2025 Kia Carnival SX CRDI: The cossetting colossus
The ancient Greeks and Romans are renowned for some of the most breathtaking architecture ever to grace human eyes.
There’s the Parthenon, which was constructed in the 5th century BC out of Pentelic Marble and dedicated to the goddess Athena. And what about the Colosseum at the center of Rome that could hold up to 80,000 people, who spectated everything from dramas to public executions.
But other notable works from these great civilizations were the colossi – statues that exuded greatness by towering over the populace. The most famous of these was the Colossus of Rhodes, a 105-foot-tall statue of Helios (god of the sun) that took over 12 years to build and eventually collapsed in 226 B.C.
Although the debate remains open over whether or not the latest Kia Carnival SX deserves to be included in this list of engineering eminence, one thing is clear – this big seven-seater is one of the finest automobiles on sale in the Philippines, as of press time.
Mighty handsome
The 2025 Carnival is actually a substantial aesthetic overhaul of the model introduced globally in 2020.
Most notable are the dramatic LED daytime running lights that span nearly the entire width of the prominent front grill – these lights also frame the powerful LED headlights that carry over styling cues from the Kia EV9 crossover. Silver trim on the lower bumper gives the Carnival a memorable scowl.
The side profile is where you really understand how large this Kia is, especially in this fetching Snowflake White Pearl paint scheme. The blacked-out pillars and two-tone, 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 235/55 series tires add a sporting flavor, while the textured silver trim on the C-pillar remains a Carnival hallmark.
Out back, the full-length taillights of the pre-facelift model have been revamped to include downward protrusions for the LED taillights and turn signals. Finally, a tailgate spoiler and the pert lower rear bumper with silver garnish offer some semblance of sportiness.
Colossal cabin
Things get even better when you step inside the leather-lined, three-row Carnival.
Up front are electrically adjustable and ventilated seats with memory function for the driver’s side that are wonderfully supportive. Occupants at the bow of this vessel will also like the cleaner look of the dashboard, including the integrated dual 12.3-inch screens for the digital gauges and the touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
These displays also highlight the impressive clarity of the 360-degree camera system (the Carnival was conceived in the smartphone powerhouse of South Korea), although some high-end audio from Bose or Infinity would beef up the rather flat sound quality from the standard 6-speaker unit.
There are also simple, dedicated switches for the hurricane-like, tri-zone climate control system – these switches could also manipulate the radio when you switch the panel to infotainment mode. Nice as all these are, I would have liked softer materials on the dashboard and door cards for a vehicle in this price point.
Nonetheless, the chairs behind the electrically operated sliding doors are a real treat – this top-spec SX model gets electrically adjustable Relaxation Seats in the second row that can be configured to carry a pair of full-size Roman gladiators in total comfort, thanks to seat air-conditioning, puffy headrests and extendable leg rests.
Then, there are brilliant third-row seats that pop out of the floor to reveal a cargo area so vast that you could almost re-enact a Greek tragedy before an adoring audience. And the three people who must sit at the back of this house won’t feel like they are auditioning to be a contortionist in a carnival.
Perhaps my only gripes are the strange squeaks coming from the seat mechanisms of this particular test unit, along with the lack of 8-seat and 11-seat configurations that were available in Carnivals of yore.
Sensational performance
What certainly isn’t lacking is the incredible powerhouse that propels the Carnival SX.
Kia and Hyundai have long been renowned for producing turbodiesels that are as mighty as a Roman army undertaking a full-scale invasion. This fine tradition continues with the Carnival’s 2.2-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 Smartstream D turbodiesel, which pumps out a healthy 199 horsepower and 440 Newton-meters of torque.
Mated to a smooth and responsive 8-speed automatic transmission, this oil burner pulls happily as low as 1,500 rpm. And unlike many hybrid-electric engines, the Carnival’s turbodiesel will gladly engage on a ceaseless quest to headbutt the horizon at full throttle – never have I ever driven a vehicle this vast that accelerates this fast.
This confidence is bolstered by the superbly tuned suspension that keeps this big Kia supple, planted and predictable at any speed and over any surface. The light and responsive steering also helps, although feel is lacking, while the powerful brakes are controlled by a rather spongy pedal.
Fuel economy is likewise impressive – we got 9 to 12 kilometers per liter in the city, and 17 to 20 kilometers per liter on the expressway. This is unquestionably the finest turbodiesel from a mainstream manufacturer, with only the likes of BMW offering an oil burner with even more performance and finesse.
And crashing the Carnival SX is next to impossible because of the Kia Drivewise advanced driver assistance system. Standard features include adaptive cruise control, front and rear autonomous emergency braking and lane-keep assist, along with front, side, curtain and driver’s knee airbags.
Why buy an SUV?
I have never been a fan of sport-utility vehicles (SUV) because of the compromises you must suffer for the sake of ground clearance and papogi.
There are things like the high floor, hopeless third-row and so-so cargo space – the likes of the P3,498,000 Ford Explorer and the P3,780,000 Subaru Evoltis come to mind. And although traditional premium vans like the 10-seater Toyota Hiace Super Grandia Elite match this big Kia’s features, fat chance that you can get one for its P3,297,000 price tag anytime soon.
At P3,368,000, the 2025 Kia Carnival SX CRDI is the perfect antithesis to all this madness, even though its minivan rivals like the Honda Odyssey and the woeful Chrysler Town & Country are all long gone. But “mini” is quite the misnomer here – the Carnival is a colossus with sense, built to carry seven people in the utmost smoothness, comfort and safety.
The fact that Kia has also made it amusingly quick and surprisingly fuel-efficient is probably enough to warrant this minivan its own statue in Seoul.
