The next-generation Kia Sedona coming to North America for the 2022 model year will be different in more ways than one compared to the outgoing model. For starters, the people hauler will adopt an entirely new exterior design with SUV influences while adopting a far more sophisticated interior than the aging minivan.

Regarding terminology, Kia will likely move away from using “minivan” considering the South Korean brand refers to the international model as a Grand Utility Vehicle to further strengthen the SUV ties. There is now new evidence “Sedona” will be dropped in favor of “Carnival” to mirror the name used around the world.

Gallery: 2021 Kia Sedona / Carnival

A member of the Sedona forums managed to get a hold of a VIN Decoding Guide submitted by Kia with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The document confirms the name change, revealing a 2022MY Carnival for the US market, along with LX, LX Seat Package, EX, SX, SX, and SX Prestige trim levels.

According to the same document, the don’t-call-it-a-minivan Carnival will be offered with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 290 horsepower or an extra 14 hp over the outgoing US-spec Sedona with its 3.3-liter V6. Torque isn’t mentioned, but the 3.5 DOHC GDI LAMDA III engine listed in the PDF file sent to the NHTSA has been around for many years and produces up to 248 pound-feet (336 Newton-meters) of torque or the same as today’s Sedona.

Another change coinciding with the generation switch is the adoption of Kia’s updated logo. Unveiled last week, the corporate badge has been conceived to mimic a handwritten signature and will be applied to all models globally. An internal document obtained by The Korean Car Blog shows the Carnival will switch to the new logo in July, so the US-spec model imported from South Korea should come with the revamped badge from day one.

Top comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
Comment!
Got a tip for us? Email: tips@motor1.com