Hyundai Imax vs Kia Carnival

What's the difference?

It looks a bit old-fashioned in a ‘Tarago’ sort of way and is starting to show its age with a five-speed transmission and in lacking some of the latest safety features. However, if you need to regularly transport up to eight people and expect good comfort, economy, performance, practicality, reliability and warranty as part of the deal, then the iMax still has more than enough going for it to justify top three positioning on any people mover shopping list.

Ok, here's the rub. Everything you just read could well be pointless. You like the Carnival. In fact, it sometimes makes up close to 90 per cent of the sales in its segment, and outsells all of its competitors combined.

So whether I like it or not, I suspect you'll be buying one anyway.

But I can say this - the new Carnival improves the formula right across the board. Well, everything except for price.

Compared to the Kia Carnival, which looks like tomorrow’s people mover today, the iMax is looking more like yesterday’s as its tall and minibus-like dimensions are immovably defined by its iLoad commercial van birth twin. Even so, there is still plenty of practicality and ease-of-use inherent in this traditional design, including a bright and airy cabin with generous headroom for all.

The iMax rides on the same 3200mm wheelbase as the iLoad and shares many of its key dimensions along with power-assisted rack and pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes. However, to provide better ride quality than the van’s leaf springs, for human cargo the iMax’s multi-link live rear axle rides on plusher coil springs. The Series II upgrade also includes restyled 16 x 6.5-inch alloy wheels shod with 215/70 R16C tyres and a full-size steel rim spare.

The large front doors open wide for easy entry and exit and with no console between the front seats the driver and front passenger can literally walk through to the passenger area. Sliding doors on each side, with large windows that can be propped open for extra ventilation, allow generous access to the second and third row seating. These bench seats provide ample head room and adequate shoulder and legroom for medium-sized adults, even with three across the back row, which is a refreshing change from many SUVs that treat third-row adults as extra baggage.

There’s also ample ventilation, with roof and floor-mounted air vents for the second and third rows linked to a separate control panel which allows passengers to adjust the fan speed and air-con temperature independent of the driver. Combined with generous headroom and large rear passenger side windows which can also be propped open, the iMax succeeds in minimising claustrophobic feelings particularly for those in the back row.

Surely the greatest trick the Carnival pulls off, and it does so convincingly, is that it manages to make something so quintessentially uncool, the people-mover, and make it look good. Somehow sporty, even.

I like the Carnival's big, bold and blacked-out front end of the GT-Line, and with its two-tone 19-inch alloys, wide stance and low ride height, it looks almost like some mad attempt at a JDM tune car, rather than a sensible people mover.

Elsewhere, the boxy profile, the sharp body creases and the third-row compartment that kind of juts over the rear tyres like a house that's been extended all somehow work, and give the Carnival far more street cred than you might expect.

Inside, we spent time only in the flagship GT-Line and its GT-Line Lite sibling, and both present as calming, comfortable spaces, and Kia's minimalist approach to combining the climate and audio controls into a single strip (it's functionality can be changed by pushing a button) helps keep the cabin fuss free.

The tech in the top-spec models feels modern and on-point, too, and the materials are all nice under the touch. Be warned though, the cabin plastics get progressively worse the further back you sit, and the third row is cocooned by hard and scratchy plastics.

The iMax’s hefty kerb weight of 2230kg and GVM (gross vehicle mass) of 3030kg allows for a payload of 800kg and up to 125kg of that can be carried on the roof with a three-rack system. Eight average-sized adults on board would use up most of this payload capacity, so if they need to bring luggage it could easily surpass the payload limit. 

It’s also rated to tow up to 1500kg of braked trailer and with a GCM (gross combined mass) of 4530kg it can carry its maximum payload while doing it. However, you also need to keep in mind that the 150kg tow-ball download limit is included in the total payload, leaving 650kg rather than 800kg to play with. Even so, any vehicle that can tow its maximum trailer weight with a full payload gets a big tick from us, particularly one with a cavernous (VDA) 842 litres of cargo volume available behind the third row of seats.

An impressive array of storage solutions includes dual map pockets and a single bottle holder in each front door, a dash top storage compartment, dual glove box compartments, central dash dual retractable cup holders and an overhead felt-lined sunglass holder. Those seated in the second row get dual map pockets and single bottle holders in each sliding door plus mesh-type storage pockets on the rear of each front seat, while third row outer passengers get storage recesses and cup holders.

The Carnival measures 5115mm in length, 1995mm in width and 1775mm in height, and it rides on a sizeable 3092mm wheelbase. 

And those mini-van dimensions have a predictably positive impact on luggage space, with room growing from 627 litres with all seating rows in place, to a massive 2827 litres with the third row stowed.

