2025 Kia Carnival: Hybrid Features and Pricing Overview
By the time the Kia Carnival we held onto for a yearlong test left our hands back in mid-2023, a few complaints had bubbled to the surface—and everyone on staff agreed the SUV-ish minivan could use better fuel economy. A hybrid option would be great. Well, we didn’t need to wait long, as the 2025-model-year Kia Carnival not only receives an attractive refresh but also adds a more fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain option. So, how much will the new Carnival and its hybrid option cost?
Price Overview for the 2025 Kia Carnival
Comparing gas-powered 2025 and 2024 model-year Carnivals, the newer van’s pricing increases by between $2,030 and $4,330 depending on trim level. The cheapest Carnival, the LX, which comes standard with a carryover V-6 engine, now rings in at $37,895. That’s a $3,330 jump over the 2024 Carnival LX. What’s good is that you do get more features and the same upgraded look as every other 2025 Carnival.
Well Equipped For Its Standard Price
For 2025, Carnivals get a standard 4.2-inch TFT driver information display between the analog gauges and a 12.3-inch touchscreen. You also get standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay along with wired options using six standard USB C ports joining two 12-volt power outlets. One new feature that’s usually reserved for luxury cars includes voice-activated window opening and climate control adjustments. You’ll have seating for eight—unless you upgrade to the VIP Lounge Seat second-row option that reduces seating to seven—with sliding second-row seats that are removable and fold-in-floor third-row seats. Consequently, wide opening power-sliding side doors with hands-free opening is also standard to enhance convenience.
Electrified Performance
As mentioned, the Carnival finally gains a hybrid system. Though unavailable on the entry-level Carnival LX, it can be added to every other trim (LXS, EX, SX, and SX Prestige) for $2,000. Opting for the hybrid replaces the standard 3.5-liter V-6 (287 hp, 260 lb-ft of torque, with an eight-speed automatic) with a turbocharged 1.6-liter I-4 paired with a 54-kW motor and six-speed automatic. The combination makes less power at just 242 hp (a 45-hp sacrifice from the V-6), but it more than compensates with 272 lb-ft of torque—a 12 lb-ft gain over the V-6. Additionally, these hybrids will feature aerodynamic enhancements like 17-inch aerodynamic wheels from the LSX trim, active air flaps in the front fascia, and paddle-style regenerative braking control, allowing you to select the amount of regenerative braking by pulling one of the paddles behind the wheel.
How The 2025 Kia Carnival Compares
This is a good time to briefly examine two competitors of the new Kia Carnival: the 2024 Toyota Sienna and the 2024 Chrysler Pacifica. These minivans are either offered with (Pacifica) or come standard with (Sienna) hybrid power. Moreover, Honda’s Odyssey, another competitor, currently only offers a gas-fed V-6.
The entry-level Chrysler Pacifica is the Touring, priced at $40,345—$2,450 more than a base 2025 Carnival. However, this Pacifica is starting to show its age, as it’s been mostly the same since 2016 (it received a decent refresh and optional all-wheel drive for 2021). Like the Kia, a gas V-6 engine is standard. Pricing can stretch well past $55,000 for a top-level Pacifica Pinnacle (which runs $6,130 over a Carnival SX Prestige), and opting for the gas-electric powertrain pushes that pricing even higher. It’s notable that the Pacifica Hybrid has a plug-in hybrid powertrain offering around 30 miles of EV-only range if plugged in.
In terms of fuel efficiency, the Carnival doesn’t offer any quoted all-electric driving range but does come in at $5,795 cheaper than the least-expensive Pacifica Hybrid. It’s important to note that no Pacifica Hybrid offers the gas version’s AWD, yet the top-level Pinnacle model is still nearly $60,000—$3,590 more than the priciest 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige.
When comparing to the Toyota Sienna, it is noteworthy that the Sienna not only offers a fully hybrid powertrain but also provides AWD across all its trims. The Carnival nonetheless surpasses the 2024 Sienna LE in both passenger space and cargo capacity except for third-row seating, as well as in price. At $39,080, the Sienna LE is a more expensive entry than the Carnival LX by $1,185, although its hybrid setup delivers impressive fuel economy of 35 to 36 mpg combined, depending on the configuration.
Availability
The 2025 Kia Carnival is expected to hit dealer lots soon, with an on-sale date set for the “summer of 2024.” With the pricing announcement now made, vehicle carriers will soon stop off at Kia dealer lots. We are still awaiting the hybrid’s fuel economy figures, but we anticipate they will surpass the V-6 model’s 18 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined.
