The current Kia Carnival debuted in the United States in 2021 and went on sale for the 2022 model year. Now, the brand is working on a refreshed version of the minivan with some significant styling changes.
In front, the Carnival now boasts vertical headlights on the outer edges of the nose. It's significantly different in comparison to the horizontal lamps on the current model. There also appears to be a new look for the grille mesh with a complex, V-shaped pattern. The camouflage conceals the lower fascia's design.
Gallery: Kia Carnival Facelift Spy Photos
Kia covers this Carnival in a mix of camouflage and fabric, and the materials hide a lot. Along the sides, the brand conceals the doors. Often, hiding a portion of the body is an indication of an automaker making design changes.
At the rear, the engineers place panels on the hatchback to hide its shape. There are new, L-shaped taillights, rather than the current design that spans the whole width of the rail. It also looks like the reflectors are no longer on the lower part of the bumper.
A couple of photos in the gallery provide a look into the cabin. The infotainment screen on the center console appears larger than on the current model. Also, it no longer seems to share a bezel with the instrument cluster display. However, the pieces don't look final, so this appearance might change when the new Carnival debuts.
The existing Carnival in the US comes exclusively with a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 290 horsepower (216 kilowatts) and 262 pound-feet (355 Newton-meters) of torque. It hooks up to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. There's no indication yet of whether Kia would update this engine for the refreshed model.
Kia hasn't announced any details about the 2024 model year Carnival. Although, it's uncommon for automakers to introduce a refresh for a vehicle with only two years on the market. Also, this is our first time seeing the updated minivan. These factors make us think that the revised Carnival might not premiere too soon.
