Even under hard acceleration, engine noise was minimal.
On tight corners and sweeping bends more suited to a sports car than a 5115mm people-mover, the Carnival CRDi carried itself with great aplomb.įeel through the Australian-specific hydraulic steering was reasonably good, while cabin refinement was excellent. The turbo-diesel Platinum ticks many boxes, from its two-tone leather interior trim and its all-electric, heated and ventilated seats, to its fit and finish and impressive equipment levels. On the goĪt the local launch in the Hunter Valley we had the opportunity to swap between the range book-ends - the entry-level petrol and top-spec diesel. Kia Australia product chief Roland Rivero said the aim was to make the 2015 tune more responsive on turn-in.įor petrol models this was achieved through damper tuning alone, but the diesels underwent both damper and spring-rate changes (up from 3.56 to 3.66kgf/mm) to nail the desired handling. Where ride and handling is concerned, Kia has again adapted the latest Carnival’s suspension and steering to the Australian market. The sole light-grey fabric trim offered in S and Si models looks great but screams impractical (is it stain-resistant…? Have you met my kids…?). A reversing camera is also standard, and only the Platinum gets a 360-degree camera. An electric park brake is also now standard.Īll seating positions have three-point seatbelts and adjustable head restraints and there are front, side and curtain airbags (extending to the third row). Building on its five-star safety rating, Kia has added autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning across the entire Carnival range.Īt Platinum level you also benefit from blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, high-beam assist and rear cross-traffic alert. So if it’s not more peace of mind, dynamism, emotion or pace, what exactly does Australia’s top-selling people-mover now bring to the table? “ If there was a shift, we’d probably look very seriously at shifting again to give us that unique selling proposition.” Tweaking the recipe “I would love to see the industry all move to a seven-year warranty because it takes away a lot of issues in regards to consumer law and common sense in regards to looking after the customer,” he said. Kia’s industry-leading seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty continues, but Kia Australia COO Damien Meredith says that could be extended even further if other brands match it.
With an eight-model line-up spanning around $20,000, you can dial up the people-mover pomp as you desire, though the majority of creature comforts kick in at SLi level ($52,490 and $54,990 respectively).
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