Think limousine and the first picture that pops into your head will no doubt be something resembling a stretched sedan. But if you think about it, it actually makes a lot more sense to create such a vehicle out of an MPV, which won’t require any stretching due to its already vast floor area. Kia recently cottoned on to this idea, and the end result is a four-seater based on the fourth-generation Carnival.
The Carnival usually seats between seven and 11 occupants, depending on the model chosen, but this Kia Carnival has room for just four, with the two rear seats occupants getting the full limousine treatment. This includes individual reclining chairs, upholstered in 3D quilted Nappa leather and featuring fold-out leg rests and a massage function.
These back seat riders are also treated to a foot massaging device, built into the console behind the front seats as well as a 21,5-inch monitor and a 7-inch touchscreen system to activate and control the aforementioned features. To keep your beverages at the optimal temperature, this limo also comes with a heated and cooled storage compartment, and heated/cooled cup holders built into the rear seat arm rests.
This particular Kia Carnival is powered by a 3,5-litre naturally aspirated V6 engine that produces 216 kW and it also has model-specific suspension tuning that aims to provide an even more comfortable ride.
The new-generation Kia Carnival is expected to arrive in South Africa later this year, although it’s unlikely that we’ll get the four-seater model as this has yet to be announced for any markets outside of South Korea. South African models are set to be powered by a new 2,2-litre turbodiesel engine, which produces 148 kW and 440 N.m.
