The 2025 Kia Carnival Gets A Daring New Design

The minivan now has new lights and a smoother rear end.

By: Adrian Padeanu

Oct 27, 2023 at 2:43am ET

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There might be a big car event show going on in Tokyo where the 2023 Japan Mobility Show is taking place but that's not stopping Kia from unveiling two important products this week. A couple of days after introducing the 2025 K5, the 2025 Carnival makes its official debut courtesy of images showing only the exterior. The minivan's headlights and taillights have been fully redesigned and have a similar layout resembling the letter "T."

It looks as though the updated front grille will have different patterns depending on the trim level. Speaking of which, this South Korean version of the family hauler ushers in a "Gravity" grade with dark metallic accents. As with the midsize sedan we mentioned earlier, the front bumper has a cleaner design after getting rid of the separate fog lights. At the back, Kia has moved the indentation for the license plate lower on the tailgate.

2025 Kia Carnival (South Korea)

The back of the 2025 Carnival is now smoother since there's no more visible handle to open the tailgate. Another change we're able to notice is the positioning of the Kia badge since it no longer bisects the rear light bar. It's been moved slightly lower for a design decision also taken for the 2025 K5. The lower lights mounted into the rear bumper seems to be narrower than before, while the bumper's metallic trim extends more than it did on the pre-facelift model.

Interior images have yet to be revealed but reports from Korea state it'll get the curved screens and fingerprint recognition tech we just saw on the revised K5. A more notable change is expected underneath the hood where the Carnival is all but confirmed to receive a hybrid powertrain with a turbocharged 1.6-liter gasoline engine and an electric motor for an electrified setup inherited from the Sorento. Output is not known, but in the SUV, it's good for a combined 227 hp and 258 lb-ft.

The full reveal should take place in the coming weeks. In the United States, the Carnival has already entered the 2024 model year, so this mid-cycle revision is likely to be offered with the 2025MY.