Kia Grand Carnival Review

Pros: Value for money, features, space, diesel engine.

Cons: Lag on take off, humble design.

By Paul Maric | March 09th, 2011

FIND DEALS

Price: $39,390 to $54,590

Our Rating:

Performance, Ride & Handling	3
Comfort & Interior	3.5
Quality & Design	3
Value & Features	3.5

Model Tested: Kia Grand Carnival Platinum, 2.9-litre four-cylinder diesel. $54,590 as tested.

Words and pictures, Paul Maric.

Representing 30%+ of the people mover segment under $55,000, the Kia Grand Carnival has had mixed press over the past 10 years. The majority of negative press stemmed from continuous reliability issues with the outgoing petrol engine.

Luckily, the Korean company has overcome the negativity with new engines and sharp pricing, giving the Korean people mover tremendous edge in this tight segment.

From the outside, the Grand Carnival offers modest styling with chrome highlights around the front and rear.

Available in three trims, Si, SLi and Platinum, all models sans the Si come with 17 inch alloy wheels. SLi and Platinum models also benefit from electric sliding doors, with the Platinum also picking up an electric tailgate.

The basic interior offers a striking balance between form and functionality. Kid-safe plastics surround the cabin, making the interior easier to clean and maintain when drinks and other sticky condiments find their way flung around the cabin.

The driving position is very comfortable with commanding visibility out the front and rear. A comfortable steering wheel is matched with easy to reach controls for the audio and climate. An impressive sound system features USB input, along with an auxiliary jack and MP3 CD compatibility. The Platinum model also gets a six-disc CD player.

Dual zone climate control (front and rear) is standard across the range, with the Platinum model benefitting from tri-zone climate control (front, passenger and rear).

During our time with the Grand Carnival we were the recipient of some very warm days. I’m pleased to report the air conditioning system did an excellent job of keeping both the front and rear passengers cool during stints on the highway and through the city.

With eight seats available, I was somewhat sceptical of the people mover’s ability to move eight adults. The front row offers plenty of room with a centre armrest available for driver and front passenger. There’s also a generously sized compartment between the seats with two large cup holders.

Moving to the second row, which is entirely removable, there is a large amount of leg and head room available. The seats are individual, which gives passengers added comfort. It’s disappointing to see only a lap seatbelt for the centre seat in the second and third rows.

As mentioned earlier, the SLi and Platinum models benefit from automatic doors, which can be shut and opened with a pull of the door lever or push of a roof mounted button.

Surprisingly, the third row accommodates three passengers in comfort. Although it’s slightly cramped for adults, I certainly wouldn’t consider it uncomfortable for short-medium journeys.

Arguably one of the Grand Carnival’s best features is the amount of space available in the rear. With all three rows erect, there is a deep space to store luggage and shopping. If you drop the third row, 1083 litres of cargo capacity is available. Removing the second row from the car yields an absolutely staggering 1770 litres of cargo room.

Our test vehicle was fitted with a 2.9-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine. Producing 136kW and 343Nm of torque, the fuel efficient engine is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission and officially consumes 8.5L/100km. On test, we averaged around 9L/100km with a greater density of city driving thrown into the mix.

Behind the wheel, there’s no mistaking that you’re driving a people mover. The Grand Carnival doesn’t have the sharpish handling characteristics of a Honda Odyssey, but compensates for the lack of handling prowess by offering competitive pricing and loads of interior room.

The Grand Carnival is also one of few people movers of its size (sans the Hyundai iMax) to offer a diesel engine.

Acceleration from the turbo-diesel engine is acceptable, although the lag from takeoff can become rather frustrating at times, especially if attempting to dart across an intersection.

SLi and Platinum variants benefit from a reversing camera mounted in the rear vision mirror, with the Platinum also picking up reverse parking sensors. Safety equipment is very impressive with six airbags, stability control and traction control.

Pricing starts at $39,990 for the petrol Si and finishes at $54,590 for the diesel Platinum. The diesel engine commands a $2,600 price premium over the V6 petrol engine.

