The Kia Carnival Sport+ is an impressive blend of versatility and style. Its spacious interior comfortably accommodates up to eight passengers, offering plenty of legroom and a host of convenient features.
Powering the people mover is a SmartStream in-line 4-cylinder 2.2-litre diesel engine that With four driving modes (Eco, Normal, Sport and Smart) and an 8-speed transmission, it has plenty of grunt, although it does run a little loud.
In terms of numbers, Kia claims 6.5-litres/100km from the 148kW/440Nm powertrain and we were close to that in real world testing. It has a braked towing capacity of 2,000kg. On the road, the Kia Carnival Sport+ does a fine job shifting gears.
The diesel offers plenty of low and mid-range power, and rides incredibly well on local roads. That’s because the Australian arm of the Korean car maker has completed a ride and handling tune, along with tweaked shocks and steering.
The result is a driving experience that’s comfortable, and sees the big 8-seater maintaining composure, even over uneven road surfaces. Speed bumps are still a bit of an issue, but it’s certainly better than the previous model. It’s even good at pace.
Thanks to its 360-degree around view monitor, it’s also easy to park. Inside, you’ll find dual 12.3-inch screens for infotainment and the digital instrument cluster, with the former supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s also wireless charging.
USB-C ports abound, with every row scoring two, while the front seats are heated, as are the outboard second row spots. The technology is outstanding, with the electric doors you can control from the key enough to make any family switch to the people mover life.
Boot space is 627-litres, even with all three rows in place, thanks to a sunken floor at the rear of the Kia Carnival Sport+. Lay the third set flat and it expands to 2,827-litres, which is enormous.
The Korean car maker offers just one trim at this grade; a black and taupe two-tone artificial leather that looks good and is easy to keep clean. Its SUV-like exterior design is sleek and modern, challenging traditional minivan aesthetics.
The Sport+ is offered in Ceramic Grey, Astra Blue, Flare Red, Panthera Metal, Snow White Pearl, Deep Chroma Blue, and Aurora Black Pearl. Priced at $61,990 drive away, it’s loaded with safety tech.
The list includes ABS, ESC, hill start assist, multi-collision braking, trailer stability assist, a full suite of LED lighting, dusk-sensing automatic headlights, high beam assist, and blind spot collision avoidance.
The latter features a view-display in the instrument cluster when you indicate to change lanes or turn. There’s also rear cross traffic alert and collision avoidance, lane keep and lane follow assist, and advanced smart cruise control.
You’ll also get intelligent speed limit assist (possibly the annoying of all safety features, but not to bad in the Kia), autonomous emergency braking for car, pedestrian, cyclist junction turning and crossing, safest exit assist and driver attention alert.
For the smaller humans, there are five top tether and five ISOFIX anchor points. The 2025 Kia Carnival Sport+ has a 5-star ANCAP safety rating, and is backed by a 7-year unlimited kilometre warranty and capped price servicing.
You can find out more from the Kia Australia website or by talking to your local dealership. To get a low rate finance quote on your next vehicle, talk to Credit One. To see a great range of vehicles for sale, check out OnlyCars.com.au.
Our test vehicle was provided by Kia Australia for independent review purposes.
