2024 Kia Carnival 2.2T Diesel 7-Seater High Review

In Malaysia's 7-seater MPV market, family users are increasingly focusing on a balance between spacious practicality and luxurious features, and the 2024 Kia Carnival 2.2T Diesel 7-Seater High is precisely targeting this demand. It not only continues the Carnival series' advantage of spaciousness but also upgrades its features comprehensively, such as ventilated and heated front seats, electric leg rests for the rear seats, and the addition of an L2-level driving assistance system. This time, we had the opportunity to test drive the vehicle, with the main objective being to evaluate how it performs in daily family use scenarios—whether the space is truly sufficient, whether the features are practical, and how well the diesel engine balances fuel consumption and power.

Starting with the exterior, the overall design of the 2024 Carnival adopts a grand and stable style, without overly aggressive lines, but with details that are very recognizable. The front adopts a large vertical waterfall-style grille, surrounded by chrome trim, combined with sleek LED headlights on both sides to create a tougher visual effect compared to other MPVs in the same class. The body side lines are straight, with a waistline extending from the front fender to the rear, making the body appear longer. The 19-inch multi-spoke aluminum alloy wheels are just the right size, not too obtrusive. At the rear, the most striking feature is the full-width LED taillights, which are highly distinctive when lit. The chrome decorative strip below enhances the premium feel. It is worth noting that its body dimensions reach 5155mm in length, 1995mm in width, and 1775mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3090mm, placing it among the top of its class, which lays a solid foundation for its generous interior space.

Stepping inside, the interior design leans towards simplicity and practicality without compromising on materials or features. The dashboard is covered in soft-touch materials, complemented by woodgrain trim and metal accents, providing a nice tactile and visual effect. The 12.3-inch central touchscreen is the core of the interior, featuring high resolution and smooth operation. It supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, making daily use highly convenient. The instrument cluster combines traditional mechanical dials with an LCD display. Although it’s not fully digital, the information is displayed clearly and meets basic needs. In terms of features, the front seats offer 8-way electric adjustment, along with heating and ventilation functions. The driver’s seat also includes a memory function, ensuring comfortable experiences even on long trips. The highlight of the second-row seats is that they not only support electric adjustment but also come with electric leg rests. They can also be manually adjusted forward, backward, left, and right, allowing passengers to easily find a comfortable posture. The third-row seats feature a 60:40 split-folding design, which can be folded down to expand the trunk space, making it easy to carry larger items. Additionally, the interior is equipped with a 220V power outlet, keyless entry, and a 360-degree panoramic camera, showcasing practical features that align with its E-Segment positioning.

Space performance is one of Carnival's strengths. The front-row space needs no explanation—a 180cm tall passenger will find ample headroom and legroom. The highlight is the second row, where with adjustments to the most comfortable position, legroom can exceed two fists worth of space—and combined with the electric leg rests, it can completely double as a business class seat. The third-row performance is also beyond expectations; an equally 180cm tall passenger will still have around one fist of legroom and their head won’t touch the roof, making it suitable for short trips. Regarding storage space, the door panel storage compartments, the center armrest box, and the glove compartment are all quite spacious. There’s also a wireless charging pad and USB ports in the front row, conveniently allowing passengers to place and charge their phones. In the 7-seat configuration, the trunk can easily accommodate two 28-inch suitcases; with the third row folded down, the space becomes astonishingly large, making it suitable even for moving large items.

In terms of power, this 2.2T diesel engine has a maximum output of 146kW (199PS) and a maximum torque of 440N·m, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. During actual driving, the low-end torque performance is excellent; you can get decent power output without stepping on the accelerator too hard when starting. It’s very easy to follow traffic or start the vehicle in the city. During mid-to-high-speed acceleration, the transmission shifts smoothly, with ample power reserves. When overtaking, as long as you press the accelerator deeply, the transmission quickly downshifts, and power keeps up promptly without any sluggishness. There are three driving modes to choose from: Eco, Normal, and Sport. In Eco mode, the power output is slightly softer, suitable for daily commuting. In Sport mode, the throttle response is more sensitive, the transmission stays in lower gears, and the power output is more aggressive.

In terms of handling, although the vehicle is large, the steering wheel has moderate steering weight, precise direction, and no obvious play, making it very easy to handle in daily driving. The chassis uses a combination of front McPherson and rear multi-link independent suspension, which is tuned towards comfort. It effectively filters out road bumps, and when passing speed bumps or uneven road surfaces, there is no significant bump feedback transmitted into the cabin. However, during cornering, due to the tall body, the vehicle leans noticeably to the side, so aggressive driving is not recommended. Regarding braking, the brake pedal has a linear feel, with sufficient braking force. In case of emergency braking, the body remains stable with no deviation or skidding.

Fuel efficiency is one of the advantages of diesel vehicles. The official combined fuel consumption is 6.5L/100km. During a one-week test, where city driving accounted for 70% and highway driving accounted for 30%, the average recorded fuel consumption was 7.2L/100km. For an MPV of this size, this figure is already very good.

In terms of comfort, the Carnival also delivers commendable performance. The cabin has excellent sound insulation, controlling wind and tire noise well even during high-speed driving, allowing passengers to have conversations without disturbance. The seats are very comfortable, especially the second-row power seats with a leg rest, which ensure long rides are not tiresome. The air conditioning system has excellent cooling performance, and the rear row is equipped with an independent air conditioning control panel that allows passengers to adjust the temperature as per their preferences.

To summarize, the core advantages of the 2024 Kia Carnival 2.2T Diesel 7-Seater High are clear: spacious interior, rich configurations, sufficient power, and fuel efficiency. Compared to competing models like the Toyota Alphard or Vellfire, the Carnival has a lower price, but its configuration and space performance are not inferior, offering high cost-effectiveness. It is particularly suitable for families who prioritize space and practicality, especially those who frequently travel with family members. If you are looking for an MPV that is spacious, well-equipped, and fuel-efficient, the Carnival is definitely a great choice.