Kia Carnival most affordable people-mover
July 18, 2008 by George Skentzos
The RACV has also released its results for the lowest cost people-mover to own and operate, with the Kia Carnival solidifying its premier performance for the third year running.
The cost survey showed that the Korean designed Carnival cost an average of $229.90 per week over five years to run, almost $10 per week less than a Honda Odyssey and almost $16 per week less than a 2WD Ford Territory TX.
The second most popular people-mover on the market – the Toyota Tarago GLi, costs an enormous $283.18 per week to run according to the survey – that’s over $53 more per week than the Carnival, and ranks a very close second behind the Kluger as the costliest vehicle to run.
“Kia Carnival’s low running costs and overall affordability have been clearly recognised by people-mover buyers across the country,” said Bill Gillespie, Director of Sales and Marketing at Kia Motors Australia. “Since 2004, Australian buyers have voted with their hard-earned dollars to make the Carnival range Australia’s most popular people mover.”
The exact model on test was the Kia Carnival EX with a 136kW 2.7-litre V6 with a 4-speed tiptronic-style automatic transmission.
The survey calculations were based on a five-year / 75,000km ownership period and took into account standing costs that include depreciation, loan interest costs, registration, licensing, insurance and RACV membership. It also considered operating costs such as fuel, tyres and servicing.
Tags: Kia Carnival
But what happens if that cheap engine blows up which it has done the past, does that make up for the overall cost saving. I don’t mind a gamble but to buy this defies logic..
AC COBRA, the engine issues affecting the early model Carnivals are fixed, the new models (post 03 from memory) do not have any engine issues to date.
OK Cheers !!! but still not enough to convince me to buy a brand new cheap budget car, If I did I would wait until they were used..
LOL! Near a local pie shop i visit there is a carnival across the road. On every glass panel it has written “LEMON – 2nd BLOWN ENGINE – 100,000KMS -KIA KRAP”
Have pics of it to! I think it must be stuck there(blown engine..), because it never moves.
What a laugh!!
Only 16 dollars a week more to run a Territory???? That’s seems to me well worth the extra few bucks for classier vehicle!!
“When you buy on pric alone you can never be sure. It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money – that’s all, but when you pay too little you sometimes lose everything – because the thing you brought is incapable of doing the thing it was brought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It cant be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that, you will have enough to buy quality”.
Ruskin 1919 – 1900
’nuff said about Kia???
The 2.5 litre engines that used to blow up on the original Carnivals were made by Rover. Current Carnivals use a 3.8 made by parent company Hyundai.
‘Nuff said?
I bet if it had a Ford badge on the boot instead of KIA you bunch of rocket scientists would be praising it to high heavens
yawn.
next…
My cousin left me his Grand Carnival for 3 months while he was overseas, and I was not disappointed in the slightest. With over 180 kw of power, there was no stress taking 6 people, loaded with luggage from Syd to Brissy and back. No quality issues, handling was also not bad at all for a people mover, has lots of airbags, ESP, ABS etc etc and it just felt very well put together in my opion. I know 3 months isnt a very long time to pass judgement, but to all of you saying that its a POS before even driving one.. dont be so ignorant, you might be surprised.
Have a Grand Carnival for two years now and no probs.
Have a Ford Falcon too and I am a Falcon man but don’t get me started on Ford quality please. Grand Carnival quality as good as a fully imported Jap. Also full eight seater which Territory isn’t. I like the Territory but only other full eight seater is the Tarago and at the time was only available with a 4 cylinder engine which is a slug.Besides Tarago is ugly IMO.
The Grand Carnival and shorter wheelbase Carnival as pictured are Hyundai sourced and sold as Hyundais and Kias in the US.
Engines and Trans are found in other Hyundai/Kia models.
I had a 2002 Carnival before this and traded it with 80,000klms for the new one no probs either. Rover sold KIA a dud. Similar prob in Freelanders etc with same engine.