The key practicality perk here, though, is space, and lots of it. At 175cm, there was ample room for me in the middle row, and you can configure the cabin to your liking, too. You can slide the row on rails, for example, to prioritise leg room where you need it, and the middle seat folds down to reveal cupholders in a kind of hard plastic travel tray.

But even in the third row I could easily get comfortable, though head room begins to get a little tighter. There are cupholders and USB connection points, too, and I can honestly say you could send full-size humans back there and not feel overly guilty about it.

The Carnival will tow 2000kgs braked, too.

Bad news first. The price is higher this time around, right across the five-trim line-up, with the prices up between around $2600 and $5300, depending on which trim level you’re shopping for.

Prices start at $50,150 for the entry-level S petrol, and climb to $72,910 for the top-spec GT-Line diesel. There’s also a GT-Line Hybrid, which tops the group at $76,210, but it’s not here yet, so we’ll cross that electrified bridge when we get to it and stick with the ICE range for now.

The range opens with the S ($50,150 petrol, $52,380 diesel), which scores 17-inch alloys, LED headlights and DRLs, heated mirrors, cloth seats, an electronic parking brake, and a smart key with push-button start, which is new for this update.

On the tech front, there is a new integrated 4.0-inch driver display, and a new 12.3-inch central screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, linking with an eight-speaker sound system, now with a surround-sound function.

Stepping up to the Sport ($56,050 petrol, $58,280 diesel) adds 18-inch alloys, rear LED combination lamps, a leather steering wheel and shifter, and dual-zone climate up front with single-zone temperature control in the second row. New for this update is a wireless charging pad and artificial leather seats. 

Next is the Sport+ ($62,380 petrol, $64,610 diesel), which gets a whole host of new safety equipment, which we will come back to in a moment, along with a powered tailgate, automatic sliding doors and auto windows, and heated seats in the first and second rows. It also ups the tech, with twin 12.3-inch screens taking care of multimedia and driving info duties.

Then comes the GT-Line Lite ($66,350 petrol, $68,580 diesel), which is fitted with bigger 19-inch alloy wheels, scores LED interior lighting, gets a dual-pane auto sunroof and some chrome embellishments on the exterior. The trade-off, though is that the powered windows are now for the driver only, as is the powered front seat.

Finally, there’s the flagship GT-Line ($70,680 petrol, $72,910 diesel), which nabs dual-projection headlights, a heated steering wheel, a 12-speaker BOSE sound system, ventilated seats up front, a big head-up display and a digital rear-view mirror, along with a slightly better interior treatment and the return of the auto window and powered seat to the passenger side of the car.

The iMax shares the same 2.5 litre common rail four cylinder turbo-diesel found in the iLoad and it’s just as well suited to moving people as it is to shipping heavy cargo. With 125kW at 3600rpm and a bountiful 441Nm of torque peaking at 2000-2250rpm, this refined and torquey engine uses its variable vane turbocharger (VGT) to good effect with great flexibility through the rev range.

The five-speed automatic with sequential manual shift option is the only transmission available with this engine and they are well matched. The torque converter’s stall speed and low 3.730 first gear combine with the 2.929:1 diff ratio to provide lively response from standing starts, making it well suited to stop-start city and suburban duties. The overdriven fifth gear allows economical cruising at highway speeds.

There are two ICE options on the table here. The first is what I reckon is the lesser of the two, a 3.5-litre petrol V6, producing a rev-happy 216kW and 355Nm.

The better option, I think, is the 2.2-litre, four-cylinder diesel, which makes 148kW and 440Nm, and just suits the nature of the car a little better.

Both pair with an eight-speed automatic, and send their power to the front tyres.

Hyundai claims a combined figure of 9.0 litres/100km but our numbers based on trip meter and fuel bowser readings came in at 11.8L/100km. Based on these ‘real world’ figures expect a fuel range of around 640km from its 75-litre tank.

The petrol engine will sip a claimed 9.6 litres per hundred kilometres on the combined cycle, and produce 220g per kilometre of C02. The diesel lowers both those numbers, to 6.5 litres and 170 grams.

Both models are fitted with a 72-litre fuel tank, which means you’ll be sailing well north of $100 to fill one up.

Impressive comfort, refinement and low NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels ensure the task of moving people is not a chore. The iMax is well designed for its specific role in life and gets the job done with a minimum of fuss. Loads varied from driver only up to six adult passengers during our test.

Although fitted with rear coil springs the tail stills feel a bit jittery over smaller bumps.

In city and suburban traffic it’s a surprisingly agile and energetic performer that belies its 2.2 tonne-plus kerb weight, with nicely-weighted steering, responsive braking and a sharp 11.22 metre turning circle.

