Under the hood of the gas Carnival is a 3.5-liter V6 producing 287 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, matched to an eight-speed automatic and driving the front wheels. Every trim from LX to SX Prestige shares that same engine and gearbox.

Choose the hybrid and a 1.6-liter turbocharged four works with an electric motor for 242 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of combined system output. Kia pairs it with a real six-speed automatic rather than a CVT, so it shifts through gears the way the V6 does, and it lifts fuel economy from an EPA-estimated 21 mpg combined to 33.

• 3.5L V6 with 287 hp and 260 lb-ft
• Eight-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
• Hybrid: 242 hp and 271 lb-ft combined system output
• Hybrid uses a six-speed automatic
• EPA-estimated 18 city / 26 highway / 21 combined on the V6
• 3,500 lb braked towing with the accessory hitch

Kia markets 29 available driver assistance and collision avoidance features on the Carnival, and a substantial share of them are standard from the LX. Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with pedestrian, cyclist and junction-turning detection, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist 2 and Safe Exit Assist all come on every trim.

Rear Occupant Alert is standard too, which matters in Florida heat. The SX and SX Prestige add Highway Driving Assist 2, a 360-degree Surround View Monitor, a Blind-Spot View Monitor that projects the adjacent lane into the cluster, side parking sensors and reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist.

• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist standard on every trim
• Lane Following Assist 2 standard
• Rear Occupant Alert standard
• Highway Driving Assist on LX, LXS and EX
• Highway Driving Assist 2 on SX and SX Prestige
• Blind-Spot View Monitor on SX and SX Prestige

A 12.3-inch touchscreen running Kia's ccNC system with navigation is standard on all five trims, together with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, SiriusXM and over-the-air updates. Six USB-C charging ports are fitted two per row, so the third row is served as well as the first.

Step up to the SX or SX Prestige and a 12.3-inch curved instrument display joins the touchscreen to form what Kia bills as its dual panoramic display, along with Digital Key 2.0 and a pair of 115-volt household outlets. The SX Prestige adds an 11-inch head-up display and Bose Premium Audio.

• 12.3-inch ccNC touchscreen standard on every trim
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 12.3-inch curved instrument display on SX and SX Prestige
• Digital Key 2.0 on SX and SX Prestige
• 115-volt outlets on SX and SX Prestige
• Bose Premium Audio on SX Prestige

Second-row legroom of 40.5 inches and third-row legroom of 35.6 inches are what let the Carnival carry adults in all three rows rather than only in two. The second-row seats slide and lift out on every trim, and the third row splits 60/40 and folds into the floor.

The LX seats seven with captain's chairs standard; the LXS, EX, SX and SX Prestige seat eight on a Slide-Flex bench, and captain's chairs became newly available on the EX and SX for 2027. At the top, the SX Prestige can be ordered with power VIP Lounge Seats that heat, ventilate, extend at the leg and recline with a one-touch relaxation mode.

• Seven- or eight-passenger seating by trim
• 40.5 inches of second-row legroom
• Sliding, removable second-row seats
• Captain's chairs newly available on EX and SX
• VIP Lounge Seats available on SX Prestige
• Heated front seats standard from LXS up

At 203.0 inches long on a 121.7-inch wheelbase, the Carnival is sized like a full-size three-row SUV but packages far more usable space, and its dual power sliding doors make a tight beachside parking spot far easier to work with.

Wheels run 17 inches on the LX and LXS and 19 inches on the EX, SX and SX Prestige, and the SX and SX Prestige carry roof rails rated to 165 pounds. Iceberg Green joins the palette for 2027 on the EX, SX and SX Prestige.

• 203.0 inches long, 121.7-inch wheelbase
• Dual power sliding doors
• 17-inch wheels on LX and LXS, 19-inch above
• Roof rails rated to 165 lb on SX and SX Prestige
• Iceberg Green is new for 2027
• 40.2 cu ft of cargo behind the third row