It’s not hard to see why the Kia Grand Carnival is so popular. It represents excellent value for money and couples features with size and practicality.

Owner reviews of the KIA GRAND CARNIVAL

Write a review for the KIA GRAND CARNIVAL

Do you own this car? Share your opinion and add your own review below.
Add a New Review

RickyC

Huh? This is the top of the line Platinum and the A/C looks like the manual type? No auto climate control??
- Il Joong Kil
  
  No it comes with Tri-zone (front dual + rear) automatic climate control air-conditioning on Platinum grade.
- Il Joong Kil
  
  BTW, the pictures shown are of SLi model, not Platinum.
Ben T

If you regularly need a 6 seater and lots of space for kids stuff, this car is great for the price. By removing the middle seat on 2nd row, you will soon see an easy walk-through to 3rd row and good distance between every passenger.
This design is a few years old now. I’m wondering if All-New Grand Carnival will come with 4WD option, it might be a worthy competitor for Landcruiser, Discovery, etc.
Robin Graves

It says its a 6cyl in the heading and I think its meant to be lap belts, not lap-sash which are the standard 3 point. Editing?
Sam 300TD

I had no idea they had become so expensive! Seems like a lot for what seems like an ancient car. Where’s the awesome 2.2 diesel with 400nm Kia use in other models? Where is this old diesel designed and how long ago? For 50k you could have two Rondo7 and have 14 seats. I don’t like this car one bit.
- Sumpguard
  
  From what I have read elsewhere and in these forums the people who actually own this car love its practicality and price compared to the opposition. This is reflected in sales.
  
  I look forward to Kia’s next model although I suspect the price will increase.
- ddd
  
  ah…. check the price of a tarago if you think this is dear.
  
  THEN
  
  drive a targao then drive the kia…. you will forget the tarago exists!
- mike93
  
  Just heard from Kia that the 2012MY Grand Carnival will have the 2.2L diesel used in the Sorento. I think you will change you mind when this comes along! With 145kw and 436nm, and most likely <8.0l/100km, it will be hard to beat.
Crossy

When you consider that the top of the range Tarago and Voyager are in the mid/high $70K’s this looks like pretty good value for money.
Could do with a bit of an update but you can’t question the practicality of this vehicle if you have a big family.
- HmmSquare
  
  only 40k for a imax. this just looks like a imax with some leather and tri aircon.
http://Subaru Sumodog

Carnival competitor to Lancruiser or Discovery ? What are you on ?
- Ben T
  
  Something like Mitsubishi Delica D5, people mover with 4WD. Unfortunately we only have Jap import of the older model Delica.
Max

they can cover this in as much cheap leather as they want but at the end of the day its still a kia. for 50K+ get into a prado/disco/kluger/territory etc
- Martin
  
  Yeah, I’d love to see you get 8 people into any of those you’ve listed. This is a people mover, not an SUV.
- davey
  
  Max, you’re completely missing the point of a people mover.
davey

Why does the US version get lap-sash seat belts for all seats? Does Kia rate our safety as being less worthy?

Otherwise, it’s an excellent package for it’s intended function, and it even drives surprisingly well in V6 mode (I haven’t driven the oiler).
- http://CarAdvice The Salesman
  
  Talk to you’r local MP. It’s because of the ADR’s. Kia would be happy to make a “one size fits all”
Max

Fair enough, but 50K is a lot of money and can get you a quality car. I just don’t think anyones going to spend that much on a Kia.
- Kampfer
  
  What other car in OZ market you can get under $50k can sit 8 adults with their luggages and power doors?
  - Max
    
    The Kia is over 50K and the Toyota Tarago is similarly priced.
    - Kampfer
      
      1. Only the top Platinum model and diesel is over $55k.
      
      2. A $50k Tarago you get a stripped (compare to $50k Kia), small 2.4L 4cyl car.
      
      3. No diesel for Tarago.
      
      4. 5 years warranty for Kia, 3 for Toyota.
      
