Multi-Purpose Vehicle Wins for Style and Technology

• Editors note Carnival MPV “remakes the familiar” with unexpected spirit of luxury SUV
• Kia among 12 winners including high-tech and luxury brands 

The Kia Carnival MPV, one of Kia’s most popular new models, has been named among the “Best New Cars for 2022” by Autotrader.

“Inclusion of the Carnival MPV among Autotrader’s ‘Best New Cars for 2022’ confirms why this vehicle has shattered sales and consumer expectations,” said Steven Center, COO and EVP, Kia America. “The experts at AutoTrader have discovered in the Carnival all that is core to the Kia experience – design, quality, value and refinement.”

AutoTrader noted Carnival MPV takes on a segment that is best known for a series of stereotypes but that Carnival has successfully challenged consumer expectations with a design reminiscent of the popular SUV segment while delivering even more of what that today’s family demands in a vehicle of this size and purpose.

“The Kia Carnival is notable for two specific reasons. First, it proves you don’t need to buy from a traditional luxury brand to get a truly luxurious vehicle. And second, Kia has taken the best parts of a family car and combined those with the utility, look, and appeal of a high-end SUV,” said Brian Moody, Executive Editor, AutoTrader.  “Kia vehicles are so significantly different today versus just a few years ago, new car shoppers owe it to themselves to test drive a Kia before making a final decision.” 

• Carnival reached 9.3% share of the MPV segment in 2021, up 3.3 points compared to Sedona in 2020.
• In 1st full year at retail, Carnival MPV exceeded total Sedona sales in each year between 2008 and 2020.
• Nearly 75% of Carnival MPV sales are conquests from other MPV manufacturers.
• Dealer inventory averaged just five days from delivery to retail sale in January 2022.

The Best New Cars for 2022 is comprised of 12 vehicles selected by a team of experts at Autotrader, who collectively tested and ranked new models using a range of criteria. Because there are many new or redesigned vehicles for 2022, the editors focused on models that would be available for purchase within the next nine months and included vehicles they think offer significant value or are groundbreaking in some other way. 2022 also marks the third year in a row that a Kia has been awarded a spot on this highly competitive list, with the Kia Telluride noted in 2020 and the Kia K5 and Kia Sorento in 2021.