Kia Carnival 11-seater cabin setup detailed; centre-assist seats, stowable 4th row, flat-folding function

First unveiled last June with a more comprehensive set of details released in August 2020, the Kia Grand Carnival is a capacious people-mover that comes in seven-, nine- and 11-seater cabin configurations. Here, the automaker has released a video detailing the accommodation possibilities in its largest head-count setup.

Measuring 5,155 mm long with a 3,090 mm wheelbase and 1,995 mm wide, rear overhang in the fourth-generation Grand Carnival has grown by 30 mm to 1,130 mm to the benefit of third-row space and luggage capacity. Inside, passenger count is maximised with the inclusion of the centre assist seats in the second and third rows, which fold and stow away to facilitate access to the rear of the Grand Carnival cabin.

Here, the backs of the centre assist seats features cupholders and a tray, enabling its use as a table when folded down, while the second- and third-row seats are on rails to enable fore and aft movement to allow space for easier entry and exit.

When more luggage capacity is required in place of the full seating arrangement, the fourth row in the Grand Carnival’s cabin can be stowed away into the boot floor. With the fourth row of seats retracted, the 11-seater Grand Carnival can also deploy the full-flat seat function.

When the vehicle is stationary, the full-flat seat function is enabled by the removal of headrests from the second-row seats, and sliding the second- and third-row seats forwards and rearwards respectively to make room.

At launch, the third-generation Kia Grand Carnival was announced with a range of three engine options, led by the direct- and port-injected 3.5 litre petrol V6 engine producing 294 PS and 355 Nm of torque. This unit features cooled exhaust gas recirculation, integrated thermal management and a cross-flow system in order to maximise efficiency, while certain markets will get a port-injection version that outputs 272 PS and 332 Nm of torque.

A more torque-rich offering for load-lugging duties is the 2.2 litre Smartstream four-cylinder turbodiesel, which produces 202 PS and 440 Nm of torque. This unit employs an aluminium block in place of the previous generation’s cast-iron item, saving 20 kg in the process. All engines are mated with an eight-speed automatic.

Safety kit varies depending on the market it enters, though notable features include AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control with optional navigation guidance, lane centring assist, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, rear cross traffic alert and driver attention warning.