Long live the minivan ! Let's face it, the dimensions and versatility that these  cars offer to a family are hard to beat. KIA has brought forward what they call a MPV (Multi Purpose Vehicle) to perhaps entice more families to really consider it as an alternative to the SUV growing popularity with this part of the demographics.

The all new KIA Carnival offers something else though, it feels like a car when you drive it and it is full of accessories that will please everyone in the ride.

This car was designed at Kia’s California design studio. The Carnival boxy appearance looks quite a lot smaller that what the real dimensions are. And the interior refinements really stand out.  When I drove it the V6 with almost 300 HP felt like a good midsize sedan. Quick, agile, I forgot this was a "family" car. And perhaps it is because it shares the platform of the also new KIA K5. The interior , like all KIA interiors lately, is like a luxury car.I really like the color combinations. And how about a massage seat that tilts and elevates your legs ? Unfortunately you find these seats on the second row, so you will have to have your spouse driving if you want to enjoy it .

The Carnival seems to have been build for travel and it incorporates a lot of safety tech. The features  may make travel easier, safer, and more enjoyable, Ready:

·         Standard hands-free opening power sliding doors with Smart Key

·         Available hands-free Smart Power Lift gate with auto-close (EX and above)

·         Available Smart Key with one-button open/close functionality for rear sliding doors and lift gate (EX and above)

·         Rear Occupant Alert (ROA)² uses ultrasonic sensors engineered to detect child or pet movement in the second and third rows after the doors have been locked. It then can notify the driver and surrounding area by sounding the horn, illuminating the hazard lamps. Vehicles equipped with UVO link (EX and above) will also receive notifications on their mobile phone through the UVO link app

·         Safe Exit Assist (SEA)³: Audibly alerts the driver or passengers opening their door not to exit the vehicle when the system detects approaching traffic. The system can intervene to lock the rear doors when the vehicle is equipped with available Power Child Lock

·         Rear Passenger View Camera with zoom and night vision to keep an eye on children in the back seat, even after dark (standard on EX, SX, SX-Prestige)

·         Passenger Talk cabin intercom system for clear communication between passengers up front and in the rear (standard on EX, SX, SX-Prestige)

·         Passenger Voice Recognition allows second row occupants to control numerous in-vehicle functions through voice commands by pushing a button mounted on the ceiling (standard on EX SX, SX-Prestige)

·         Dual Rear Screen Entertainment Monitors with Wireless Apple and Android device screen mirroring (standard on SX, SX-Prestige)

And like all of Kia’s lineup, the Carnival offers a wide array of standard and optional technology, including:

·         Standard 8-inch touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

·         Wireless smartphone charging⁴

·         3-in. navigation display⁵

·         3-in. full digital instrument cluster

·         Multi-Bluetooth⁶ connectivity

·         Up to nine USB ports for all three rows and two 110-volt power inverters

·         Bose⁷ Premium sound system, available with 12 high-performance speakers

·         Bose Centerpoint technology converts stereo sources into a richer surround-sound experience

·         Dynamic Speed Compensation analyzes the sound source and automatically adjusts according to speed

·         UVO link telematics offers an array of advanced connected vehicle features, such as:

·         Connected Routing: A new cloud-based route calculation system that uses UVO cloud to calculate the optimal route using real-time maps, predicted upcoming traffic info based on historical information and AI to learn the preferred routes of users

·         Connected Weather: Provides weather information for more than 25,000 cities

·         Enhanced UVO voice assist feature allows voice control of the vehicle’s climate, seat and steering-wheel heating, audio system, and other functions

·         Connected User Profiles: Allows customers to add an additional driver profile to their vehicle. The drivers can have their individual UVO accounts linked to the vehicle and access to the remote features using the Kia Access App. The profile stores some select settings in the UVO account and can be shared with other compatible Kia vehicles

·         Calendar Integration: Designed to sync your Google or iCloud calendar with UVO link allowing you to receive event notification alerts while in the vehicle, and, in some cases, navigation to your event’s destination, if the address has been entered in the calendar event

·         Last Mile Navigation: Gives you walking directions to your selected navigation destination from up to one mile away through the Kia Access with UVO link app on your compatible smartphone

·         UVO & Smart Speaker Integration lets customers use Amazon-Alexa or Google-Assistant enabled smart speaker or device to remotely control some functions (such as remote start)

·         Advanced notifications:

·         Engine Idle Notification and Automatic Engine Shut Off notifies the driver via the UVO link app if the engine is left idling and, after a pre-selected time, turns off the engine

·         Rear Occupancy Alert can send push notification alerts via the UVO link app if movement is detected inside the vehicle

·         911 Connect and Roadside Assistance will automatically attempt to call 911 via the built-in UVO modem if an airbag deploys. For non-emergencies, it can connect with 24/7 roadside assist and share the vehicle’s location

“The Kia Carnival is here to disrupt a staid segment and proves once again what is possible when conventions are shattered,” said Sean Yoon, president & CEO, Kia Motors North America, Kia Motors America. I think it will. So you may want to check the Carnival out , I was impressed and if I went back a few years in age, I could see how comfortable and safe for the family this car is.