just needing the extra… Read more
seats this is a very good option. It didn't skip a beat. With a full car of 6 adults and 2 kids never once did i feel this car struggled for power. I was also impressed by the ECO mode having driven just over 400km on half a tank (60% freeway driving).I was also impressed by the interior space and the ease of people going into the 3rd row. Overall a very satisfying experience.
A lot of vehicle for the money – Bought a 2008 Grand Carnival Platinum in 2023 for $13,000 (secondhand). It only had 110,000kms on the odometer. Except for a 3 second tappet rattle at cold start up the car has been brilliant. We live 500kms from Brisbane & do several round trips a month. Petrol use is usually 10lt/100kms. Just done a 5000km trip from Qld to Vic & had no… Read more
problems. Front shocks need replacing but that's it. Has all the bells & whistles. We installed front/rear camera & new stereo with Bluetooth for phone & music. We'll have this vehicle for years to come.
Negative reviews
Don’t Buy Kia Cars, they brake down soon after warranty ends and then charge you $3k too find the problem and maybe fix under goodwill, we don’t use Kia service centre because high costs and they don’t do what they say they will. Kia carnival broke down 10km after a service because battery wasn’t checked. Service is awful,cars are crap our timing… Read more
chain broke after 130,000km full service history. There after sales service is the worst i’ve come across you would be better buying a Chinese car at least they give you good service Kia is the worst car company i’ve dealt with stay clear they may seem like good value for money but they use a lot of petrol ( 13 litres per 100km) and compared to other vans don’t have very good technology especially compared to Chinese vans. Richard at Kia customer care was rude and didn’t care Buyer beware!
Kia Carnival Dream Vehicle to worst nightmare – I have just given up on my Kia Carnival 2012 . This was a vehicle I had dreamed of owning being a musician (drummer) and a single mum. The car was one I aspired to own and I bought one! To my horror, the secondhand vehicle had only 60,000 km on it but Boy was in for a money spinner with all the various things that went wrong along the… Read more
way.Air-conditioner replacement, steering issues recall on the vehicle for some defect, transmission issues and on and on the list goes. As a single mum this vehicle was like a haemorrhaging wallet. All my fun tickets flew out of my wallet to be poured into my defective vehicle. The car became a nightmare overtaking my Fantasia of owning what I thought would be the best car on the planet. What a bummer. Michaela Burke- Melbourne Victoria.
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Horn problem – Horn problem it cannot be fixed until part arrives from overseas I had my 2023 carnival platinum 2.2l diesel 75 km service, at a Kia dealership I told them the horn is not function not working, they have checked but the service was done without horn getting fix, but the result what I get from the customer service about the horn was shocking “ I have over use the horn this was only the explanation “ Show details
Recent reviews
Left high and dry- Engine fails at 3 yrs / no car for 3 weeks and no end in sight! – Very disappointed that if your engine fails whilst your Kia is under warranty, Kia don't provide a replacement vehicle! Great car till it broke down dramatically with engine malfunction on 25th June. Took it straight to local Kia dealer where it has been regularly serviced. Still without a car! Kia can't offer us a replacement vehicle even though… Read more
this is a Kia fault under warranty. Car insurance doesn't provide a replacement car because Kia is at fault/ no accident. We have 5 children and have had no car for 3 weeks and told to expect another 2 weeks, while they order a new turbo. Our local Kia staff are very pleasant but seem understaffed and don't have enough loan cars (they have to be booked in advance....please remember this before your turbo fails). Why can't Kia Australia help lesson the inconvenience to customers when their cars fail under warranty? Are we supposed to hire a car or just stay home for 5 weeks? I'm not asking for a new car but you would think providing an old Carnival is a reasonable compromise? If there are none available, perhaps that tells you that more loan cars are required. We are patient people and understand problems come up...but we don't think this is fair and it doesn't reflect well on Kia.
