Some of us are only just getting used to the fact that there’s a handsome, 3rd generation Kia Carnival available in showrooms, but it looks as if a 4th gen model’s already close to release. The company released a teaser for an upcoming version which they say is the brand’s “fourth-generation Carnival” and is “all-new”.
Judging from the teaser image, the 4th generation Kia Carnival will double down on angular design.
This silver image is the current, 3rd generation model. Compared to the 4th gen teaser, the headlamps and grille are less integrated, and there’s a strong kink on the C-pillar. The headlights are also a bit more conservative in the current model, where the new model looks a bit smaller and more dynamic.
Besides that, the design looks like an evolution of the current look. Perhaps like the ‘new’ Hyundai Santa Fe, this is somewhere between an all-new model and a facelift whereby it keeps many design elements familiar but modernises the chassis instead.
The first generation Kia Carnival lasted a good long run between 1998 and 2005 and was available in Malaysia as the Naza Ria. the second generation lasted a pretty long time as well, between 2005 and 2014. The 3rd gen has had a surprisingly short run, being introduced around 2015 and replaced in 2020.
For more, here’s the press release.
PRESS RELEASE
Kia Motors Corporation has hinted at the design of the brand’s fourth-generation Carnival flagship minivan today. Released in Korean specification, the all-new Carnival – sold in many markets worldwide as the Kia Sedona – will appeal to progressive young families with its combination of innovation, flexibility, and style.
The new model builds on its predecessors’ heritage in the mid-sized MPV segment, following more than two million Carnival sales worldwide since the first generation launched in 1998. With a stronger, more stylish presence, futuristic new details and an SUV-inspired design, Kia designers have even dubbed the new model a ‘Grand Utility Vehicle’.
At the front, the Carnival’s confident new face seamlessly integrates high-tech headlamps with Kia’s iconic ‘tiger-nose’ grille. Kia’s designers call this ‘symphonic architecture’, with the design of the front bringing together a range of detailed, technical features which create a sense of harmony and structural energy.
From the side, a bold character line runs the length of the car, linking the front and rear lamps, with its glasshouse characterized by a new chrome fin which extends to surround the rear.
The new Kia Carnival is due on-sale in Korea in the third quarter of 2020, with global sales in many of Kia’s markets to follow thereafter. Kia will release new images and more details about the fourth-generation Carnival soon.
