Details regarding the 2021 Kia Carnival have emerged, even though the current-gen Carnival was only launched in India at the Auto Expo earlier this year. This generation of the Carnival has been available globally since 2014 though, so no surprise then that the Korean brand is already working on an update. The 2021 Kia Carnival will come to India by late next year. The Carnival is, of course, an MPV, or as Kia call it, a Grand Utility Vehicle. We have got the lowdown on what the new 2021 Kia Carnival is all about, so let’s break it down.
Reworked Dimensions of the 2021 Kia Carnival
The 2021 Kia Carnival is not just a facelift. Kia have tightened the front overhang and elongated the bonnet by moving the base of the A-pillar backwards. The core dimensions have also changed since Kia claim that the new Carnival has seen an increase in wheelbase by 30 mm to 3,090 mm as well. The body is also wider by 10 mm, so it now measures 1,995 mm. The overall length has increased by 40 mm to 5,155 mm, and the measurement of the rear overhand has gone up by 30 mm, to 1,130 mm. Visually, there is also no longer a kink at the shoulder line past the C-pillar, instead, there is a striking silver element to help equalize the aesthetic and offer a straight shoulder line. The wheel design has also been changed, and the new wheels do look quite sharp.
The 2021 Kia Carnival also gets A New Face
As with all Kia cars, the 2021 Kia Carnival still has a tiger face, but it’s a new tiger on the prowl this time around. This design is more contemporary, and that iconic tiger-nose grille features an x-pattern motif that is quite fetching. The lighting fixtures may look a little busy in isolation, especially with the two high beam pods integrated into the grille and the two low beam pods positioned outside of it and into the body of the car, with that mazy LED DRL line splitting the two. But when taken as a whole the entire thing just comes together really well. The bumper too looks sleeker now, and the chrome garnishing adds to its appeal.
A Fresh Rear End for the New Carnival
There is now a combination lighting fixture running along the full width of the rear of the Carnival, with individual elements such as indicators, lamps, and brake lights glowing as and when required. There is also a strong chrome bar bordering the bottom line of the rear screen and integrating into the chrome element that brackets the third-row window we mentioned earlier. The kink running through the middle length of the boot-lid and muscular rear bumper are also interesting components of the rear aesthetic.
A Premium Cabin is Present in the Carnival
We also have our first look at the cabin of the new 2021 Kia Carnival. It has been given a makeover as well, with Kia applying their new Spatial Talents design approach to the interior. The wrap-around dashboard and two-tone seats give the new Carnival’s cabin a more premium look.
The 2021 Kia Carnival Gets a Tech-laden Interior
The new dashboard on the Carnival sees two screens merge together into a seamless display. The 12.3-inch driver’s instrument cluster and the 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment now convene and appear to be two parts of the same piece instead of two distinct elements. The infotainment gets haptic touch controls, and some infotainment functions can be controlled using touch-sensitive buttons around the screen as well. A similar panel is located below the infotainment to set up climate control. Kia have also done away with the traditional drive-selector lever in favour of a shift-by-wire dial for the transmission for a more modern touch.
Space Galore in the new Carnival
The Carnival was never short on space, and the new 2021 Kia Carnival just builds on that USP. It still comes with the three-row, 7-seater option with VIP captain seats in the second row, along with nine-seater and eleven-seater configurations with four rows of seats as well. But with an increase in width and wheelbase on offer, there should be more shoulder room and legroom available across the board. Furthermore, the extended rear overhang should also provide additional boot space.
Kia are slowly revealing more and more details regarding the new 2021 Carnival, so stay tuned for engine specs and transmission details in a future update.
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