2022 Kia Carnival Teased With Rugged Good Looks

It is now officially official: the Kia Sedona will become the Carnival for 2022. And now the South Korean automaker has released a final teaser image ahead of the February 23 reveal. Kia describes the Carnival as an MPV that “pushes the boundaries of design and innovation.”

But what you really need to know is that the Carnival is simply the fourth-generation of Kia’s minivan lineup that dates back to 1998. The Sedona nameplate was used only in North America beginning in 2005. For what are likely global branding purposes, Kia has decided its new minivan, or MPV, will be called Carnival everywhere.

We already know what it looks like because it’s been revealed in some overseas markets and aside from possibly some minor packaging differences, the US-spec version is identical. Kia further confirmed the 2022 Carnival will once again be a three-row, seven- or eight-passenger minivan powered by a best-in-class 3.5-liter V6 rated at 290 horsepower and 261 lb-ft of torque.

Just the other day, the EPA released official fuel economy figures for the Carnival, earning a 1 mpg improvement in the city and 2 mpg for the highway over the outgoing and less powerful Sedona. Kia also claims best-in-class cargo volume and a number of advanced driver-assistance systems such as the segment-exclusive Blind-Spot View Monitor.

Styling-wise, it is clear Kia has incorporated the rugged styling language from the likes of the Telluride, Sorento, and Seltos SUV crossovers. Equally important, at least symbolically, the new Carnival will be the first Kia model to feature the brand’s redesigned badge logo that will soon adorn all vehicles globally. There’s no doubt the Carnival will be facing some stiff minivan competition once again. The now hybrid-only Toyota Sienna is all-new and the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey have recently undergone facelifts.

Complete details will arrive next Tuesday and we expect the 2022 Carnival to be in showrooms across the country this summer.