Kia Carnival diesel 2015 review

Talk about aggressive marketing. Kia has already knocked a 'grand' off the Carnival, even though it has not gone on sale yet.

Not $1000 off the price, but off the name of the car. Rather than Grand Carnival it will now be simply called Carnival.

This is at odds with other markets where the people-mover will have Grand badging to signify its coming of age.

Carnival may not be Kia's sexiest beast or best seller, but don't underestimate its importance. It's the first name that springs to mind whenever the brand is mentioned.

The one-time family favourite has taken a back seat in recent months to Honda's new Odyssey and even sister company Hyundai's iMax, even though the latter is based on a commercial vehicle. But Carnival is poised to make a comeback.

Expected in a few weeks, the new model is the last car in the line-up to receive the Schreyer treatment. Peter Schreyer that is, the author of the iconic Audi TT who has almost single-handedly put the brand back on the map.

Value

Prices for the current model range from $39,490 up to $56,990 for the top of the range Platinum model with a diesel engine.

Due here in March, there's no word on pricing yet, but expect it to be competitive with Odyssey - priced from $38,990 to $47,620.

There's just the one eight-seat model, with a choice of petrol or diesel engines and a six-speed auto with both - that will be available in three different grades.

Design

New Carnival has been nine years in the making, twice as long as any other model the company has produced.

The designers have attempted to conceal the need for eight seats in a body that has been stretched and lowered to resemble a car, with design elements to make it look wider and more aggressive.

It follows the same design philosophy as the car-like Odyssey, that is before Honda made an about face and turned it into a fully blown people mover. The two are diametrically opposed, which prompts the question - who's on the right track?

Based on the same platform as the Sorento SUV, new Carnival is a fraction shorter and sits two centimetres lower than before, but is exactly the same width.

The deep boot, one of its big drawcards, has actually grown in volume to 960 litres with the third row in place.

Seating

With a 40mm longer wheelbase, new Carnival promises more legroom, particularly for third occupants who get an extra 21mm.

The eight seats are arranged in a 2 + 3 + 3 configuration, with access to the second and third row seats via power operated sliding doors. You can no longer walk from the front through to the back, because the two front seats are now linked by a proper centre console. The gear selector has also been relocated from the dash to the console.

The second row slides fore and aft and can be folded to stand upright against the back of the front seats. The smaller centre seat can be removed completely. The third row is split 60-40 and folds into the floor when not required.

Technology

The current 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel carries over but the petrol V6 has been downsized from 3.5 to 3.3 litres.

Although its displacement is smaller the new V6 produces a fraction more power, though maximum torque arrives later in the rev range. The secret ingredient is direct injection that delivers 205kW and 336Nm, the latter at an elevated 5200rpm.

A three-stage Variable Induction System (VIS) automatically adjusts the volume of air pulled into the combustion chamber to create the optimal air-to-fuel mix.

Both engines are paired with a six-speed automatic.

Fuel consumption for the current petrol V6 is rated at 10.9L/100km. The new V6 is expected to use 11.6L while the diesel figure drops from 8.1L to 7.7L.

Safety

Internal testing shows new Carnival can expect a full five stars for safety, with six airbags and numerous safety systems.

The interior is a huge step up in terms of quality.

This is a trend that Schreyer says will continue with future models. It comes with 14 cupholders, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, heated front and second row seats plus many advanced safety features such as blind spot warning, lane departure warning and forward collision warning.

Smart cruise control also makes its debut, adjusting the car's speed to match that of the vehicle in front.

It is joined by high beam assist that dips the lights automatically and a smart tailgate that opens automatically when you approach with key in hand.

Driving

We flew to South Korea to drive the all new singing and dancing Carnival for the first time.

Rain was falling, mist was starting to roll in and the road conditions were deteriorating before our eyes as we headed north out of Seoul. But it didn't really matter, because we were snug as a bug in a rug in the car that Kia hopes is going to recapture the hearts and minds of suburbia.

They'd given us the diesel to drive, no doubt saving the V6 for the next wave of eager, motoring acolytes to write about. That's okay because the diesel is the one we'd buy anyway, given its higher torque output and the fact it's being asked to carry up to eight people.

From the high driving position new Carnival feels much like an SUV, but without the claustrophobic feel that many SUVs seem to have.

That's okay too, because it's SUV buyers that Kia is ultimately trying to woo by providing the same kind of functionality but with lower running costs.

We clocked up about 300km in the car but we can't tell you much about its dynamics, or lack thereof, just driving up a freeway and back.

It's reasonably comfortable and well appointed inside - but it's perhaps not as quiet as expected. Centre row passengers will not be too happy either, with the small removable seat that turns it from a seven into an eight-seater.

For some reason it is unlikely the twin sunroofs in the car we drove will be offered, probably to keep the cost down. That brings us to the key question of price, as yet undisclosed.