The Kia Grand Carnival is the brand’s entry to the local minivan segment. Kia has been producing the Grand Carnival since 1998 and has had several updates since then.

The current-gen Grand Carnival sold by Kia here in the Philippines is offered in three variants: the 2.2 LX AT-11 Seater, 2.2 EX AT 11-Seater, and the 2.2 EX AT 7-Seater.

Can’t decide which of these three variants or if the Kia Grand Carnival is the right minivan for you and your family? Check out its pros and cons to find out.

Pros

Premium features and amenities

One of the main advantages of owning a Kia Grand Carnival is its premium features and amenities.

Outside, you get projector halogen lamps with LED parking lamps, projector halogen fog lamps, LED rear combination lamps, electric adjustable, and foldable side mirrors, dual sunroof, power sliding doors, and power tailgate.

Inside, the Kia Grand Carnival is also packed with premium creature comfort amenities like the eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay.

The seats on the top-spec model are wrapped in leather. The front-row seats feature manual adjustment with two-way power lumbar support. The second-row stand-up pilot seats also slide, recline, and fold. The same can be said with the split sinking third-row seats.

Speaking of which…

Spacious interior

There’s no doubt that the Kia Grand Carnival is indeed a spacious crowd carrier. The range-topping seven-seater variant even increases the space with second-row captain seats to make sure that its passengers won’t be rubbing elbows with each other.

Headroom and legroom are also big enough for both the driver and its passengers.

Ride quality

Kia equipped the Grand Carnival with a high-performance damper to guarantee an even smoother ride, extra comfort, responsive steering, and stable handling. This works with the MacPherson strut and stabilizer set up at the front and the multi-link suspension arrangement at the rear.

In addition, the 2.2-liter CRDi mill mated to the eight-speed automatic tranny delivers smooth shifting which adds to the Kia Grand Carnival’s overall ride quality.

Cons

Too large to drive in the city

While its large dimensions contribute to its passenger capacity, it does work against you when maneuvering in tight spots when driving in the city.

Both variants measure 5,115mm long and 1,985mm wide.

Verdict

The Kia Grand Carnival is a good family vehicle, especially when going on out-of-town trips and vacations. Its premium amenities and spacious interior make it a great ride that will keep the kids — and their pets — comfortable throughout the trip.

However, driving on narrow streets might require some skill and a little bit of muscle.

Photos from Kia

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