2023 Kia Carnival Special Edition on sale now to beat stock shortages
A special-edition of the Kia Carnival people mover is coming to Australia – to cut wait times for buyers stuck in the queue.
The Kia Carnival people mover range is due to expand with a new Special Edition next month as an alternative for customers facing long wait times and delays on top-of-the-range models.
Priced from $61,190 plus on-road costs with a petrol V6, or $63,190 with turbo-diesel power, the Carnival Special Edition fits between the SLi and Platinum to "assist with supply amidst the ... semiconductor shortage," according to a Kia Australia spokesperson.
"Customers currently waiting on Carnival SLi and Platinum models will be offered the opportunity to swap to the [Special Edition] to bring forward their delivery time or they can choose to wait," the Kia representative told Drive.
It is $3410 dearer than the SLi, but $4380 cheaper than the Platinum, and adds a selection of luxury features and design elements from the Platinum, including black 19-inch wheels, dual sunroof panels, heated seats, and wireless phone charging.
However, it does not gain features such as a 12-speaker Bose premium sound system and an electric passenger seat – which require more semiconductors, that are in short supply.
The new variant also only has auto up/down functionality for the driver's window – not all side windows – as per other models.
The first examples of the 2023 Kia Carnival Special Edition are due in local showrooms in late March.
The arrival of the Special Edition comes as high demand and restricted supply continues long wait times for high-grade Kia Carnival models, particularly for petrol V6 versions which are in low stock due to its popularity in North America and the Middle East.
The addition of a selection of features missing at the current Kia Carnival's launch in 2021 – a widescreen digital instrument cluster, Blind-Spot View Monitor side cameras, and rain-sensing windscreen wipers – has been pushed back multiple times due to the amount of backorders yet to be cleared.
The Kia Carnival is expected to be given a facelift in a year from now – with prototypes spied testing on the road in South Korea – which could introduce the unavailable features.
2023 Kia Carnival Special Edition adds (over SLi):
- 19-inch black alloy wheels
- 'Platinum trim' front grille
- Chrome front bumper, door garnish and skid plates
- Dual sunroof panels
- LED interior lighting
- Front and rear (second row) heated seats
- Wireless smartphone charger
- Rear occupant alert
- 3D-patterned interior garnish mood lighting
- Manual sunshade window blinds
- Auto up/down power windows on driver's side only (previously front and rear)
This is in addition to 2023 Kia Carnival SLi features, which include:
- 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation
- 4.2-inch instrument cluster display
- Eight-speaker sound system
- 360-degree camera
- Proximity-key entry and push-button start
- Hands-free power tailgate
- Power-operated sliding doors
- 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Dual-zone auto climate control
- Dusk-sensing LED headlights and tail-lights
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter
However, the Special Edition misses out on these 2023 Kia Carnival Platinum features:
- 12-speaker Bose premium sound system
- Heated steering wheel
- Ventilated front seats
- 12-way driver and eight-way passenger power-adjustable seats
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