Neither Carnivals leak oil something I cannot say for the Falcons I have owned but still love em.LOL.
i work in car rental & have driven the previous model 7 seater Kia Carnival & current Grand KIa Carnival 8 seater, and actually give the current model a thumbs up. The “Grand” model has much sturdier road handling & more grunt, for those who are a bit of a lead foot, and doesnt appear to have engine problems of which the previous model was known to have.
I own Territory 7 seat TX 2 Wheel drive have had for 2 years since brand new, it now sits in the garage waiting to be sold and the Grand Carnival Premium is now in the driveway, for those of you out there who have a large family (There is 6 in ours) and own a Territory 7 seater a question ? How much space to you have left over when you go on the family holiday for luggage???????? I know the answer to this one “BUGGER ALL” you need to have the mother in law coffin on the roof to put your suit cases in. Plus this car is a rocketship for its size KIA needs to be commended for their efforts on this one.
I have loved my Carnival – BUT – it’s engine blew up at 65,000km and now it has just blown up at 130,000km, and I definitely don’t do anything bad to it – and I bought it in 2004. As much as the Grand looks great – I can’t imagine ever, ever, ever, ever even looking at another carnival. Cheapest running costs? yeah not when you have to buy new engines!!!
I have owned my Kia Granade Carnival since September 2008 we been to Broken Hill fully loaded with camp gear done limited off road and I love it. I don’t understand why you would buy a Territory unless you brought the 4X4 version it has limited capacity to carry people in the rear seats it’s not good as a people mover. The carnival makes a great van with the second row of seats taken out and the rear ones folded down. We can fit all the camping gear and 2 pushbikes. For what we brought it for I’m really pleased with it.Personally I don’t understand why anybody would buy a 2 wheel drive territory unless your a wanker who wants to pretend to the neighbours your actually a real off road person but don’t want to get it dirty
I have driven KIA Grand Carnival, WOW, great seating, heaps of space…….. poos all over everything else that I have looked at! Its no wonder that it is the BIGGEST SELING PEOPLE MOVER IN AUSTRALIA by a country mile.
It is inappropriate and STUPID to compare the older Carnival to current Grand Carnival, thousands of Australians are walking straight past the Toyota dealership into the KIA dealership.
Goes like a rocket and pulls like a German Tank!
Many features are standard in the base model that are not standard in other manufacturers. My wife loves it too. You can fit 8 adults in comfort! Many pluses in my book. Ten out of ten, Kia has redeemed itself!
Tarago, Odyssey etc….. be afraid ….be very afraid!!!!
My Kia disaster story
• 2005 kia carnival brought may 2006 with 11 000km on the clock
• 94000 kms just stopped whilst driving it no warning, no noises nothing.
• Cam shaft seized
• Timing belt thrown
• One head damaged by the above
• Opposite side bottom end pistons burnt and overheated
• Little or no oil and water to one side of engine due to carbonization blockages caused by poor quality rings
• Mechanic advised not worth repairing engine is a write off
• Unable to purchase new motor, have to purchase second hand motor and rebuild $8000 plus!
• Financially unviable to repair.
• Was worth $12 000 to $16 000 now worth NIL
• Left owing money and no car
The car dealer we brought it from said too bad out of warranty
Kia said if it had done under 90 000 kms they may have covered parts only.
just got offered a $1.00 for it
kate r u interested in selling the kia ????
Some people never learn/listen when people try telling them that the current KIA Carnival has nothing in common mechanically with the old Carnival.That is just ignorance on their behalf and also their misfortune’ especially if they choose not to purchase the latest Carnival as a result of pure and total ignorance.Thats like comparing a 1979 Commodore with the 2009 model or maybe worse,Well in my books anyway.
NOW READ THIS PEOPLE!!! THE LATEST KIA CARNIVAL IS NOT THE SAME AS THE EARLY MODELS. THEY HAD A CHEAP AND NASTY 2.5 ENGINE MADE BY ANOTHER MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT EX AND GRAND CARNIVALS HAVE A LAMBDA 2.7 AND 3.8 LITRE V6 ENGINES MADE BY HYUNDAI THEIR SISTER COMPANY.THE ONLY FAULT THAT KIA MAY HAVE MADE IS CALLING THE LATEST/CURRENT MODEL A CARNIVAL.