A couple of weeks ago, Kia Sales Malaysia (KSM) introduced the eight-seater version of the facelifted KA4 Kia Carnival, finally providing a halfway house between the expensive top-of-the-line seven-seater and the much cheaper but bare-boned 11-seater. Today, we managed to check out the new variant in person – next to the other two versions, might we add – so here’s a look at the small but significant number of differences.
First the price, and it’s no surprise that the eight-seater is positioned closer to the seven-seater, as opposed to the 11-seater which is classified as a commercial vehicle and thus has no import or excise duties imposed on it. At RM238,888 nett (RM239,849 on-the-road without insurance), it is exactly RM10,000 less expensive than the RM248,888 seven-seater, but still RM50,000 dearer than the RM188,888 11-seater.
This is despite all three using the same engine – a 2.2 litre Smartstream D four-cylinder turbodiesel producing 199 PS at 3,800 rpm and 440 Nm of torque from 1,750 to 2,750 rpm. All this is sent to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters, delivering an WLTP-rated fuel consumption of 6.5 litres per 100 km and a claimed range of 900 km. While the current price of diesel will no doubt spook buyers, KSM is offering RM6,000 in free fuel for bookings made throughout the month.
Visually, the eight-seater is identical to the seven-seater on the outside. All models get the facelifted look with vertical LED projector headlights with Star Map daytime running lights, a large “tiger nose” grille, silver decorative skid plates front and rear and LED front fog lights. The Star Map motif is mirrored in the full-width taillights with inverted L-shaped graphics.
Shared between the seven- and eight-seater models are the 19-inch two-tone alloy wheels with a cubic design, one inch larger than the 11-seater’s 18-inch turbine-style rollers. They also get shorter side mirrors compared to those of the more-seater variant, the mirrors of which look almost like Dumbo’s ears by comparison. Common to all models are roof rails and a key-detecting hands-free opening function for the powered sliding doors and tailgate; the latter closes when you walk away, too.
The front cabin is again mostly shared between all three variants, featuring twin 12.3-inch displays for instrumentation and infotainment – all set within a glass-covered widescreen panel. The updated Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) infotainment system features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there’s also a Qi wireless charger and a 360-degree camera system.
The front seats are all eight-way power-adjustable, but only the seven- and eight-seater models get heating, ventilation and driver’s side memory. Also exclusive to these top variants is a head-up display and an 12-speaker Bose sound system, the latter versus just six speakers for the 11-seater.
It’s at the back where the differences between the variants become stark. Whereas the 11-seater has four rows of seats arranged in a 2-3-3-3 layout, the seven- and eight-seater versions get three rows in 2-2-3 and 2-3-3 configurations instead. This frees up a huge amount of space when compared to the cramped four-row model, to the point where even the third row is usable for adults.
The eight-seater loses the seven-seater’s plush power-adjustable second-row captain’s chairs and heating and ventilation functions. The middle bench is similar to that of the 11-seater, replete with outer armrests and a middle seat that folds down to reveal twin cupholders and a storage cubby.
However, the eight-seater gains a centre headrest for improved comfort and safety, along with a one-touch tilt-and-slide function that greatly eases access to the third row – more so than the seven-seater, which forces rearmost occupants to walk down the middle “aisle”. Second- and third-row window sunshades, seven USB-C ports and triple-zone auto air con – including ceiling-mounted rear controls and vents – are standard-fit, but only the seven-seater gets genuine instead of faux leather upholstery.
Open the tailgate with all the seats up and you’ll find a basically unusable boot with just 56 litres in the 11-seater version; the seven- and eight-seater get a massive 627 litres thanks to the deep well where the third-row neatly lifts and folds into. With the last row stowed, the Carnival offers 2,689 litres in the 11-seater, 2,827 litres in the eight-seater and a whopping 2,905 litres in the seven-seater.
Perhaps the most important difference is in the safety kit. All models come with eight airbags (including a centre airbag), stability control and blind spot monitoring, but only the seven- and eight-seater models get the full list of driver assists.
This includes autonomous emergency braking with junction turning collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane centring assist, blind spot collision avoidance, blind spot cameras, rear cross traffic alert with auto brake and a driver attention monitor. The fact that the 11-seater doesn’t even get AEB is a huge own goal, especially for a car tasked with carrying so many people.
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