      5. I rented Kia on holiday b4 and had a Tarago as company car. Tarago is lot smaller behide the 3rd row seat and only the $75k Ultima have 3rd row seat fold flat into the floor. The cheaper (if I can call that) model 3rd row seat roll forward to the front and take up lot of space.
Ben T

Nissan & Mitsubishi, please bring your Elgrand and Delica to your dealerships so we can find out if this Kia is overpriced or not. We only know that it is still cheaper than Tarago.
Sam 300TD

You can get an 8 seat diesel Hyundai iMax for 45k. I my opinion, that would be a miles better car than this Kia.
- JEKYL & HYDE
  
  i reckon i’m with you on that one.and unless my eyes are playing tricks,there is a stack more room behind the 3rd row seats in the hyundai.
  
  this bus looks like a 10 year old tarago,and its brand new.the bad taste of all the old blown v6 donks still lingers in my mouth…
  - Robin Graves
    
    The older V6 with the problems was made under license with Rover and was pre-Hyundai takeover of Kia. All the Kia engines are now Hyundai design. However if I was burnt by that motor it would still leave a bad taste in my mouth as well.
  - http://CarAdvice The Salesman
    
    The Hyundai is a van. You could buy any van and add seats, but that’s more a bus than a people mover. It will not have all the same comfort the Carnival offers.
    - Jay Kay
      
      Shaksta, you are an ignoramus. A lot of the best steel in the world comes from both Korea and Japan. Ever heard of POSCO, Hyundai Steel et al from Korea? They are renowned for having top IP for making strong but lightweight steel and with innovative designs from their ultra high tech factories/blast furnaces.
      
      Maybe you could focus on the ANCAP scores to make informed comments on safety instead of making ridiculous comments that show your ignorance.
    - Jay Kay
      
      While, I sympathise with your views. The ABC (Australia’s Best Cars) from the various state road motoring groups (NRMA, RACV, RACQ etc) have regularly placed the Hyundai iMax as the winner of the MPV category.
      
      I am sure this car is a very good car as well, though.
      - http://CarAdvice The Salesman
        
        And Carnival has been the number one selling people mover in Australia since 1999.
AW

$50k would buy a lot of protection to ensure you don’t need to buy one……
- Jay Kay
  
  Hey AW,
  
  That is so funny. I nearly hurt myself laughing.
Matt J

Its a great value people mover thats more than overdue for an update.
Jezza

I’ve got a 2009 V6 model for family duties and must say some of you commentating have no idea. There’s a current model Tarago at my work and to be honest I’d have the Kia any day of the week; Its got a heap more power (think V6 Commodore), handles better, is way cheaper, build quality is compareable and its a lot roomier. Only downsides are it likes the juice (to be expected), aint as sleek (so i got ours in Black, which hides that a bit) and is a pain in tight carparks.
In my opinion if you’ve got 4 or more kids this is a great value vehicle which you’d be happy to drive.
- ddd
  
  ive hired both tarago and v6 grand carnival. Had both for a week each.
  
  the tarago wit 7 on board, was NOT fun, no space or comfort.
  
  the kia, was a traffic light demon, easily seeing kids in their v6 commo’s off. We sure busted a few egos in a family mover!!
  
  it was super comfy, easy to navigate for a large car, terribly thirsty though!!
  
  id own the kia WELL before a tarago.
- Avg Joe
  
  Yes I agree with jezza on the grand carnival being a great people mover. Just bought the 2011 platinum model for $49,000 drive away. Better then my 2007 Honda odyssey which I traded in for the grand carnival.
http://www.firstchoicecarsales.com Mark David

Kia is a real good deal when it comes to car, never be vogue and can never go wrong with innovative one.
Mark

We’ve got the short wheel base v6 model. It was $36,000 and was by far the best value people mover in the market. It’s slow, doesn’t handle that well and uses a lot of fuel. But, on the upside it is extremely practical, holds a massive amount of luggage (3 kids bikes plus seatcases), and has great ridecomfort. I would definitely recommend one for families with young children.
Who Knew

