NEW YORK MOTOR SHOW: Kia Carnival freshens up
Facelifted people-mover gets minor exterior tweaks, eight-speed auto and updated rear-seat entertainmentThe Kia Carnival has been given a quick nip and tuck for the 2019 model year.
The mid-life tweaks for the third-generation Korean people-mover, which first went on sale back in 2015, include a pair of redesigned headlights that now incorporate LED daytime running lamps and a revised 'tiger nose' grille that gets a mesh-like pattern.
Look closer and you also might spot a new front bumper that sports a deeper front air intake.
At the rear, there's a pair of new tail-lights and a restyled chrome strip on the tailgate.
As part of the updates, the Carnival also gets redesigned 17-, 18- and 19-inch alloy wheels.
Other changes include the addition of handy new buttons on the rear door-handles that operate the power sliding rear doors.
Inside, the dash and instrument clusters have been revised while, between the seats, a new wireless phone charger has been introduced.
Rear passengers, meanwhile, gain another USB charging point in the luggage area, which can be used by occupants sitting in the third row of seats.
More impressive for those relegated to the rear is the introduction of two new 10.1-inch touch-screens mounted on the back of the front seats.
The new rear-seat entertainment system not only offers passengers smartphone mirroring, but the ability to listen via Bluetooth enabled headphones.
A new premium eight-speaker sound system has also been introduced as part of the updates.
As well as taking better care of rear occupants, the facelift sees the Carnival introduce a new Driver Attention Warning system that detects and alerts the driver of an imminent collision risk before applying the brakes.
The same system can also detect driver fatigue, issuing visual and audible warnings if the system thinks you need to take a break.
Under the bonnet the naturally aspirated 3.3-litre V6 lives on but now comes paired with an eight-speed automatic.
Both power and torque remain pegged at 206kW/385Nm, but Kia claims the new auto is not only smoother but also improves efficiency.
Pricing has yet to be announced for the 2019 Carnival, first deliveries of which are due Down Under from May.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
