Among the handful of minivans left on the market, the Kia Carnival has been a value leader for years. Not only has Kia stayed committed to the minivan segment, but the automaker is evolving and improving its offering. The Carnival is receiving a comprehensive refresh for the 2025 model year, and with it comes an available hybrid powertrain, a first for Kia’s minivan. This development should improve the Carnival’s fuel economy substantially and create some direct competition for the all-hybrid Toyota Sienna and the Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid.
Here’s everything we know so far about the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid. Be sure to bookmark this page: we’ll update it as we receive more information.
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid in Canada: What we know so far
- 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid styling
- 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid interior design and practicality
- 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid engines, motors and drive
- 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid price and release date
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid styling
The Kia Carnival Hybrid shares its styling with the V6-powered Kia Carnival minivan, which will remain part of the line-up in 2025. Both versions benefit from a refresh for this model year. The Carnival receives redesigned front and rear ends, including new vertical headlamps similar to the ones on the Kia EV9. It also comes with a revised grille design and lighting signature, and five new and more angular wheel designs.
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid interior design and practicality
While the trim and pricing structure for the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid has not yet been announced, we expect it will align with other hybrid Kia products in Canada and be offered at a variety of price points. We do know that a 12.3-inch infotainment screen will be standard equipment, and a matching 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster will be optional. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality is being added to these larger screens in Hyundai and Kia products, though there’s no official confirmation as of yet that these will be offered in the Carnival in Canada for 2025. Kia has announced that the 2025 Kia Carnival will be capable of receiving over-the-air updates.
One important development is in the Carnival’s SX trim. Previously, opting for a fully equipped Carnival meant signing up for the second-row VIP seats. These are very comfortable captain’s chairs with footrests, deep recline, and plenty of track for legroom adjustment. However, since these seats are bulky and cannot be removed, they reduce the Carnival’s flexibility for carrying cargo and third-row passengers. For 2025, Kia is making the VIP seats optional on the top SX trim, while buyers can also choose the 8-passenger option with removable second-row bench seating.
Several subscription-based services are offered on the 2025 Kia Carnival with up-front trial periods. The Kia Connect app allows you to remotely start the minivan and adjust climate controls from your phone. Digital Key 2.0 lets you use your smartphone as a virtual car key, and you can also easily share your digital key with others.
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid engines, motors and drive
In the first-ever 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid, a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine pairs with a 54 kW motor for a combined 242 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque. This is matched to a 6-speed automatic transmission, a refreshing alternative to the CVTs more commonly found in fuel-efficiency oriented vehicles. Drivers can select from multiple levels of regenerative braking, which allows for balance between drive feel and fuel savings.
Through this refresh, the Kia Carnival remains front-wheel drive (FWD) only. The Toyota Sienna will retain its advantage here since it’s available both with a hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive (AWD).
Fuel consumption estimates for the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid have not been released as of this writing. Based on how this powertrain performs in other Hyundai and Kia vehicles, we estimate this will land somewhere between 7.5 and 8 litres per 100 kilometres combined.
A shift-by-wire system and Remote Smart Parking Assist are both exclusive to the Carnival Hybrid. Available driver assistance features include Kia’s Forward Collision Avoidance Assist 2.0 (with junction turning assist, lane change collision mitigation, oncoming traffic lane change collision mitigation, and evasive steering assist), Highway Driving Assist 2, navigation-based adaptive cruise control, forward/side/reverse parking distance warning, and Intelligent Speed Limit Assist.
All 2025 Kia Carnivals sold in Canada come with standard trailer pre-wiring. As of this writing, towing capacity for the 2025 model has not yet been announced.
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid price and release date
Kia Canada says the first Carnival Hybrids will begin arriving at Canadian dealerships in the summer of 2024. As of this writing, Canadian pricing for the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid has not yet been announced.