Grand Utility Vehicle

The fourth-generation Kia Carnival brings futuristic detailing and SUV-inspired design to the table

THE FOURTH-GENERATION CARNIVAL is a far cry from the current model that was launched in India early this year, especially in terms of design. Dubbed a ‘Grand Utility Vehicle’, the new Carnival boasts significant design changes, moving away from its minivan aesthetic towards a more SUVinspired design. The new Carnival features a shorter front overhang, with the base of the A-pillar moving backwards to create a longer hood. The increased wheelbase also gives the car a longer, more athletic silhouette and also adds space in the cabin. SUV-inspired details include prominent wheelarches and a character line running along the length of the car, linking the front and rear lamps.

Next up is the ‘island roof’ design that is Kia’s version of the so-called floating roof, with blacked-out A and B-pillars supporting the body-coloured roof.

The front-end, dubbed the ‘Tiger Face,’ seamlessly integrates the headlights with the brand’s iconic ‘Tiger-Nose’ grille. Between the LED headlamps, the DRLs wraparound the Carnival’s turn signal lamps, then plunge downwards, merging with the grille’s lower chrome border. At the rear, the Carnival boasts a distinctive new design, with sleek taillamps mimicking the DRLs integrated into a full-width light. As a final nod to its SUV-inspired design, the new Carnival gets a metallic lower skid plate.

Kia hasn’t divulged any details on the interiors or the drivetrain for the new Carnival. However the brand says the new Carnival will go on sale in Korea, Kia’s domestic market, in the third quarter of 2020, with global sales in many of Kia’s markets to follow thereafter. In India, the current-gen Carnival has been on sale for less than a year, so it is unlikely we will see this new iteration before mid 2021.