GIIAS 2024: Facelifted Kia Carnival Debuts with New Hybrid Variant

The facelifted fourth-gen Kia Carnival makes its Indonesian debut at the GIIAS 2024 alongside the Kia EV9.

The 31st Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) officially kicked off yesterday, and it features a slew of new models making their inaugural debut not only in Indonesia but also in the whole ASEAN region. One of those is the newly-facelifted fourth-gen Kia Carnival MPV, which now features a new series-parallel hybrid (HEV) option.

Initially previewed in Singapore earlier this year, bookings for the new Carnival hybrid have been opened in Indonesia since May this year, with this facelifted MPV making its first public debut at GIIAS.

Visually, the facelifted Carnival gets a slight design tweak, with the most notable part being its new lighting units, which are inspired by the ones we saw on the brand’s new flagship EV SUV, the Kia EV9. Depending on the trim level, the Indo-spec Carnival facelift rides on either 18-inch or 19-inch alloy wheels, with the latter unit featuring a more enclosed and geometrical-inspired design.

For the Indonesian market, the facelifted Carnival is offered with either its tried-and-tested 2.2-litre 4-cyl SmartStream turbodiesel mill or the new series-parallel hybrid option.

The facelifted Kia Carnival is offered with a new hybrid variant.

Focusing on the new semi-electrified variant, the new Carnival hybrid swaps its pure ICE twin’s turbodiesel mill for a smaller and more efficient HEV powertrain setup. This new HEV setup comprises a 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbocharged petrol mill that is paired to a single electric motor that drives the front wheels, assisted by a six-speed automatic transmission.

Combined, this new HEV setup delivers 242 HP and 367 NM to the Carnival Hybrid, making it slightly more powerful than other variants, although the hybrid still can’t match the oil-burning model’s sheer torque output. For reference, the Indo-spec Carnival’s 2.2D SmartStream diesel mill is rated at 191 HP and 441 NM.

As for the seating arrangement, the Indo-spec Carnival facelift comes with two seating layouts, namely the three-row seven seats with a 2-2-3 layout or the four-row 11-seater configuration with a 2-3-3-3 layout. Special to the 7-seat model are the two relaxation seats in the second row that are both powered and ventilated.

Regardless of variants, all Indo-spec Carnivals come standard with a dual 12.3-inch display, powered, heated, and ventilated front seats, dual sunroofs, three-zone climate control, a wireless charging pad, a 12-speaker Bose audio system, and many more.

The facelifted fourth-gen Kia Carnival is now on sale in Indonesia, with prices starting at IDR 998 million (RM288,295) for the diesel-powered Premiere variant, while the top-spec Hybrid model is tagged at IDR 1.388 billion (RM400,955).

As of now, Kia local vanguard Dinamikjaya Motors (Bermaz Auto) has yet to reveal any plans to introduce the facelifted Carnival into our market, with the diesel-powered pre-facelift fourth-gen model still on sale here. Given the recent implementation of diesel subsidy rationalisation by the government, we’d reckon there’s no better time for Dinamikjaya Motors to introduce the new hybrid-powered Carnival into our market.