Challenging The Old Guard

With the Carnival, Kia is aiming to trump a product unrivalled in India – the Toyota Innova. But, is Kia’s latest product really good enough to challenge a model that’s a brand in and of itself?

- Ishan Raghava

Given the growth of the Indian automotive market over the decades, and the number of manufacturers competing in this space, it’s certain that a successful product or a segment will attract competition. For example, the Ford EcoSport and Renault Duster made mid-size SUVs popular in the Indian market, but soon manufacturers like Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki joined in and became the dominating force in the segment.

An exception to the rule

However, there’s always an exception to the rule, and, in the Indian market, it’s the Toyota Innova. Since its arrival, almost 20 years ago, the Innova, despite being so successful for so long, really doesn’t have any direct rivals in the Indian market. Kia, however, is looking to change exactly that with the Carnival.

Same, but different

Despite being an MPV, the Carnival is poles apart from the Innova. Fundamentally, the Carnival is a monocoque construction, which means that its design has inherent advantages. For instance, it has a stiffer body and better NVH levels than a typical body-on-frame vehicle like the Innova. Not to mention, it’s superior space management and better ride quality! Stylistically, the Carnival is quite pleasing.