2005 update: Engine (seems like turbo again) has failed again: had to get our Carnival towed back… Read more
Absolutely love this beast! – We've had our carnival SI since July 2023. We have a family of 3 kids and our previous car was just too small. The space this car offers is unmatched, even with the 3rd row in use, the boot space is still there for the pram and groceries and school bags etc. I love that you can remove the middle seat in the second row which makes it's easier for… Read more
our eldest to get into his seat in the back. Love the passenger talk also. We chose the SI over the SLi due to the pricing, do we regret not getting the power doors or boot? Not at all. After reading a lot of posts on the Facebook groups re: issues with power doors etc we are very glad we got the lesser model but still had just about everything that the SLi had and saved ourselves 7K. It's amazing on fuel with my average fuel consumption 6.8L/km. Adaptive cruise control is also great and I use every day as I do a lot of motorway driving, soooooo many cup holders, spacious and smooth to drive.
Only recommendation would be to get roof rack track rubber to put into the floor tracks so stuff doesnt get trapped in the tracks. And I wish they made the windscreen wipers automatic, unfortunately they are manual.
Great car but not without it's issues – This is a great car as far as its got loads of capacity for a large family, plenty of power for towing, smooth to drive and efficient to run getting close to 860km's to the tank. However it's not been trouble free motoring. I have had to bring the car back to my local dealership for the same sliding door issue 5 times soon to be a 6th within the… Read more
last 2 years of owning the car. When pushing the electronic open button the motor will run but the catch mechanism won't activate and the door doesn't open, or the door catch doesn't release from the pillar and a loud bang occurs. When door is open and the button is pressed the locking mechanism on the lower door runner doesn't release and the motor strains against the lock until a loud bang occurs (assuming the catch mechanism on the drive cable lets go) and the door fails to close at which point you need to push the close button again and hope for a better result. So far this is only happening on the right hand sliding door the left operates flawlessly. The dealership just clean and grease the catches each time I go back to have it fixed, which works for a couple weeks (maybe) then same thing. Additionally the rear row passenger seatbelt warning sound doesn't shut off once the seatbelt has been clipped in resulting in an extremely annoying ding sound, I have unplugged the cables for my sanity, Dealership couldn't make the issue occur so have done nothing to resolve. Everything else about the car is fantastic but the constant back and forth to the dealership is extremely frustrating.
Been a great car – Overall a very reliable car. I purchased platinum model 2015. It is now 2023, I have done 420,000km yes that is correct, i have a lot of kids who do sports, we go on holidays, school drop offs etc. In the 8yrs we've had it I have had issues with the sliding doors (approx 3 times) & navigation system/camera system (3 times). All of which have been… Read more
replaced & fixed under warranty with no issues at all. I have serviced it at regular intervals/log book & now regularly as I've clearly gone over the km for log book servicing. Other than the 2 issues mentioned above, this car & my previous carnival (i had done 320,000km in 5yrs) have not skipped a beat mechanically. I highly recommend kia. They have always been fantastic with any warranty claims I can't fault their warranty at all and kia's customer service has been fantastic (Geelong Kia, Vic, Aust)
2022 is Better than my DARK GREY 2020 LOVE MY RED BEAST – We are a family of 6, children aging from 6, 12, 15 and 17 and we take my parents away a lot. The back row has a lot of leg room for my 17 year old tall son. and the boot space is massive. We previously brought the Kia Carnival Platinum 2020 model and we loved it. However till a few months later we saw the new design of the KIA CARNIVAL and… Read more
thought wow love the look of that... So we went into the Wayne Phillis Kia on Aug 28th 2021 and had a look at the new Kia Carnival Platinum. most of it was pretty much the same except for the look on the outside and the new platinum came with 2 sunroofs as well as the metal trip down the side and inside it had the illuminated lights in the doors and the middle back row side seats had heated seats. So we traded in our 2020 Kia Carnival Platinum and ordered the KIA KA4 Carnival Platinum 2.2lt Turbo Diesel 148 kw 8spd DCT 8 Seater, which we received on the 28th April 2022. We have just had it 1 year and it is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING..... Ours was the 2nd Red one ordered in the state of SA
We use the car to do school drop off, pick up every day as well as commute to work and sporting commitments along with family outings, we have been on 4 holidays in the past year and in that time towed a 1984 Viscount Pop Top Caravan. The Carnival has no problems at all towing it. we used to tow the Viscount with the Petrol 2020 model and it would struggle, even after you were un hitched it still felt like it was towing and struggling. the towing average was around 23lt per 100km. When towing with the Diesel it uses around 18-19lt per 100km.
