2025 Acko Drive Awards: Kia Carnival Is The Luxury MPV Of The Year

The Kia Carnival has a very distinct presence in the luxury MPV segment. It hits the middle ground by being more premium and feature-rich than the Toyota Innova Hycross, and yet being a semi-knocked down import it isn’t as pricey as the Toyota Vellfire. In 2024 it underwent a facelift which has further enhanced its high-end appeal. Despite this upgrade, its value for proposition factor hasn’t diminished at all, which in the end helped its case to bag the 2025 Acko Drive Award for the Luxury MPV Of the Year. 

Powering the Kia Carnival is a 2.2-litre diesel engine that produces 190 bhp and a whopping 441 Nm of peak torque, on paper. In the real world, the engine feels smooth and is at its best behaviour when cruising. If tried anything beyond that massive body starts to make its presence felt. Thus further reiterating its purpose that this is a passenger’s vehicle, where you will enjoy it more in the second row.  

The limousine-styled cabin of the Kia Carnival is designed for comfort whether it's in the second row captain or the third row. The second row gets heated, ventilated options and extended Ottoman-style function where you can do the full stretch. The dual-pane sunroof further brings a sense of roominess to the cabin for a nice and breezy affair. Safety-wise, Kia has not cut short any corners here either. From 8 airbags, to ADAS functionalities including Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning, and more. 

So if you’re in the market searching for a nice, perfect family car that could seat up to 7 people in utmost comfort. Yet you are not prepared to shell out a ₹1 crore for that – the Kia Carnival should be your choice.