There’s a brand new Kia Carnival on the town. The 2025 mannequin yr minivan is extra SUV-like than ever because of a chunky new face. But there’s extra happening for the up to date Carnival than simply appears. The identical might be mentioned for the K5 sedan, which additionally wears new garments for the 2025 mannequin yr.
The 2025 Kia Carnival’s updates are in depth. It’s unimaginable to overlook the squared-off face, now sporting Kia’s giant rectangular grille flanked by dice headlights and the automaker’s “Star Map” LED operating lights. It exudes a chiseled, upright design, giving the van a decidedly SUV look. New taillights and a barely revised rear fascia add to the beefy taste, particularly when the elective skid plate is added to the Carnival’s bottom. Only when your gaze facilities on the aspect do you see the sliding aspect doorways, reminding you that is actually a front-wheel-drive minivan.
That’s not a nasty factor, both. The inside presents a copious 145.1 cubic ft of cargo house with the second and third rows eliminated. Keep them in place and passengers can take pleasure in luxurious second-row lodging with reclining seats and footrests. All passengers can partake within the elective Connected Car Rear Cockpit leisure suite, bringing a number of 14.6-inch HD displays to the cabin.
Meanwhile within the entrance, there is a new sprint and heart console that, whereas related in design to the outgoing Carnival, comprises extra tech inside. We glimpsed the layout back in December, displaying fewer tactile buttons and a rotary shifter rather than the old-school stalk. Kia’s Connected Car Navigation Cockpit works with issues like quicker processing instances, including often used options to an simply accessible display, Digital Key 2 which permits sensible units like telephones to function keys, and over-the-air updates.
Moving beneath the hood, there is a new hybrid powertrain possibility obtainable. It pairs a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine with a 54kW motor, producing a mixed 242 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. It connects to a six-speed automated transmission, nevertheless it’s price noting this is not a plug-in hybrid setup, so there is not any electric-only vary. For those that desire their Carnival with out electrification, the acquainted 3.5-liter V6 continues to be obtainable. However, output drops ever-so-slightly to 287 hp and 260 lb-ft of twist.
Kia hasn’t deserted the sedan crowd. Joining the Carnival is a refreshed 2025 K5, although the modifications right here aren’t as dramatic right here. A brand new entrance fascia retains the acquainted grille form however provides bigger nook vents. The headlights are up to date too, incorporating the aforementioned “Star Map” LED signature which appears like lightning bolts on the K5’s fenders. New taillights proceed the theme, together with a tweaked decrease rear fascia and a brand new trunk that has a standard-issue built-in spoiler.
The K5’s inside will get a brand new cluster of controls under the local weather vents within the heart. Kia presents a bit extra commonplace gear on some trims, notably the EX, which has the upgraded Bose stereo, a 10-way energy driver seat, a heated steering wheel, and the Digital Key system. The greatest K5 information is what you possibly can’t see, particularly the two.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine that replaces the 1.6-liter turbo in non-GT fashions. Power rises to 191 hp, a modest enhance from the outgoing K5. The GT nonetheless is a bit raucous with the turbocharged 2.5-liter setup, making 290 hp.
Both autos make their debut on the 2024 Chicago Auto Show, which opens to the general public on February 10. Pricing for the 2025 Carnival and K5 will probably be introduced nearer to their on-sale date, anticipated later this yr.