The lap belts should be a deal breaker for anyone who is considering these. I mentioned this to the sales guy at the motor show and he didn’t seem to think it was a problem. I asked did he put his least favourite children in those seats, you know, the ones you aren’t particularly concerned about. Falcons and Commodores had 3 point belts in 1992! They shouldn’t be allowed for sale with lap belts, the ADRs should be changed. Wheels has the right idea for their COTY award. No 3 point belts, no entry.
- Bryan
  
  Somebody said that the American version has lap sash seat belts all round – if the mounting points in the body are all there, I wonder if you can order the different seat belts from the ‘states and bolt them in yourself? When I was reading about the Grand Carnival my wife saw the lap only seat belts and said that she wouldn’t consider one for that reason. She really didn’t appreciate it when I suggested that my mother-in-law might be able to use one of the seats…
  
  They aren’t the sportiest looking vehicle around but they are designed to do a job [and they do it well]. If you buy the right colour and maybe put some nice wheels on it, it should look alright.
  - Jay Kay
    
    There have been 2 absolute pearlers in this thread that made me laugh hard.
    
    No.1
    
    “AW says:
    March 10, 2011 at 2:47 pm
    $50k would buy a lot of protection to ensure you don’t need to buy one……”
    
    Although this seems to have lost its edge as it was in response to a comment that seems to have shifted elsewhere.
    
    And now this
    
    “Bryan says:
    May 27, 2011 at 6:32 am
    
    When I was reading about the Grand Carnival my wife saw the lap only seat belts and said that she wouldn’t consider one for that reason. She really didn’t appreciate it when I suggested that my mother-in-law might be able to use one of the seats…”
    
    Thanks guys.
    
    Cheers
Jay Kay

Hey AW,

That is so funny. I nearly hurt myself laughing.
- nasal explorer
  
  Seeing you post the same comment in two different spots in the thread is even funnier.
Pentim

We have a 2004 Kia Carnival with 120K on the clock. Has been a dogged old warhorse over the years.

Recently the clutch base came apart. The tin Kia used wasn’t thick enough to last any longer. Hope they’re not still cost trimming like that.
davey

In the real world.

I just wrote a long review of my ownership experience of the Grand Carnival, a very good experience. I only hate the lap only seat belts but don’t use them often. Then I deleted the long version to condense it to this.

202Kw and 6Speed auto….OH YEAH, that’s better than Falcon and Commodore! Sure it weighs a little more and is FWD, but YOU CAN have a people mover and a good driving experience at the same time.

It’s a carry over from another business, but when I started to drive it I decided to keep it rather than sell it off. Once you experience the versatility of a car like this (car, van and ute all in one), it is very difficult to go back to a SUV which isn’t much more than a jacked up sedan.

BTW, our kids think the Kia is the luxury car in our garage, about half the price of the other one! They are not swayed by badges, but only by what they see and feel.
I’ll buy a new car this year, but the Kia will stay as a third car to do what the others cannot (we load up the interior with bikes, kayaks, often).
http://CarAdvice.com.au/108940.kia-grand-carnival-review Kia in Australia

We bought a 2004 Kia Carnival in 2005, we have put 180,000km on it and it is still super reliable. It is great for three children who love it. The two younger children 11 and 13 want us to buy another kia, they love the spaciousness. My daughter (15) and husband are embarrassed by the KIA label.Plusses: The middle row allows for movement down the middle between the two seats – usually necessary with kids, as they don’t want get out of their seat once they’re in to let someone in the back, but don’t mind someone squishing past them to get to the back seat.
Husband would like to move to a fashionable SUV like the Audi Q7 and Mazda CX9 but they block off the back row with the middle row of seats – can’t even completely pull down the middle arm rest to climb through.
Have to decide on new vehicle this week – a website about the Mazda CX9 was a bit scary – ie difficult sales people, and the sales person I spoke to on Saturday asked me what my hangup was with AWD when I asked one question about it!
Kimothy

