2026 Kia Carnival facelift in Malaysia – nonetheless 2.2L diesel, 11 or 7 seats, ADAS on 7-seater, priced from RM189k

Kia Gross sales Malaysia (KSM) has launched its first mannequin since taking on the model’s distributorship on January 1. The facelifted Kia Carnival arrives some two years after its international reveal and three months after it was launched in Thailandhowever hey – higher late than by no means, proper?

Similar to within the Land of Smiles, our Carnival continues to be CKD regionally assembled on the Inokom plant in Kulim, Kedah. This time, the MPV is just supplied with both 11 or seven seats, with the eight-seater mannequin having been dropped. Nett costs excluding on-the-road prices and insurance coverage however together with KSM’s new five-year/150,000 km guarantee are as follows:

• 2026 Kia Carnival 2.2D 11-seater – RM188,888
• 2026 Kia Carnival 2.2D 7-seater – RM248,888

With on-the-road prices included, the costs rise to RM189,849 for the 11-seater and RM249,849 for the seven-seater. In comparison with the earlier Carnival, the brand new 11-seater mannequin is almost RM8,700 cheaper than earlier than, whereas the seven-seater prices over RM10,000 much less – staying true to KSM’s aim of “right-pricing” its fashions. We should always level out, nonetheless, that the seven-seater is almost RM30,000 dearer than the 2025 mannequin when the latter was discounted at first of the yr.

Regardless of the hybrid model already being constructed right here for the Thai marketthe Malaysian-spec Carnival troopers on with the identical diesel engine as earlier than. This implies personal consumers will nonetheless be saddled with excessive gasoline prices with the federal government’s shift to focused diesel subsidies.

That oil burner is a 2.2 litre Smartstream D turbo four-cylinder producing 202 PS at 3,800 rpm and 440 Nm of torque from 1,750 to 2,750 rpm. It drives the entrance wheels through an eight-speed computerized gearbox, and Kia claims an NEDC-rated gasoline consumption determine of 6.5 litres per 100 km for this 2.1 tonne behemoth.

Setting the facelifted Carnival other than the outgoing mannequin is a brand new entrance fascia with a a lot wider “tiger nostril” grille, flanked by L-shaped LED headlights – with four-a-side vertical “dice” projectors – incorporating Kia’s newest Star Map LED daytime working mild graphic. The bumper design has additionally been simplified with a single downturned air consumption framed by a silver U-shaped skid plate and LED fog lights.

On the rear, you get new full-width LED taillights with the identical Star Map graphic, whereas the quantity plate recess has been moved additional down the tailgate, permitting for a bigger area for the Kia emblem to sit down. The rear bumper has additionally been redesigned with a silver bar to match the entrance.

Each fashions include roof rails and a key-detecting hands-free opening perform for the powered sliding doorways and tailgate (the latter closes while you stroll away, too). However they differ within the wheels being supplied – 18-inch two-tone turbine-style objects for the 11-seater, 19-inch rollers with a particular “cubic” design for the seven-seater. The 11-seater additionally continues to get the taller door mirrors that the seven-seater lacks.

Inside, the adjustments are extra minimal, with the 12.3-inch instrument and infotainment shows now built-in right into a single curved show. The 2 screens are actually fitted as normal – no extra analogue gauge cluster as was fitted to the earlier 11-seater.

Working them is an up to date Linked Automobile Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) infotainment system, which is quicker and options wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Additionally fitted is a full-width ambient lighting strip underneath the full-width air vents, whereas the audio and air-con controls have been mixed right into a single switchable contact panel as per the EV6, liberating up area for a bigger storage cubby. Elsewhere, the seven USB ports all through the car are actually of the USB-C form.

The cabin is configured in a 2-3-3-3 seating format for the 11-seater and a 2-2-3 format for the seven-seater. The latter’s second-row power-adjustable captain’s chairs include a one-touch Premium Rest recline perform and might be slid manually both fore and aft or aspect to aspect. On each variants, the entrance seats are eight-way energy adjustable with lumbar adjustment (the seven-seater good points driver’s aspect four-way lumbar adjustment, reminiscence, heating and air flow).

Customary equipment contains keyless entry with distant engine begin, push-button begin, triple-zone auto air-con with third-row air vents, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, fake leather-based upholstery, second- and third-row aspect window sunshades, paddle shifters, a Qi wi-fi charger, six audio system and a 360-degree monitor. The seven-seater provides a head-up show, real leather-based and a 12-speaker Bose sound system, though the outdated automotive’s twin sunroofs have been dropped with the facelift.

Frustratingly, KSM has nonetheless seen match to order driver assists to the seven-seater, even fundamental capabilities resembling autonomous emergency braking – now outfitted with junction turning collision avoidance, no less than. Different options embrace adaptive cruise management with cease and go, lane centring help, blind spot monitoring with collision avoidance, blind spot cameras, rear cross site visitors alert with auto brake and a driver consideration monitor.

Eight airbags – together with a driver’s knee airbag and a brand new entrance centre airbag – and stability management are normal fitment, as is a door opening warning and a rear seat reminder.

GALLERY: 2026 Kia Carnival 2.2D 11-seater facelift in Malaysia

GALLERY: 2026 Kia Carnival 2.2D 7-seater facelift in Malaysia

GALLERY: 2026 Kia Carnival facelift official pictures
GALLERY: 2026 Kia Carnival facelift brochure

Trying to promote your automotive? Promote it with Automobile.