KIA CARNIVAL LIMOUSINE

Kia’s premium MPV gets bigger, plusher and more luxurious

- ABHAY VERMA

KIA CARNIVAL LIMOUSINE

Engine: 2.2-litre, four-cylinder diesel Power: 193PS @ 3,800rpm Torque: 440Nm @ 1,750rpm Weight: NA Gearbox: 8-speed automatic Price: ₹ 63.90 lakh ex-showroom

It’s been interesting to note how successful the Kia Carnival has been in India. We’re not really a market for large MPVs, but the Carnival was quick to become the choice of businessmen, CXOs, politicians, and even celebrities, thanks to its space, comfort, and premium quotient. And after what has been a long wait for the new one, Kia has finally launched the latest generation Carnival in India, which promises more space, comfort, features, and technology. There is a caveat though, which is its price tag, as this new Carnival Limousine costs nearly twice as much as the previous one! A day behind its wheel helped me assess how much of a leap over the older one it is.

It’s easy to notice that the new Carnival looks very modern and classier, especially from the front. That’s thanks to the larger grille, sleeker headlamps with their vertically stacked projectors, and also the slim DRLs. From the sides is where you’ll notice that the Carnival looks larger now. And the fact is, it is larger – length and width are up by 40mm and 20mm respectively, while the wheelbase has gone up by 30mm. Styling at the rear is in line with that of the front, as the tail lamps look sleek and are connected from end to end. The rear end also looks very clean, without any lines, and Kia has even hidden the rear wiper under the roof spoiler very cleverly. Overall, there’s lots of interesting elements all around, and these, coupled with the Carnival’s larger dimensions, add more grandeur to its road presence.