our 2020 was a petrol and our 2022 is a Turbo Diesel. The petrol was giving us roughly around 436-450 per tank and it was gone with in 1.5 weeks roughly around 13lt per 100km. The Turbo Diesel gives ours roughly around 804-836km per tank and we get around 3 weeks out of it, roughly around 7-8.8lt per 100km
This year we had the car serviced at the 3000km and then again at 15,000km. for the total year we have driven 17,800km.
New additions Pros 2 Sunroofs - looks amazing with the natural light. Car stays warmer in winter. However in the past year we have only really had glass part open around 15 times. Middle row back side seats are heated my 13 and 15 year old love it in the colder months. especially my 13 year old after playing a game of footy. Illuminated lights look amazing when driving at night. Speak button on steering wheel, so when you want to talk to the back row you dont have to yell. you push the button and it goes through the speaker so they can hear you.... I have only used this twice. Lots of cup holders, this was the same in the 2020 Lots of USB chargers through out the car Wireless Car charging is new. I dont really use it as i like to listen to music through android auto, which you cant when you are using the wireless charger. when people are sitting in all seats it picks up if you are wearing your seat belts and beeps till it is on.
New addition Negatives compared to the 2020 model No longer have the dual glove box also dont have the cooler glove box anymore - not that that really made a difference in the 2020 model. The front mirror no longer had the green sensor dot on it. the steering wheel is material all the way around now instead of the fake wood on it as well. The Centre console doesnt have the little box ledge inside it to put loose change etc in The Middle back row seats dont fold up to move as close as possible to front seats like the 2020 model. The MAIN ONE I MISS is the little mirror that used to sit above the main middle mirror that gave you the view of all inside the car is not in the 2022 model... I used to love this as we could see what the kids were doing in the back row. Price increase between the 2020 and the 2022 models was a big jump
I know Kia has atleast a 12-18 month waiting period on new cars, if you dont want to wait then get the 2020 - 2021, if your happy to wait then order the newest model as you wont be disappointed. BUT GET IT IN THE DIESEL. yes you pay more to buy the car, however petrol and diesel prices are a much to muchness at the moment and the diesel will last you longer.
Great when theres warranty. Faulty know headunit and electric doors. Dont buy sli or platinum – Over 4 years of ownership, it took 1 year and 6 trips to fix rear Rh electric doors (motor and wire). Free service supplied for inconvenience. Rear lh door same fault over 3 months to fix and 3 trips (motor and wire). Free service offered. 2 x headunit replacements in 12 months and air-conditioned rarely camera cd player all in unit. Great car… Read more
but kia Australia takes no responsibility in the quality of their electronics and a vunch of muppets. I laughed when they released the remote sdlf drivjbg feature of the 2021 model as it might crash into another car. Buy the si or s model. Great cars rhe basic yp and a set of matts.
