Kia Carnival India bookings start on September 16

Kia Carnival will be available for booking in India from 12 am on September 16

Kia India will start accepting official bookings for the all-new fourth-generation Carnival MPV for a token amount of Rs 2 lakh from September 16. The Carnival will initially be sold as a fully imported model and is scheduled to be launched on October 3. Ahead of the official announcement, several dealers have already started accepting unofficial bookings.

Advanced Features and Specifications

The upcoming Kia Carnival promises to offer a more premium experience than its predecessor. Kia has confirmed that the India-spec model will come with several notable features including a dual-pane sunroof, second-row electrically adjustable and ventilated captain’s seats with retractable leg support, powered sliding rear doors and a 12-speaker Bose audio system.

Carnival will also be equipped with dual 12.3-inch curved displays and an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) suite. Other advanced features include a head-up display, a digital rearview mirror, a digital key with fingerprint recognition, and ambient lighting integrated into the dashboard.

Powertrains and single variants released

The new Carnival will continue to be powered by the familiar 2.2-litre diesel engine, which is a powertrain carried over from the previous generation model. While there are other options in the international market such as the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol hybrid and the 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine, Kia India is currently expected to stick with the diesel engine.

The Carnival will be available in just one full-spec model when it goes on sale in India, meaning it will be fully imported. While this will push up the initial price, Kia plans to assemble the model locally at a later stage, which could reduce costs. However, some high-end features may be omitted when assembly begins in India.

Pricing and Market Positioning

Given its premium positioning, the new Kia Carnival is expected to be priced around Rs 50 lakh. This price tag puts it in a unique space with no direct competitors. The Toyota Innova HyCross, which tops out at around Rs 30 lakh, and the Toyota Vellfire, which starts at Rs 1.22 crore, are the closest comparison points in terms of price.

In addition to the Carnival, Kia will also announce pricing for its EV9 full-size electric SUV at the event.

Kia’s move to launch the Carnival as a fully imported model initially makes it stand out in the Indian MPV market. While its high-end features and high price may make it a niche product initially, eventual local assembly may widen its appeal. With a competitive feature set and no direct competitors, the Carnival is expected to make headlines in the luxury MPV segment.