Kia Carnival 2019 Review

Seven-seater SUVs have always had stable demand among Malaysian family users, but there aren't many models that can accommodate 11 people — the 2019 Kia Grand Carnival 2.2D KX is one of them. As a full-size MPV under the brand, its 11-seat layout and fuel-efficient diesel engine precisely address the pain points of large families or small business purposes. In this test drive, we focused on examining its spatial practicality, performance, and everyday driving comfort to see if it can meet the core needs of its target users.

From the exterior, the 2019 Grand Carnival KX retains the square silhouette of an MPV, with an overall style leaning towards stability. The front adopts Kia's family-style tiger-nose grille, adorned with chrome trims. The headlamp assembly features a combination of halogen and LED lights, with automatic headlights and daytime running lights as standard, ensuring basic lighting performance. The side profile has straight lines, and the chrome trim at the bottom of the doors adds a touch of sophistication. The 18-inch wheels are well-proportioned to the body size and do not appear too small. The rear design is minimalistic, with tail lights featuring LED elements. The combination of rear fog lights and parking sensors makes daily usage more convenient. The overall design avoids excessive flashy elements, aligning well with its dual role as a family and business vehicle.

Inside the car, the Kia Grand Carnival KX's interior design prioritizes practicality. The dashboard layout is straightforward, and while the 8-inch electronic analog infotainment screen isn't touch-enabled, its functional zones are clearly defined and intuitive to operate. In terms of materials, the top part of the dashboard uses hard plastic, but detailed stitching touches and silver accents enhance its quality to some extent. In terms of features, the front row has dual-zone automatic climate control, and the independent air conditioning system and rear sunshades for the rear rows ensure the comfort of all passengers. The inclusion of a 220V/230V power socket makes it convenient for passengers to charge devices during trips. The seats are upholstered in fabric, with manually adjustable front seats. Although they're not powered, the thick padding ensures a comfortable ride over long distances.

Space is a core advantage of the Grand Carnival KX. The car measures 5115mm in length, 1985mm in width, and 1755mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3060mm, providing a solid foundation for its 11-seat layout. The legroom in the first two rows is quite sufficient, comfortably accommodating a 175cm-tall passenger with about a two-fist gap of legroom. The space in the third and fourth rows is comparatively tighter but suitable for children or adults on short trips without significant discomfort. In terms of storage, the standard trunk volume is 359L, which is enough to fit several carry-on suitcases. Folding down the last two rows of seats expands storage space further, meeting the needs for transporting large items. The interior storage compartments are also abundant, with door slots and a central armrest box capable of holding everyday small items.

As for performance, the Grand Carnival KX is equipped with a 2.2T diesel engine, delivering a maximum horsepower of 200PS and a peak torque that kicks in between 1750-2750rpm. Paired with a 6AT automatic transmission, the power delivery is quite smooth. During initial acceleration, the diesel engine's low-end torque advantage is evident; a slight press on the accelerator is enough to generate sufficient power, and even with a full load of 11 people, it doesn't feel sluggish. During acceleration, the transmission's shifting logic is clear, with minimal jerking during gear changes. The official 0-100km/h acceleration time is 13.6 seconds, which, while not fast, is adequate for an MPV.

In terms of driving experience, the steering of the Grand Carnival KX feels relatively light, so female drivers won’t find it strenuous. However, it has a noticeable dead zone, and the steering precision is not very high, consistent with the tuning style of a family car. The chassis features a front MacPherson independent suspension, while the rear suspension is non-independent (specific type not indicated, but the actual performance leans towards comfort). It filters out minor road bumps effectively, and the impact when passing over speed bumps is not too strong, ensuring passenger comfort. However, when cornering at high speeds, the car exhibits noticeable body roll. After all, with a length exceeding 5 meters, handling is not its strong suit.

Fuel economy is an advantage for diesel vehicles; the official combined fuel consumption is 6.4L/100km. During the test drive, the fuel consumption was around 7.5L/100km in urban conditions and could drop below 6L/100km on highways. Such performance is quite impressive for a full-size MPV. Regarding noise control, the noise from the diesel engine is relatively noticeable when idling, but once in motion, wind and tire noise are well suppressed and do not affect normal conversations inside the cabin.

In terms of safety features, the Grand Carnival KX is equipped with 6 airbags (dual front airbags, front side airbags, front and rear head airbags), ABS, electronic stability control, hill-start assist, and other basic safety configurations. However, compared to the SX version at the same price range, it lacks blind-spot monitoring and forward collision warning, which are the main differences between the two versions.

In summary, the key advantages of the 2019 Kia Grand Carnival 2.2D KX are its 11-seat interior flexibility, the fuel efficiency of the diesel engine, and Kia's 5-year unlimited mileage warranty policy. Compared to the same class of 11-seater models, its price (RM 179,888) is relatively affordable, and the configuration meets daily needs. It is suitable for large families for daily commuting or long-distance travel and also for small businesses as a vehicle for business receptions. If your requirement is to "fit more people while keeping fuel consumption low," then the Grand Carnival KX is a choice worth considering.