Annoying rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist – I have to reverse out of my driveway every morning. My street have 2 lanes each way. The inside lane is always clear of traffic, the outside lane is constant traffic(very busy). I can not reverse out of my driveway without turning off the rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist. The break automatically apply even no danger of collision.… Read more
Turning it off is taking 3 steps (setting - vehicle- rear traffic). But once I turn the car off, next morning it auto turn back on!!!
good until you need parts then be prepared with the lube – Car only has 120,000k's on it and has always made a few noises from suspension etc i can deal with that, now brakes have failed, looks to be problem with the master cylinder which they want $600 for a new one! what a joke, most other cars you can pick them up for $150-$200. This is just price gouging because they know there is no aftermarket option available. Show details
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Australia's Best 7 Year Warranty? – Great car to start with - you've just got to hope that nothing goes wrong. We've been happy with the car which bought new about 4 years ago until one morning the front screen went blank. We had no radio, reversing cameras, etc. We took it to the local Kia Dealer (Tweed Heads) who told us this was a common problem but it's not covered by… Read more
"Australia's Best 7 Year warranty" The quote for the cost of repair was a bit over $8000!!!. We were persuaded to buy this car because of the warranty - what a mistake. We've done nothing wrong, it's a common problem with many Kia models and there only response from the Customer "Service" Department was Sorry it's out of warranty. I don't know how they can treat customers like this.
Great family van – We are a family of 5 with a 12 year old, 11 year old and 7 year old. Heaps and heaps of space even when sitting 8 in the car, with the 3rd row down. We got the diesel motor and it has heaps of torque and power and is very efficient. Recently the main screen stopped working and it was quickly replaced under warranty by Kia. No regrets with this purchase. Show details
Great car but couple of glaring issues – Good looking, comfy people mover. Brilliant economy from the 2.2 diesel. 1000km possible from the 70 odd litre tank with mixed driving. Upwards of 1100-1200 on a trip! Issues? Headlights are a disgrace for a $50k plus vehicle. Poor penetration and spread. Borderline dangerous. Plastic around ignition easily scratched by key. Instruments reflect on driver side window. Safety tech can be overly intrusive, especially lane keep assist. Show details
Great all round family car – I've owned my Kia Carnival KA4 SLI for 6 months and have been so impressed. As well as looking amazing, the function is great! It has amazing space with room for 6 child restraints and ability to access the third row with restraints in the second row. The restraint anchorage points are located on the seat backs so they don't get in the way. There… Read more
are 5 anchorage points, one for each of the middle row seats and the outer third row seats, but you can fit a third restraint in the back row if it is un tethered, or if you get an extra point installed. We keep one of the side seats folded forward to allow access to the third row, but leave the removable (heavy and awkward) centre middle row seat in situ as it gives us more spare adult size seats. The seat folding leavers and straps are a little heavy and awkward to use, but improve with familiarity. Ventilation is great to all rows.
The boot with all three rows of seats up is still bigger than most SUVs or wagons, and with the third row folded it's massive! The car is amazingly comfortable in all seating positions with adult size space all round. Electric sliding doors and boot mean my young kids are able to safely use the doors and don't risk being squished when parked on hills.
Driver assistance features are fantastic, including surround view cameras, adaptive cruise control, lane centering and AEB - it practically drives itself. Parking is helped by the cameras as it is a big car.
The 2.2L turbo diesel has good power and torque without being exceptional, however the economy is amazing - 5.8L/100km in the country and 8L/100km in the city with short trips. I tow a triple bunk caravan weighing almost 2 tonnes loaded (Adria 552PK Sport) and still get 11-12L/100km. Traction whilst towing hasn't been the issue I expected, and it is a very stable tow car. The width of the carnival means the caravan seems smaller behind the car too! The transmission is generally decisive, although the torque converter seems designed to slip a bit in 1st and second which can result in the engine reving more than intended.
I don't love the satnav - its a bit tricky to input the destination, but the 12.3inch screen is great and gives the option of split screen. You can get around the satnav by using apple carplay though.
Servicing is capped price and seems cheap enough considering the size and complexity of the car.
