2026 Kia Carnival

Carnival is Kia's minivan play against Odyssey, Sienna, and Pacifica — sliding doors and three-row family utility with a clearer hybrid option than some rivals. Trade-offs: gas V6 mpg vs hybrid complexity/price.

What's confirmed (EPA 2026)

• Carnival gas 3.5L: 21 mpg combined (18 city / 25 highway)
• Carnival Hybrid 1.6L: 32 mpg combined (34 city / 31 highway)

Practical notes

Hybrid nearly matches midsize-SUV hybrid efficiency while keeping minivan packaging. Cross-shop Sienna (hybrid-only in recent US cycles), Odyssey, and Pacifica (including PHEV math if you plug in).

Safety

Score pending pending IIHS/NHTSA 2026 Carnival matrix fetch.

Method

See [How we score](/method).