Kia Carnival 2024: Australia “pushing hard” for turbo hybrid versions  

The upcoming facelifted fourth-technology Carnival folk mover, that Kia Australia has confirmed for native originate early subsequent 365 days, will probably be equipped with lengthy-rumoured turbo petrol hybrid energy if the importer can secure a wholesome enough allocation of the powertrain layout.

For the time being powered by a different of 216kW 3.5-litre petrol V6 and 148kW 2.2-litre diesel four, it’s been broadly forecast that the revamped Carnival lineup, lately spied undisguised, will offer a different of the 169kW hybrid layout that pairs a 132kW 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine with a 40kW motor and 1.5kWh lithium-ion battery on the moment equipped within the Sorento sizable SUV.

“We’re strongly pushing for the [1.6L turbo petrol hybrid in Carnival],” Kia Australia in model supervisor of product planning Roland Rivero told Chasing Autos on the most up-to-date originate of the EV9 electrical SUV.

“We have confidence our hand up for it, and we unquestionably seek a marketplace for it.”

Nonetheless, as Rivero explains, the turbo-petrol hybrid powertrain rollout in Carnival shall be halted or even delayed due to construct points that, as reported earlier this 365 days, have confidence caused production a bottleneck for Sorento that saw the specter of hybrid variations of the sizable SUV being halted from sale all over 2023.

“For the time being, [facelifted Carnival] pattern for Australia is tranquil being worked on,” Rivero says.

“If we seek for on the experience we’re on the moment going thru with Sorento, the majority of [hybrid supply] is going to the [Korean] home market or to North The United States.

“It would perchance per chance also very wisely be no longer easy on the provision aspect…so we have confidence now to seek for at all aspects of the feasibility.”

Talking to Chasing Autos earlier this 365 days, Rivero explained the pickle with Sorento that in flip impacts the fortunes of the Carnival hybrid coming to the Australian market.

“The pain is that there is supreme one factory on the moment constructing [our] hybrids for the arena. Even even supposing our Georgia factory produces the Sorento, they don’t build a hybrid. So Korea is tranquil supplying the hybrid [Sorento] wants of North American, Europe and themselves.”

Carnival to affix Sorento and Sportage hybrid units

Two hybrid programs are on the moment equipped in Sorento: a self-charging 169kW series-parallel layout that debuted in 2022, as wisely as a 195kW walk-in hybrid providing 60km (tested) of pure electrical vary.

Each and every hybrid formats had been deployed as flagship powertrain alternatives, in Sorento GT-Line guise, and each were plagued by provide points. The allocation of hybrid provide is determined by Kia’s global headquarters.

If the Carnival hybrid does land within the community, this will probably followed the excellent-anticipated midsize Sportage hybrid residence for a January 2024 and a model that Kia Australia has successfully secured in lengthy-wheelbase guise, rather than the short-wheelbase Euro-spec produced in Kia’s Slovakian factory that, too, has caused Kia Australia provide and trade-connected headaches within the previous.

“Sportage hybrid is a green gentle out of Korea and fortunately for us, we don’t have to share it with Europe,” Rivero said earlier this 365 days.

Now not like the single-factory production of Sorento and Carnival, the Sportage is constructed in two different services that offer different markets.

The four-technology Carnival has so some distance loved dominance in its phase, with round 80 percent market share previously.

Facelifted Carnival specification printed

Even supposing the Australian specification has yet to be printed, the worldwide characteristic list for the Carnival Hybrid has been confirmed to present upgrades corresponding to Kia’s unusual Connected Automobile Navigation Cockpit (CCnC) which enables wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

In Korea, the Carnival hybrid has a rated gasoline consumption of 7.1L/100km which compares with 7.6L/100km within the hot diesel possibility.

Other valuable facets encompass:

• New LED front fascia and grille make
• Twin 12.3-run displays
• Rain sensing wipers
• Blind residence peek video show cameras
• USB-C charging ports
• A ways off tidy parking serve
• Digital key accumulate admission to
• Philosophize recognition

The facelifted Kia Carnival vary is due to originate in Australia in Q1 2024.