Although fitted with rear coil springs the tail stills feel a bit jittery over smaller bumps and road irregularities when empty or lightly loaded, as those thick coils are designed to cope with a GCM of more than 4.5 tonnes. In other words, ride quality is at its best with a decent load on board.

Wind, tyre and engine noise are well suppressed. The resulting low cabin noise is a big bonus, particularly at highway speeds where conversations between front seat passengers and those in the third row can be conducted at normal voice levels. Along with its comfortable bench seating, this quietness makes longer journeys less tiring and more engaging for all passengers no matter where they’re seated.

Driver and front passenger comfort is excellent with all controls and dash contours thoughtfully placed.

The iMax’s tall highway gearing results in only 1800rpm at 100km/h and 2000rpm at 110km/h where maximum torque also resides. Driver and front passenger comfort is excellent with all controls and dash contours thoughtfully placed, plus supportive seating with inboard fold-down armrests. Those front seats provide a commanding view of the road and all external angles thanks to large door mirrors and a rear view camera.

Our only major gripes are that in wet weather the swept area of the left-hand wiper leaves the front passenger with more than half of their forward view obscured by unswept glass. It also shares the iLoad’s terrible static interference on AM band radio at times. And one iLoad feature we would like to see shared with the iMax is its automatic central-locking mechanism which locks all doors when vehicle speed exceeds about 5 km/h

Forgive the horrific paraphrasing, but it seems rumours of the death of diesel have been greatly exaggerated, at least when it comes to the Kia Carnival.

Get this – diesel sales make up some 90 per cent of the Carnival's total haul, with petrol providing a pittance towards the sales total, presumably being picked up by fleet buyers.

And to be honest, that means nine out of 10 people are making the right choice here. Yes, the petrol makes more power, but it's the torque on offer from the diesel that makes pushing the Carnival around feel far more effortless.

The petrol engine can definitely get you moving, but it feels a bit too rev-happy and thrashy when you really put your foot down, and its significantly thirstier to boot.

The diesel isn't perfect – the thrum of the engine is a constant companion whenever you put your foot down, and there's actually too much torque on offer at times, like if you're accelerating up hill from a standstill on a damp road, and so the front tyres can scrabble and scramble for grip.

But it otherwise so perfectly suits the nature of the Carnival that it is definitely the best and most satisfying choice.

Another big change for this update is the fact that Kia's complete ride and handling program has been rolled out here. Kia says local work done on the outgoing car, the one this replaces, was curtailed by Covid and bushfires, and so ended up being done by correspondence.

This one, though, has had the whole enchilada thrown at it, and it shows. They've succeeded in making a bigger car feel smaller around you. It's not a sports car by any measure, but nor does it ever feel too big and unwieldily.

Part of that is down to the steering, which is direct and confidence inspiring, but mostly I suspect it's because of the ride, which is firmer than you might expect in a family hauler, but also offers a connection to that road below that makes you feel in control.

Whether a firm-ish ride is a perk or negative is up to you, but it definitely works for me.

Part of the change package for this updated Carnival is in its safety kit, some of which simply wasn’t available when Kia launched its predecessor.

Which is why every model now gets a centre side airbag, 'Forward Collision Assist AEB', 'Rear Occupant Alert', 'Trailer Stability Assist' and front parking sensors, joining the rear ones that were already there.

Sport+ Models and up now add a 'Blind Spot View Monitor' and rain-sensing wipers, as well as rear AEB through the 'Parking Collision Avoidance' function.

I have to say, though, when your entry-level car is $50k-plus, there’s no real excuse for limiting the best safety kit to the upper-spec models.

Also standard are lane keep assist, with 'Lane Follow Assist', multi-collision braking, a speed-limit warning (which you will turn off) and a reversing camera.

The Carnival range carries a five-star ANCAP safety rating, which it earned in 2021.

Standard warranty is five-year/unlimited km, with scheduled service intervals of 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

A capped-price servicing scheme is in place, with $349 the standard rate ($499 for 60,000km service only).

Roadside Assist is complimentary for the first 12 months, plus there's an optional Roadside Support Plan for up to 10 years, 'Lifetime Service Plan' and 'Sat Nav Update Plan'.

You can also expect a dedicated Customer Care Centre and the ‘myHyundai’ exclusive owner website.

Like all Kias, the Carnival arrives with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, with capped-price servicing throughout.

Kia’s servicing costs are higher than some of its competitors, though, so you might want to compare them, as well as compare what’s included, and the diesel model will usually cost slightly more to maintain than the petrol version.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000kms, and while the brand is still finalising the petrol servicing costs, the diesel prices are $386, $682, $480, $869, $434, $845 and $461, covering the first seven years of ownership.