The Kia Sedona is gone, replaced instead by the Carnival. With the name change comes a body redesign and some upgrades intended to make the vehicle more appealing.
The Sedona was already called the Carnival in the rest of the world, so this name change really just brings the United States naming in line with the existing convention. The more significant change is in the exterior styling.
The corners have been squared off, giving the Carnival a more SUV-like appearance. The sliding rear doors, however, remain. This is good news for parents with children still in car seats, as a sliding door makes it far easier to reach into the vehicle.
Minivans have always battled an image problem, and with the rise in popularity of full-size SUVs, the minivan tended to suffer. It makes sense, then, that Kia has renamed the vehicle a multipurpose vehicle, in an effort to distance itself from the minivan label.
No matter what label it has, the Carnival offers plenty of advantages for anyone who needs to move several people. The seating configuration can fit eight people with a standard seating configuration, or seven with the optional middle row VIP option, which has reclining seats that can heat or cool the occupant.
A second middle row option has a sliding seat that converts to a table.
In addition to being able to carry eight adults in comfort, the Carnival can also haul up to 3,500 pounds. That means you can easily bring along a boat, or capably tow a small trailer. This towing capacity is made possible by a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 290 hp.
Standard safety features include blindspot assist, collision avoidance, rear cross traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, and reverse distance warning. Other optional features include a blind spot monitoring system, smart cruise control, and a surround-view monitor.
