Kia Sales Malaysia officially launches the new, facelifted 2026 Kia Carnival - 7 Seater at RM188,888 and 11 Seater at RM248,888 before insurance

 

Kia Sales Malaysia (KSM), which is the official Malaysian arm of Kia vehicles, has launched the new 2026 Kia Carnival. The launch marks the company’s first model introduction since the establishment of KSM. Kia’s flagship MPV is now sold in its facelifted form and was first seen at the end of October 2023 for the 2025 model year onwards. For Malaysia, the new Kia Carnival is offered in two locally assembled (CKD) variants from launch, namely, the 2.2D 11-seater and 2.2D 7-seater, providing flexibility for both large families and executive-oriented users.

The 2026 Kia Carnival has a more distinctive exterior styling than its pre-facelifted predecessor. It features Kia's current "Opposites United" design language and gets redesigned headlights and taillights, the deletion of the visible handle for the tailgate release, a revamped interior with an updated centre console and new switchgear, plus some new interior features with updated technology and convenience features. It is locally assembled in Kulim, Kedah and will cost RM188,888 for the 11 seater and RM248,888 for the more premium equipped 7 seater variants before any insurance but with Road Tax.

Kia Sales Malaysia President and CEO, Hyung Ho Kim said, “The launch of the new Kia Carnival represents more than just a product introduction – it reflects our long-term commitment to Malaysia. At Kia Sales Malaysia, our strategy is centred on offering the best-fit products for local customers, combining quality, relevance and long-term ownership value. The new Kia Carnival is a clear embodiment of this philosophy and an important milestone as we continue to strengthen Kia’s presence in Malaysia.”

Kia Sales Malaysia Managing Director, Emily Lek added “This launch is our first introduction to the market to get to know us again. The question “Kenapa Pilih Kia?” is the question that ignites this new era of Kia in Malaysia. This is the new Kia: thoughtful in design, purposeful in innovation and made to inspire in every journey.”

Here, we still get Kia's 2.2-litre Smartstream four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, producing 202 PS at 3,800 rpm and 440 Nm of torque from 1,750 to 2,750 rpm. It is coupled to  an eight-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels and delivers a balanced blend of performance and efficiency, with a claimed combined fuel consumption of 6.5 litres per 100 km (NEDC). The reason KSM kept the diesel here for Malaysia is that the powertrain is familiar with Kia Carnival customers here and KSM claims that it offers the best balance between fuel economy and range, claiming that it offers more range than an equivelant 2.5liter petrol MPV and more range than any fully electric MPV on sale in Malaysia today. With its claimed 900 over km range on a single tank of diesel, it does give more range than any 2.5liter petrol MPV or EV MPV on sale today. Maybe if there was a hybrid MPV here in Malaysia would there be a proper challenger here. 

That said, Kia has a petrol hybrid powered Kia Carnival which has a 1.6-litre T-GDi Hybrid turbocharged petrol and while KSM have not confirmed anything on this variant being sold here, they have stated that they are looking into all factors in terms of bringing in the best products for Malaysian customers.

In terms of design, the new Kia Carnival's styling is guided by Kia’s “Opposites United” design philosophy, the new Kia Carnival adopts a more daring visual identity. The revised front-end design features a wide front grille complemented by a cleanly sculpted bumper for improved aerodynamics, as well as a harmonised skid plate.

The distinctive Star Map daytime running light (DRL) graphic, together with a unique vertical headlamp cluster, reinforces a high-tech and sophisticated image.

At the rear, the new Kia Carnival presents a more refined and progressive look. The repositioning of the licence plate housing to the lower tailgate creates a cleaner surface, while the bold Star Map tail lamps integrate seamlessly with Kia’s latest design identity.

The Kia Carnival is available in a 2-2-3 seating layout for the 7-seater and a 2-3-3-3 configuration for the 11-seater, the interior caters to a wide range of lifestyle needs. The Carnival 7-seater variant features Premium Relaxion Seats with a lateral slide function in the second row, elevating passenger comfort. The 7-seater variant further features fold-flat sinking third-row seats, which frees up additional cargo space.

The Carnival 11-seater variant, meanwhile, features a central folding jump seat in the second and third rows for easier access for rear passengers. These seats, especially the last row may be a little tight, but it does allow someone to carry their extended family in 

Ambient lighting spanning the width of the dashboard enhances the sense of space, while the horizontally aligned information and climate control panel present a sleek, uncluttered appearance. Ambient lighting extends to the crash pad and door trims, allowing occupants to further personalise the cabin atmosphere.

Dominating the cockpit is a curved panoramic display, seamlessly integrating dual 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch infotainment screens into a luxurious and user-friendly panel. Usability is improved through physical infotainment and climate controls, while enlarged deluxe-size cup holders easily accommodate larger beverages.

The new Kia Carnival, offers a total of eight airbags, including a new centre-side airbag that prevents secondary collision between front- seat passengers in the event of an impact.

All variants come equipped as standard with a comprehensive suite of safety and driver assistance features. These include:

• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2.0 (FCA 2.0)

• Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA)

• Highway Drive Assist 2 (HDA 2)

• Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)

• Lane Following Assist (LFA)

• Driver Attention Warning (DAW)

• High Beam Assist (HBA)

• Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA)

• Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCTA)

• Rear Occupant Alert (ROA)

The new Kia Carnival is offered in four exterior colours: Meteor Gray, Snowflake White Pearl, Astra Blue, and Jet Black. 

Every new Kia Carnival is backed by a 5-year / 150,000 km warranty (whichever comes first), providing added peace of mind.

So another question that comes to mind for you readers out there is how did KSM manage to price the new Kia Carnival lower than when it was sold by their previous distributors. From what we can see is the market is different from when the pre-facelift 4th generation Kia Carnival was launched. In 2022, the brand was under an authorised distributor and not a direct standalone principal led setup. There could be another cost centre to consider due to this. 

Secondly, the current Malaysian automotive sector is vastly different, and this is the major factor that has most likely caused KSM to price the new Carnival lower than previously (over RM266K for the 7 seater). There are now so many new car brands especially those from China and these new brands have created more competition as everyone is actually fighting for a share in the non-national car segment between RM100K to RM250k. From low prices to a lot of rebates make this segment super competitive, and even if the product is of fantastic quality, like this Carnival, it may not be sufficient if the pricing isn't right. Personally, the new prices are competitive and combined with a vehicle that feels nice to look at on the outside, and having a very tactile feeling interior, the Carnival is warrants people to try out this MPV.

Interested customers can explore the model on the official Kia Malaysia website at www.kia.com/my or visit their nearest authorised showroom to arrange a test drive. The new Kia Carnival joins other models available for booking, including the Kia Sportage, and Kia EV9.

For sales, servicing inquiries, or 24-hour roadside assistance, contact Kia Sales Malaysia Customer Support at 1300 88 0133 or customersupport@kia-my.com. Do not contact us. Some of you somehow think that we are related to the brands that we report on.