October 28th 2023
There might be an upcoming car exhibition in Tokyo coinciding with the 2023 Japan Mobility Show. However, Kia is still set to introduce two significant products this week. Shortly after revealing the 2025 K5, they are now unveiling the 2025 Carnival with a focus on its exterior. The minivan’s headlights and taillights have undergone a complete redesign, featuring a layout reminiscent of the letter “T.”
It appears that the updated front grille will exhibit distinct patterns based on the trim level. In addition to this, the South Korean version of this family vehicle introduces a “Gravity” variant with sleek dark metallic accents. Similar to the midsize sedan mentioned earlier, the front bumper now boasts a more streamlined design with the removal of separate fog lights. At the rear, Kia has repositioned the license plate indentation to a lower position on the tailgate.
The rear of the 2025 Carnival boasts a sleeker appearance without an exposed handle to access the tailgate. Additionally, the placement of the Kia emblem has been adjusted, no longer intersecting the rear light bar. It has been lowered in a manner consistent with the 2025 K5’s design philosophy. The lower taillights in the rear bumper appear slimmer, and the metallic trim on the bumper now extends further compared to the previous, non-facelifted model.
Images of the interior remain undisclosed at this time, but sources from Korea suggest it will incorporate the curved display screens and fingerprint recognition technology recently introduced in the updated K5 model. The most significant alteration is anticipated beneath the vehicle’s hood, where the Carnival is highly likely to adopt a hybrid powertrain, featuring a turbocharged 1.6-liter gasoline engine and an electric motor, a configuration inherited from the Sorento.
While specific power figures are undisclosed, this setup in the SUV delivers a combined 227 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The official unveiling is scheduled for the upcoming weeks. In the United States, the Carnival has already made its debut for the 2024 model year, making it probable that this mid-cycle update will be available as the 2025 model year option.
Source and Images: Motor1