Kia has discontinued its flagship MPV, the Kia Carnival, in India. The company has removed the model from its official website with the Carens remaining the only MPV in the company’s lineup. While there has been no official announcement regarding this, the key reason for discontinuing the model is because it does not comply with the BS6 phase 2 emissions norms, which came into effect from April 2023. In fact, Kia has not sold a single unit of the Carnival since April 2023.
Also Read: Auto Expo 2023: New-Gen Kia KA4 (Carnival) Makes India Debut
Now one of the reasons why the Carnival was not updated for BS6 Phase 2 is because the MPV comes to India as a completely knocked down (CKD) model. However, globally the company is already selling the fourth-generation model – Kia KA4, which also made its India debut at the 2023 Auto Expo and is expected to be launched in India. In fact, the KA4 has been on sale in the global markets for three years now, and the company is already working on a mid-cycle update for a 2024 launch.
This means it’s likely that Kia India could very well bring the facelifted version of the fourth-gen MPV to our shores. And with the new model on its way, it doesn’t make sense for the company to invest in upgrading the older-gen model for the Indian market. The Kia Carnival, which was launched in India back in 2020, was already an outdated model globally.
Compared to the current Carnival, the fourth-gen model will be bigger with SUV-like styling, more premium, and loaded with a host of new and advanced tech. Visually, the MPV gets a bold front end with a large, chrome Tiger-nose grille flanked with sleek LED headlamps and LED DRLs. The profile continues to feature a van-like design with sliding rear doors and new alloys. At the rear, you get sleek connected LED taillights, and Kia also has roof rails on offer.
Inside, the new Kia KA4 comes with an all-new interior, and it will be offered in three- or four-row seating configurations, with 7, 9 or 11. The existing India-spec model only comes with 7, 8 and 9 seating configuration options. In terms of features, it will get sliding electric rear doors, LED headlights with daytime running lights (DRLs), LED taillights, Kia Connect connected car technology, panoramic sunroof, tri-zone climate control, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, ventilated front seats and ambient lighting, multiple airbags, antilock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), front and rear parking sensors and electronic stability control among others.
Globally, the KA4 comes with a 3.5-litre V6 Turbo GDI which is the range-topping powertrain that belts out 286 bhp and 355 Nm of peak torque. Then there is the 3.5-litre V6 multiport-injection (MPI) engine that puts out 268 bhp and 332 Nm of peak torque. Diesel engine options also include the 2.2-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine that powers the Carnival in India today. It churns out 197 bhp and 440 Nm of peak torque. All three powertrains are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard.
