2021 Kia Carnival gets a ‘Hi Limousine’ variant

KUALA LUMPUR: Kia has already transformed its Carnival minivan into a Grand Utility Vehicle that made its debut back in August in its home market. And now the Korean automaker has come up with an all-new variant of the model, dubbed as Hi Limousine. 

The 2021 Kia Carnival new trim comes in two seating configurations - seven- and nine and features a high roof as its standout highlight. In the revealed images, we can notice a roof box that looks like additional cargo space, but that’s not the case. Kia has added this taller roof for better headroom inside the cabin; the new variant offers 291 mm more headroom than the regular version.

Other deviations from the standard Carnival include a front bumper guard, side steps, skid plates, Hi Limousine badge on the tailgate, and third brake light on the elevated roof structure. With these added elements, the Hi Limousine measures 45 mm more in length and 305 mm in height. However, the width and wheelbase remain unchanged.

On the inside, the 7-seater minivan features a lounge-like ambiance with captain seats in the second row along with leg rests and a bench in the third row, while the cheaper, 9-seater Carnival has a 2-2-2-3 seating layout. Standard features include a massive 21.5-inch monitor, a cabin air purifier, heated and cooled cup holders, LED ambient mood lighting, side curtains, as well as LED reading lights in the second and third-row.

Powering this new trim is a Smartstream G3.5 GDI V6 gasoline engine, which generates 294 PS of maximum power and 355 Nm of peak torque. For the transmission, there is an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

As for safety, the new Carnival Hi Limousine has advanced driver-assistance systems, including lane-keeping assist, forward collision-avoidance assist with a pedestrian, cyclist, and car detection, and blind-spot detection. Further adding to the list is a semi-autonomous Level 2 driving system and Safe Exit Assist. 

The 2021 Kia Carnival Hi Limousine price in Korea starts at 60.66 million won (RM 224,797) for the 9-seater model, while for the 7-seater, customers would have to shell out 62.71 million won (RM232,394).

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