KiaCarnival2025Overview/kia/carnival/2025/base/

2025 Kia Carnival

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2025 Carnival.

Transmission Automatic (S8)

The 2025 Kia Carnival is defined by its S8 automatic transmission and EPA fuel economy figures of 18/26/21 mpg, representing the core of its mechanical specification. Reliability data for this model year reflects 119 total owner complaints predominantly targeting the electrical system, alongside a single recall. Within the Carnival's 20222026 complaint history, the 2025 model year sits well below the 131-complaint peak of 2022, indicating that initial generation issues are subsiding as the vehicle steadily trends toward its most reliable year in 2026.

Model year2026202520232022

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

EPA fuel economy18/26/21 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S8)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length203.1 in
Overall width78.3 in
Overall height68.5 in
Wheelbase121.7 in
Curb weight4852 lb
Track (front / rear)68.9 / 68.9 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)55/45

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 26 / 21 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Carnival of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.5–8.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.50 sec — 2025 MPV SX Prestige
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2025MPV SX Prestige 3.5L V67.50 sec15.70 sec287 hpFWD
2025MPV HEV SX Prestige 1.6L Turbo I-4 + Elec7.80 sec16.10 sec242 hpFWD
2025MPV HEV SX Prestige 1.6L Turbo I-4 + Elec7.90 sec16.00 sec242 hpFWD
2025MPV HEV SX Prestige 1.6L Turbo I-4 + Elec8.00 sec16.20 sec242 hpFWD
2023MPV SX Prestige 3.5L V67.50 sec15.80 sec290 hpFWD
2022MPV SX 3.5L V67.00 sec15.30 sec290 hpFWD
2022MPV SX Prestige 3.5L V67.20 sec15.60 sec290 hpFWD
2022MPV SX Prestige 3.5L V67.30 sec15.50 sec290 hpFWD

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 48,000 mi; coolant every 24,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 24,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 8,000 miCabin Air Filter (inspect) · Intercooler (inspect)
Every 8,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect)
Every 16,000 miCV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect)
Every 24,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Hybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)
At 48,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 48,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 64,000 miDrive Belt (replace)
At 120,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Hybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2025 Kia Carnival sits in an unusual position within the generation's complaint arc. After a sharp drop from 131 complaints in the 2022 launch year to 46 in 2023, complaints climbed back to 64 in 2024 and then nearly doubled to 119 in 2025—the second-highest total in the five-year record. While recalls have steadily declined from 6 in 2022 to just 1 for 2025, and TSBs have also fallen (91 to 48), the complaint spike is driven overwhelmingly by 58 electrical system reports, with no root cause specified in the data. The 2026 model shows a dramatic drop to only 20 complaints, suggesting the 2025 may represent a temporary quality blip rather than a lasting trend. Given the high complaint count, especially in a single area, the 2025 Carnival is a riskier buy than either the 2024 or the upcoming 2026 model year.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
48
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
119
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Frontal★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 119 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System58
Unknown Or Other11
Fuel/Propulsion System4
Engine4
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting3
Electrical System,Vehicle Speed Control,Engine2
Seats2
Lane Departure2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

26V232000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 10/04/2026

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Carnival vehicles. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the fuel pipe and fuel rail. Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 48 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PSD_REMINDER2_1052026-06-19StructureIMPORTANT REMINDER: OWNER NOTIFICATION: CARNIVAL POWER SLIDING DOOR FEATURE (KA4PSD2…
OTA_ELE413_NOTES_R22026-06-17Electrical SystemRELEASE NOTES: OVER-THE-AIR: SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR DATA CONNECTIVITY (ELE413 Revision 2)…
PI2602_TSB2026-06-15SeatsTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: 2ND ROW SEAT (LH & RH) FOLDING…
PI2602_OWNR2026-06-11SeatsPRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (PI2602) - This document is the owner…
PI2602_QA2026-06-09SeatsPRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER (PI2602) - This document is the…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Carnival. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2025 Carnival have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Carnival get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 26 highway / 21 combined mpg.