Yahoo Autos Tested: 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid Has More Attitude, More MPG
If you're like a lot of people, you like the Kia Carnival. We like it too. In fact, the minivan once called our offices home for a 40,000-mile long-term test, and we were heartbroken to see it go. Another Carnival finished second in a four-way comparison test, and it lost only because it had the worst fuel economy (rated and observed) of the bunch. That's kind of a big deal to some shoppers, enough that the winner ended up being a hybrid, the Toyota Sienna. But don't fear—the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid is here.
The Carnival Hybrid is rated at 33 mpg combined, a whopping 57 percent increase over the venerable 3.5-liter V-6, which is pegged at 21 mpg combined. Around town, where the hybrid is good for 34 mpg city, the difference is a staggering 89 percent over the V-6's 18-mpg rating. In one stroke, Kia seems to have erased the Carnival's biggest drawback. But is creating a winner as simple as cranking up the fuel economy? We spent some time behind the wheel to find out.
The hybrid is powered by Hyundai Motor Group's Gamma II turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four. Here it makes 178 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. The output is supplemented with an electric motor that's the strongest among non-plug-in Kia hybrids, making 72 horses and a healthy 224 lb-ft. Put them together with a six-speed automatic—so there's no Sienna-like CVT mushiness—and the combined output is 242 ponies and 271 lb-ft. That's a little shy of the 287-hp 3.5-liter V-6, but this setup outshines that engine's 262 lb-ft of torque by a smidge.
Underway, the Carnival certainly doesn't feel like a wimpy four-banger. For one, the engine doesn't call attention to itself, operating with nearly as much silence as the electric motor. Launch it with authority from a stop, and the van duly obliges. In fact, its 7.8-second run to 60 mph ties it with the 2025 V-6 model. The hybrid's transmission steps through the gears like any other and doesn't run out of breath until you get upwards of 80 mph, around the time the V-6 starts to pull ahead. But seriously, who is going to drag-race these?
Kia has decided to outfit the Carnival with shift paddles to customize brake regeneration. You can go from no regen to a goodly amount over three distinct steps, but the setup stops short of one-pedal driving. For one, this is a hybrid, so the relative size of the lithium-ion battery, an estimated 1.2 kWh, is small. That's fine as far as the hybrid operation goes, and it works well on flat ground. But long downhill grades, such as those we found in eastern San Diego County, are another matter.
Out here, a medium or high regen setting fills the battery in short order, at which point you get a warning chime and an unwelcome change in brake feel. With nowhere to put the extra electricity, the regeneration simply shuts off, so you can't depend on the e-motor to control your speed on downgrades. Meanwhile, the shift paddles won't control the transmission unless you first put it in Sport mode. If this Carnival were a plug-in hybrid with a larger battery, this would never be an issue.
Otherwise, the driving experience is every bit as smooth and silent as in the regular Carnival, if not more so. Road impacts are neatly handled, and the resulting noise is thoroughly smothered. The ride is flat too, with zero bounce or float. As for cornering, it bends through turns admirably, and body roll is kept at a minimum. We measured 0.80 g at our track, but in the tightest corners, the limits are still low, as befits a people hauler that can accommodate seven or eight souls. Do not expect miracles.
Kia has really leaned into SUV styling on the 2025 Carnival. Whether you get the hybrid or stay with the V-6, the minivans feature much more aggressive headlights, hoods, and grilles that bring a far more upright and chiseled appearance. The rear gets a similar treatment, with a deeper rear spoiler, much more depth to the taillights, and a revised tailgate with a lower license-plate placement that allows the liftgate handle to be hidden away.
Inside, the changes include a switch to a binnacle-free display that covers much the same territory as before but has clearer graphics. The separate climate and infotainment controls have given way to Kia's newest (and lamest) system, which toggles between the two in the name of cost savings. And alongside the greatly simplified hybrid-specific shifter is a cupholder that has been enlarged to handle today's larger refillable water bottles. It all looks smooth and sleek, but there's a wee bit more piano black than we prefer. Our example also had the Rear Seat Entertainment package, a $2500 option consisting of two huge screens that are even larger than last year's. A no-cost option on our test car was the SX Prestige La-Z-Boy–style second-row captain's chairs, which are great until you want to haul something big, at which point you learn that they are affixed permanently to the floor. Stick with the removable 40/20/40 center-row bench.
The Carnival Hybrid starts at $41,895, and the base price of our SX Prestige hybrid, by far the most expensive variant, is $53,995. You can't easily tell the hybrid from the V-6; the only exterior clue is slightly flatter aerodynamic wheels. The hybrid also features a slightly lower tow rating of 2500 pounds instead of the V-6's 3500 pounds. Basically, you choose your trim level, and then you chose your powertrain. That's it. The hybrid costs exactly $2000 more than the V-6, but by our rough calculations, you'd get that back in fuel savings in two or three years, at which point you'd start pocketing the difference. That's what we call a winning combination.
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