Bought a Kia Carnival in 2003 and have just clicked over 250 000, has gone from Adelaide to Brisbane to Darwin, back from Darwin to Brisbane and then back to Katherine with a few trips to Townsville thrown into it. Decided we need to upgrade and thought since we are in the Territory that we would look at at Nissan Patrol………..Well kids thought diffrently and after taking the Patrol for a test drive we ended up in the Kia lot and before we knew it we were in the Carnival taking it for a drive. And guess what we have all agreed that the Carnival is the car for us. Cant beat the Kia
James

Im not a car person, and dont really care for brands at all. My standard Kia was $39,990 drive away ( i dont like leather and kids so i went the standard for the standard trim), 8 airbags and everything I need for my family of 6. It blows commodores away on power, leaves taragos for dead when it comes to value for money, and the imax when I test drove it was like driving a slug due to such gutless engines (it was a little bit more roomy than the carnival). The imax also has bugger all safety features in comparison to the carnival. For a soccer mums car, the carnival cannot be beat on price, value, safety, room and space and power. 70,000km under the belt so far without any issues. Still on the original tyres and brake pads aswell. 5 yr unlimited km warranty to top it all off makes this thing the best car on the market in my opinion for a large family.
Canberra_Buy

I bought a Grand Carnival in Sept-2007 and have never looked back. It is by far the most comfortable vehicle for the family to travel in, even in the third row seat. More cabin space, more leg room, more seating space, more luggage space, more views and spacious windows. The Tarago is no match if you want to compare apples to apples. I think Toyota really needs to consider a Grand Tarago to take on the Grand Carnival and the Grand Voyager. The current Tarago is really in a different category and should be compared to the Odyssey rather than the Grand Carnival.

The GC is a true family mover, it will literally move 8 people (not just kids) with all their luggage (not just school bags) in full first class seating comfort (not in pigeon holes). When I see people question the Grand Carnivals reliability I laugh. I’ve owned the vehicle for 4 years now and I never had to resort to any warranty work. I just fill up and service the car according to the log books. This car is not going anywhere anytime soon except maybe a trade-in for its sibling (2.2L Turbo Diesel).

The only improvement I’d like to see is Fuel efficiency. I’m averaging around 14L/100km around town and I’m contemplating whether I should replace this Grand for its sibling 2.2L Turbo Diesel.
- leroys
  
  Don’t trade it in you will be wasting your money. I have the GC Platinum 2010 turbo diesel and it spends exactly what you are spending.
  I approached Kia about there average 8.5 litres/100kms and they gave me every excuse under the sun.
  I also get around 15litres/100kms and it cracks me.
Toyota Loyal

Is there such thing as a Grand Tarago? Will we ever have one? I think we have to wait another 10 years for the Tarago to catch up.

I love the big cavity hole in the boot and the way the 3rd row seats fold flat into the cavity and how the 2nd row seats can be removed. Why didn’t Toyota think of this 5 years ago and why haven’t they caught up yet.
Jimmy

Its inredible how far KIA has come with the Grand Carnival in such a short time. Reliability has shot through the roof and innovtion has kept the Tarago playing catch up and is still struggling to keep up.

What does the Grand Carnival and Grand Voyager have that the Tarago doesn’t? Listen to this. We’re in 2011 and Toyota still don’t have a Grand Tarago to match the cabin and luggage space of the Grand Carnival and Grand Voyager, no folding 3rd row seats, no removable 2nd row seats, no modular (indvidual) seats for the 2nd row, no diesel engine, no 5 year warranty like KIA. Can you tell why I’m so happy with my GC and laughing all the way to the Bank?

Its no wonder KIA is taking over the sales and has become Australia’s best selling People Mover.
Farzadsadeghzadeh

I think that this car is perfect & ideal for familial trip
Farzadsadeghzadeh

It seems that a lot of space in the car Karnyval having first and second and third row seats to passengers, good sense suggests.Unlike high chassis vehicles. And the aerodynamic design of the vehicle in front.Driver visibility is good in front of the car.