R O A D    T E S T

Life is usually better if you have a lot of choices.  Who wants vanilla ice cream all the time?  Now the Korean minivan comes in two flavors: hot on the heels of the Starex’ success now comes its archrival, the Kia Carnival.  Using the second player advantage, Kia takes the minivan construction one step further than the Starex, adding comfort and styling to the affordability. 

It’s difficult to get a first impression just by looking at the Carnival—it couldn’t look more generic if it tried.  The stylists at Kia must have checked their dictionary for an illustration under the word “minivan.”   Since the Americans, specifically Chrysler, invented this type of vehicle, it seems appropriate that the Koreans took their cue from the Caravan/Voyager.  Heck, even the name is a blatant rip-off!   

Still, it fits the bill quite nicely, managing to contain all the necessary space without looking bulky.  The large multireflector headlamps, large chrome grille, large hood scoop and 3-D effect brake lights help by breaking up the monotony.   

Pop open the front door, and the driver’s seat is just high enough to slide into without bending or stepping up.  The driving position is more car-like than the Starex’s, and a far cry from the G-liner bus position favored by the L300 and MB100 vans.  The gauges are the usual black-on-white cluster of tach, speed, fuel and coolant temp.  Controls and switches are easy to reach and clearly labeled, but secondary controls like rear lights will take some getting used to before you can operate them without looking.  The gearshift is sensibly mounted on the center dash, freeing up enough floor space to walk through the front seats (with a bit of a squeeze).  The front seats are comfortable and adequately bolstered, and both even come with armrests.  It wouldn’t be luxury Korean if every surface isn’t covered in fake wood, and the Carnival doesn’t disappoint here either.  A very welcome design element is the integrated audio system, which has a large volume knob, something that Japanese automakers and stereo designers seem to have wiped out from their memory.  Also in Korean tradition, the stereo pumps out clear and loud CD music. We verified this by playing the latest selection of classic nursery rhymes.

The two rear doors slide open to reveal a cavernous interior.   The seats are not quite as talented as the slick all-folding, all-collapsing chairs of the Zafira.  The middle seat merely folds forward for easy entry, but the large door openings safely remove Ingress and Egress from the Olympic gymnastics events list. 

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