The Kia Carnival scaled new heights last year, outpacing the Toyota Previa to become New Zealand's top-selling people-mover.
It is running hot in its class again this year, despite the current model now being five years into its life.
For those who need to carry large numbers of people in car-like comfort, the appeal of the Carnival is hard to go past. Configured as an eight-seater in a 2-3-3 layout, it provides decent space for adults in all rows. The driving position is commanding, which makes the Carnival a surprisingly
easy machine to manoeuvre in town, given its considerable size.
The cabin abounds with useful storage cubbies, bins and spaces and - unlike most vehicles of its type - boot space is generous, even when rear seats are in use.
Pricing is sharp, opening at $46,990 for the base-model EX, and running to $53,990 for the flagship Limited diesel as tested. Both variants feature 134kW/343Nm 2.9-litre turbo-diesel power, transmitted to the front wheels by a five-speed automatic transmission.
Both are also well-supplied with standard kit. Even the EX musters power-operated sliding rear doors, a power-operated tailgate, heated mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, a trip computer, front and rear fog lamps, a six-speaker MP3 sound system, and dual-zone climate control. Requiring just a gentle pull on the handle (or a push on the remote) to activate, the sliding rear doors are a particular joy to use. The Limited adds leather trim, a power-operated driver's seat, 17in alloy wheels, a power sunroof, tri-zone climate control, a premium eight-speaker sound system and reversing camera (with the screen cleverly mounted in the rear-view mirror).
Although gruff around town and a trifle sluggish off the mark, the diesel is a commendable power plant for the open road; running well laden with seven on board, the test car took highway climbs north of Dunedin in its stride, maintaining a 100kmh pace with little effort, and propelling the Carnival past slower traffic with ease.
Diesel power brings fine economy: the vehicle's 8.5-litre-per-100km return for the standard cycle test is comparable to that of a medium-sized petrol-powered saloon.
There is no pretence at car-like handing from this 5.1-metre long, 1.8-metre tall, and (almost) 2-metre wide baby bus. Marked body roll, front-rear weight transfer, and early understeer mark any attempt to hustle through the bends. Ride quality and refinement are adequate rather than outstanding, with the Carnival better in this respect on the highway than in town, where sharp bumps are more obviously transmitted into the
cabin.
The only area in which the Carnival really fumbles the ball, however, is in passenger safety.
It carries a base four-star crash test rating, which is fine, and electronic stability program and active front headrests are standard, which is great. But only the Limited gets side curtain airbags in addition to a pair up front. Most perplexing of all, the centre middle and centre rear seats are only equipped with lap belts. Three-point restraints should be standard for every seat on a modern new vehicle, and all the more so in a vehicle that is likely to carry a full complement of passengers more often than most.
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