Kia Carnival luxury MPV, EV9 SUV launch today

Kia will launch the new Carnival luxury MPV and the EV9 luxury SUV in India today. Both models will initially be sold in completely built-up (CBU) avatars. The carmaker has already established itself as a major mass-market player with popular models like the Sonet, Seltos and Carens. The two new vehicles are expected to enhance the company’s presence in the luxury space.
Both Carnival and EV9 are feature-loaded models. Just for reference, the EV9 is Kia’s most expensive vehicle worldwide.
The Carnival is loaded with features like second-row luxury powered relaxation seats with ventilation and leg support, one touch smart power sliding door, dual sunroof, 12-speaker Bose premium sound system, dual panoramic curved display (12.3-inch CCNC infotainment and 12.3-inch instrument cluster, and Level 2 ADAS with 23 autonomous features.
The EV9 is boasts features like 18-way driver power seat with memory function, 12-way front passenger power seat, second-row captain seats with 8-way power adjust, second-row massage seats, Trinity panoramic display (12.3-inch instrument cluster, 6-inch HVAC controls and 12.3-inch touchscreen navigation), dual sunroof, 10 airbags, next-gen Kia Connect with over 100 features, vehicle to load (V2L) and more than 27 ADAS functionalities.

Kia Carnival

The Carnival employs a Smartstream 2.2-litre in-line 4-cylinder E-VGT CRDi engine, which produces 193PS of maximum power and 441Nm of peak twisting force. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.
The EV9 is based on Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), which will underpin future Hyundai electric vehicles (EVs) in India. For the Indian market, Kia has opted for the EV9 all-wheel-drive (AWD) with a dual-motor arrangement, having a combined power output of 384PS and peak torque of 700Nm. The vehicle can accelerate from 0-100kmph in just 5.3 seconds. It has a claimed range of 561km (ARAI) on a single full charge. With a 350kW DC fast charger, the battery can be juiced up from 10-80% in merely 24 minutes.

Kia EV9

The Carnival and the EV9 are quite large when we consider their dimensions. The Carnival measures 5,155mm in length, 1,995mm in width, 1,775mm in height with roofrails and has a 3,090mm long wheelbase. The MPV drives on 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside the cabin, there is a 7-seater (2+2+3) layout.
Talking about the EV9, it is 5,015mm long, 1,980mm wide, 1,780mm tall with roofrails. Its wheelbase measures 3,100mm. The vehicle drives on 20-inch alloy wheels. The cabin has a 6-seater (2+2+2) configuration.

Kia Carnival

We expect the Carnival price to be close to Rs 50 lakh (ex-showroom). The EV9 price might be around Rs 1 crore (ex-showroom).

Kia EV9

Both Carnival and EV9 do not have direct rivals in the Indian market. However, the Carnival might attract buyers considering Toyota’s Innova Hycross, Maruti Suzuki’s Invicto, and even Toyota’s Fortuner and JSW MG’s Gloster. The EV9 will rival the EQE of Mercedes-Benz and the iX of BMW.