Shortly after Kia Sales Malaysia (KSM) went online, it appears that the first model that they will be introducing is the facelifted Kia Carnival, as seen on teaser images on their social media platforms.
The biggest hint is the signature lighting of the teaser model – both ends of the daytime running lights (DRLs) that expand. Given that the teaser image also mentioned “spaces that inspire”, further hints at the Carnival and its large cabin.
The model has already gone on sale in Thailand as a CBU Malaysia unit. Over in the Kingdom, the variants ditch the long-serving 2.2-litre turbodiesel in favour of a petrol-electric hybrid, featuring a 1.6-litre turbo mill hooked up to an electric motor that offers a combined system output of 245 PS and 367 Nm of torque – 10 PS more than the Tucson HEV and Santa Fe HEV.
Read Also: New 2025 Kia Carnival launched in Thailand: Now with hybrid, Malaysia soon?
Apart from the new powertrain, the Kia Carnival facelift also gets a new look. The front-end now looks bolder than ever before, featuring Kia’s signature Tiger Nose front grille that’s bigger than the pre-facelift model. The slim LED headlights now make way for a pair of vertically-aligned LED units, while a revised front bumper completes the front fascia.
The rear of the Kia Carnival facelift also gets a similar treatment – out goes the simple-looking full-width LED tail light, now replaced with a full-width unit that further extends at each end, mirroring the front fascia.
Our neighbours up north get a new set of 19-inch block-shaped alloy wheels, which should be identical to what we get.
Changes to the cabin are less drastic than the exterior. There’s a new widescreen display that houses the driver’s digital display and infotainment unit – 12.3-inch for both on upper variants.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard fitment, and Kia has replaced the USB-A ports with USB-C ones, though count still remains at six.
The outgoing Kia Carnival 2.2D is priced from RM 193,000 for the 8-seater variant, while the 7-seater is priced from RM 218,000.