Peter Lyon
February 8, 2024
Kia’s new Carnival SUV has just gone on sale in Malaysia with the brand’s only Kia distributor here, Dinamikjaya Motors, opening booking orders for the locally assembled (CKD) model. There are now three versions of the Kia Carnival available in Malaysia, while the previous Mid 8-Seater model is no longer available.
The three versions include the 2.2L Turbo Diesel 11-Seater from RM213,888, the 2.2L Turbo Diesel 8-Seater from RM245,888, and the 2.2L Turbo Diesel 7-Seater flagship model from RM259,888.
The Malaysian-spec Carnival’s exterior styling appears largely unaltered compared to its predecessor. The Korean MPV is still available with features including smart power sliding doors, a dual power sunroof, front LED daytime running lights (DRLs), and a smart power tailboard.
New 19-inch black alloy wheels are fitted to the 7- and 8-seater models with customers getting new colour options including Meteor Grey, Jet Black, Astra Blue, and Snowflake White Pearl.
Mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, the brand’s 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine generates a total output of 440 Nm and 199 horsepower.
Standard interior features of the Carnival in Malaysia include a touchscreen infotainment head unit arrangement and a twin 12.3-inch instrument display that supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. In addition, the redesigned Carnival has seven USB connections and a Qi wireless charging pad for further convenience.
In addition, it has leather seats, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, a surround-view monitor, and a driver seat with heating and ventilation capabilities. The seven-seater High model is still the only one in the lineup with a centre walkthrough seat arrangement.
As you’d expect, the Carnival is equipped with a number of cutting-edge safety features including Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA), Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM), and Multi-Collision Brake Control (MCB). Included are Smart Cruise Control (SCC), Lane Following Assist (LFA), and Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) with Junction Turning.
CARLIST THOUGHTS
The new Carnival enters a highly competitive segment in which the likes of the Toyota Innova Zenix and Hycross, Hyundai Staria, Maxus MIFA 9, and Mercedes Benz V-Class compete for supremacy. We think its smart styling, strong powerplant lineup, extensive safety features, and keen pricing not only take the challenge right up to its rivals but will help to draw buyers into showrooms more than its predecessor did.