No Parts for 7 months – I have a faulty entertainment system on my car since April 2021. I have contacted Kia numerous times regarding this and they keep saying parts hasn’t arrived- Now understand it is just made up stories. I am driving a massive car without a reverse camera that includes school parking area putting ourselves and little kids at risk. I want to make a… Read more
formal complaint about this issue. If you can’t provide parts, just stop selling Kia here. Such a bad Service. The service centre I use is now Leo Franco Motors Griffith ( Formerly Kia Griffith).
Life changing – This has been a great purchase for us. For me, the sliding doors are the best feature so I don’t have anxiety about the kids hitting other car doors. So many features in this model and the space is amazing. I definitely recommend this car and model!! Show details
PLATINUM - Wouldnt Go Any Other Model For This Year – We test drived the Kia Carnival Platinum May 2020 and walked out signing contract.... Car is amazing for Size inside family of 6. 16 year, 13 year, 10 year and 5 year. Plenty boot space with all seats up. Love the heated seats and the climate control. Some Cons Platinum has 19inch wheels so very expensive per tyre - compared to Toyota Avensis I… Read more
previously has. Service is a joke, every time I go into a service you need a new tyre and we recommend you get 2 at a time with a wheel alignment Petrol states 11L/100 city driving however mine sits around 12-13L/100 on ECO States can tow up to 2t braked, I tow a 1200kg Pop top van and it really struggles. Roughly 20-22L/100. then when not towing the next tank I full up still only show full tank level as if I I towing. The driver window if you flick up it stops and sometimes goes back down if you want it to go all way up have to hold the switch up till it is closed.
Family mover, Doggies too! – We bought this 3 yrs ago and it has been a dream to drive. The seat and steering wheel warmer has been delightful on the cold winter mornings. A seat setting for me and one for hubby means I don't break my back trying to slide a heavy seat forward anymore. Dogs find it a good height to jump in and out of and grandkids with the side step. The auto… Read more · 1
brake is one annoying feature and battery has died since purchase. I think the power options i.e. side doors, boot etc, without the engine on drains it.
Was impressed, not anymore – I originally gave the Kia Carnival a 5-star review. Not anymore. Our 2016 model is still under new car warranty. So far the head-unit has been replaced (navigation and entertainment system under warranty) and dealing with KIA is terrible. They have absolutely no clue with customer service. Trying to get a warranty item looked at and covered… Read more
is terribly time-consuming and frustrating. They always have these loop-holes despite always having the vehicle serviced. Our Carnival is now leaking oil and making crunching sounds from the wheel when turning and when approaching KIA regarding an indicator issue under warranty, the dealerships attempted to charge a bond of $150 to inspect a warranty item! because we were not getting a service!
We also have a friend that had a terrible experience with their warranty on a near-new Sportage that KIA refused to cover the driveshaft CV boot deteriorating and failing.
Sorry KIA, we will NEVER buy your crap again. We will be trading in for a Toyota. Bye bye.
Best Family Car we’ve had – We use everyday for a family of 7. Taken us everywhere with no problems. 3.8 V6 has heaps of grunt with minor maintenance issues. Twin sliding doors are great. Heaps of cup holders. Solid vehicle has well over 300 thousand on the clock now and has done our family proud. Our older kids have cars now so we are downsizing but hard to let go of all the room you get and material transportation. We’ve had it for 10 years, selling in mid 2021. Show details
Fit for purpose – Daily driver for all family activities; serviced at home; we fitted a tow bar and trailer braking kit to tow our jayco swan and box trailer. We bought the basic 2017 ‘S’ model diesel for our family of 6 (no fancy automated doors / boot). We normally have the centre row middle seat removed so the kids can just walk into the back. The diesel is… Read more
economical, I can get 8l/100km towing 750kg carrying 6 passengers. As expected it doesn’t tow well on steep gravel surfaces, however the traction control is surprisingly good and got us out of trouble towing off road. Heaps of space in the boot for luggage and camping trips.
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Hi everyone, On 15/07/ 2024 I received message from Kia dealer that the part for the horn arrived… Read more