I drove the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid for a week — here's my pros and cons

Tom's Guide

2 days ago

The design of the minivan has remained constant for as long as I can remember. One that sticks out from my childhood was the woodgrain trim accented Dodge Caravan throughout the 90s.
Yup, Minivans have this reputation of looking uncool, but the Kia Carnival changes my perception.
While most minivans stick to the same boxy-esque designs we've all come to expect, the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige I drove for a week looks more SUV than minivan — and that's a good thing.
Aside from the design, it's also packed with premium features that make your passengers feel like they're living it up in first class.
Best of all, you'll be floored by the fuel economy I got out of this minivan, which makes it a long distance marathon champ that eliminates range anxiety. All of this proves to me it's a a best electric car contender, given the amount of utility it offers and its price.
2025 Kia Carnival LXS
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige
Engine
1.6 liter Turbocharged 4-Cylinder and Full Parallel Hybrid System
1.6 liter Turbocharged 4-Cylinder and Full Parallel Hybrid System
Fuel Economy (mpg)
34 city / 31 highway / 32 combined
34 city / 31 highway / 32 combined
Fuel Tank Capacity
19 gallons
19 gallons
Horsepower
242 hp
242 hp
Wheels
17-inches
19-inches
MSRP
$40,990
$53,090
Price Tested
N/A
$57,255
I didn't think I'd drive the Kia Carnival as far as I thought I would initially, but the 417.2 miles I put on it was still way short of the 600+ miles of range it's rated for. That number is the stuff that even the most efficient electric vehicles could dream of, so knowing that a minivan of all things achieves that is impressive.
What's even more impressive is the 36.9 mpg fuel economy I got from driving the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige for a week. If it were to sustain that average until the fuel tank is empty, it means that the Carnival would actually reach 700 miles on a full tank. Again, it's worth pointing out that's the combined average I got.
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However, I was able to get up to 51.9 mpg with mostly city driving — but achieving this average requires gentle acceleration and trying to sustain it in EV mode. That's when the vehicle's propelled only by the electric motor, indicated by the 'EV' icon on the driver's display.
For its size, too, I got upwards of 38.4 mpg with mostly highway driving, which again is impressive given its size.
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige
Total miles driven
417.2 miles
Average fuel economy
36.9 mpg
Best long distance fuel economy
38.4 mpg
Best short range fuel economy
51.9 mpg
Most people are hard pressed to drive minivans because they're so ugly. Believe me, I wouldn't want to be seen on the road driving one, but Kia designs the Carnival in such a way that it looks more like an SUV.
Instead of the boxy design that minivans are known for, like the 2024 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV I previously tested, the Carnival looks more like an elongated SUV from the side. It almost looks like some full-sized SUVs on the road with 3-row seating, but this purposeful design choice makes the Carnival stand out from most minivans.
The only one I think that looks better is the Volkswagen ID.Buzz, but the price difference is substantial.
While the front seats are spacious and comfy, it's the 2nd-row where you truly feel like being in first class on a flight thanks to the captain's chairs that are there. I think they're comfier than the front seats, due in part to how they can be reclined. Additionally, you can activate the footrest to lift you up even more while seated.
Usually third row seats are cramped, but that's not the case for the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige. I'm surprised by the amount of legroom it offers for passengers, which has enough room to stretch out your legs. Even better, this extra room doesn't compromise the trunk space.
The trunk is deeper than what I expected it to be. Since the Kia Carnival has a lower clearance than your typical SUV, there's actually a decent amount of trunk space even with the third row seating in there.
I was able to easily stow away my JackRabbit OG2 Pro micro bike and my electric scooter without having the need to fold down the third row seats. If you need more room, you can always collapse the rear seats to make even more room inside to carry stuff.
Another reason why passengers will drive in style with the Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige is because of the extra option you can add on that provides entertainment for the rear passengers. The Rear Seat Entertainment Package tacks on an additional $2,500 to the cost, but it adds two screens to the back of the front seats.
I really like the touch interface, which runs Android TV that I'm familiar with. Meaning, I can set up all of my favorite streaming services and have the passengers watch shows in comfort. It's great for the kids who need to be preoccupied for those long drives.
Kia's very generous when it comes to adding premium features in its vehicles and the Carnival is no exception. It includes a head-up display, dual sunroofs, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane change assist, blind spot camera monitors, and support for wireless CarPlay and Android Auto.
These are all helpful in making the drive safer and smoother, but it's even better knowing you get all them in a vehicle that's under $58,000.
I've already touched on it in the testing summary, but its fuel economy deserves recognition because big vehicles such as this aren't known for their range. Thanks to its hybrid power, though, you'll wait longer in between fill ups with the Carnival Hybrid.
Sure, you could save more money by going with the base model, which starts at $36,990, but it's a gas guzzler with its 21 mpg combined fuel economy. By going with the Carnival Hybrid, you'll not only save more money on gas costs, but you won't have to fill up as frequently.
The only thing I don't like about the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige is how it underperforms in sport mode.
I was hoping for a little more kick and response from its hybrid power engine, but even with its 242 hp performance, it's rather slow with the pickup from a complete stop. Then again, hybrids aren't known for their 0 to 60 times.
If you have a large family in your household, the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige is an excellent choice to carry them around — and it's perfect for long distance drives and vacations.
Kia definitely makes driving a minivan cool because it adopts a design that's similar to most SUVs, while still adding a ton of premium features that I think validate its cost.
As much as I love PHEVs, they're in no man's land because of how they're priced. From other models I've tested so far, they're generally between $5,000 to $8,000 less than their all-electric counterparts.
This is why hybrid vehicles like the Kia Carnival make so much sense because you'll still have bigger savings in the long run with fuel costs, while still having the utility of a minivan.