2027 Kia Carnival Priced From $37,490 With New Captain’s Chairs on EX and SX

Kia has set prices for the 2027 Carnival, and the eight-seat MPV now starts at $37,490 before a $1,545 destination charge. Kia America confirmed the figures on July 6, along with a round of cabin updates that reach buyers in the middle of the lineup rather than only the top trims.

The headline change for families shopping this minivan is the arrival of second-row Captain’s Chairs on the EX and SX grades. Those reclining second-row seats used to sit higher up the range. Moving them down two trims gives more shoppers easier walk-through access between the second and third rows without paying for the loaded SX Prestige.

What the 2027 Carnival Costs

Kia splits the 2027 Carnival into gas and hybrid columns. The gas range opens with the LX at $37,490 and climbs through the LXS at $39,490, the EX at $41,690, and the SX at $46,590. The range-topping SX Prestige lands at $51,590. Every price excludes the $1,545 destination fee, so the true drive-away figure sits higher once that charge and local taxes go on.

Buyers who want the hybrid powertrain start with the HEV LXS at $41,490. The HEV EX asks $43,690, and the HEV SX tops the electrified group at $48,590. The hybrid commands roughly a $2,000 to $4,000 step up over the equivalent gas trim, a gap that fuel savings can close over several years of family driving.

• Carnival LX: $37,490
• Carnival LXS: $39,490
• Carnival EX: $41,690
• Carnival SX: $46,590
• Carnival SX Prestige: $51,590
• Carnival HEV LXS: $41,490
• Carnival HEV EX: $43,690
• Carnival HEV SX: $48,590

The pricing keeps the Carnival in the same broad band as the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey, though Kia still undercuts several rivals at the entry point while packing a longer standard equipment sheet.

Captain’s Chairs and Cabin Changes

The second-row Captain’s Chairs headline the 2027 updates, but Kia layered in several smaller revisions. A new Iceberg Green paint option joins the EX, SX, and SX Prestige trims, while Flare Red leaves the palette. The Dark Edition Package, once reserved for higher grades, now reaches the EX trim, adding blacked-out styling touches for shoppers who want a darker look without a big price jump.

Rear Seat Entertainment now ships only on the Hybrid SX Prestige fitted with VIP Lounge Seats. Those seats add leg extensions and ambient mood lighting, turning the second row into a reclining lounge that long highway trips reward. Hands-free power sliding doors and a power tailgate with auto-close round out the convenience list.

Technology and Screens Inside

Every 2027 Carnival ships with a 12.3-inch ccNC navigation display, wireless Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, and SiriusXM. Step up the range and a dual 12.3-inch panoramic curved display pairs the touchscreen with a digital instrument cluster.

Kia fits up to nine USB-C ports across all three rows, plus two 115-volt inverters and wireless phone charging, so a full load of passengers can keep devices topped up. A Wi-Fi hotspot and over-the-air update capability keep the software current, and an optional dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system with embedded streaming apps handles back-row viewing. Higher trims add a head-up display and Digital Key 2.0, which lets owners lock, unlock, and start the van with a compatible phone.

Safety Equipment on Every Trim

Kia makes a deep bench of driver aids standard rather than reserving them for costly option packs. Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with pedestrian, cyclist, and junction-turning detection comes on every Carnival, as do Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, and Driver Attention Warning. Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go is also standard, which eases stop-start commuting.

Move up the trims and the list grows to include Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Highway Driving Assist 2, a Surround View Monitor, and a Blind-Spot View Monitor that shows a camera feed of the lane beside you. Rear Occupant Alert with a radar sensor watches for children or pets left behind, Safe Exit Assist holds the doors when traffic approaches from the rear, and Parking Distance Warning covers the front, rear, and sides.

How the Carnival Fits the Segment

The Carnival occupies an unusual spot. Kia styles it like an SUV, sells it as an MPV, and prices it against traditional minivans such as the Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, and Chrysler Pacifica. The 2027 changes sharpen that pitch by spreading the more comfortable seating and darker styling further down the range.

Families cross-shopping three-row SUVs will find the Carnival offers more usable third-row space and easier cargo access than most crossovers at similar money. Shoppers who once dismissed minivans on looks alone get a body that reads closer to a large SUV. With the hybrid now spanning three trims, the Carnival also answers buyers who want minivan practicality without the fuel bills of a big gas V6.

Kia has not published on-sale timing beyond the model-year rollout, but the 2027 Carnival reaches dealers as one of the better-equipped entries in a shrinking minivan field.