Kia’s Family Hauler Dodges Tariff Tax, For Now
Kia’s 2026 Carnival soldiers on with just a small price hike despite the wildly different market conditions
May 23, 2025 at 10:29
- Kia continues to sell the Carnival with a 3.5-liter V6 and a hybrid four-cylinder.
- No updates have been made for 2026, and the Dark Edition pack remains available.
- Topping out the range is the Carnival HEV SX Prestige, starting at $53,090 before fees.
Minivans have never been cool, but of those currently available, the Kia Carnival is probably the most striking of the bunch. It was thoroughly refreshed for the 2025 model year with a new design and continues to sell well in the US. Not willing to mess with a good thing, Kia has carried the Carnival through to 2026 unchanged, although some small price hikes have been made.
The cheapest model in the Carnival family remains the LX FWD. It’s priced from $36,990, excluding a $1,435 destination fee. This makes it $190 pricier than last year, which isn’t bad at all, given how different the world is now than 12 months ago. Prices then grow to $38,990 before destination for the LXS FWD, $41,190 for the EX FWD, and $42,290 for the EX AWD.
Read: The 2026 Kia Carnival Is A Great Minivan
Sitting at the top of the regular range are the Carnival SX FWD and SX Prestige FWD, priced from $46,090 and $51,090, respectively. All of these models come equipped with a naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6 muscling out 287 hp and 260 lb-ft (352 Nm).
2026 KIA CARNIVAL US PRICING
Shoppers who want something more fuel-efficient would be wise to opt for the Carnival Hybrid. Prices for it start at $40,990 for the base LXS FWD before rising to $43,190 for the EX FWD, $48,090 for the SX FWD, and topping out at $53,090 for the SX Prestige. These models use a smaller 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid with 242 hp and 271 lb-ft (367 Nm). Unlike the 3.5-liter model that uses an eight-speed automatic, the hybrid has a six-speed ‘box.
Both 3.5-liter and 1.6-liter hybrid models can be optioned with the Dark Edition package. It includes a darkened front grille as well as dark trimmings for the side sills, C-pillars, taillight, skid plates, and roof rails. The SX versions can also be purchased with a rear-seat entertainment system that supports over-the-air software updates.
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