In short ,
- The new Carnival received 1,822 pre-orders in one day.
- The EV9 is Kia’s most expensive automobile globally.
- The EV9 is the company’s second electric vehicle in India, following the EV6
Kia will debut its new Carnival premium MPV and EV9 luxury SUV in India today. Both versions will first be sold in fully assembled (CBU) avatars. The automaker has already established itself as a significant mass-market player with popular models such as the Sonet, Seltos, and Carens. The two new vehicles are designed to strengthen the company’s position in the luxury segment.
Kia Carnival, Kia EV9 Features
Both the Carnival and the EV9 are feature-rich models. For perspective, the EV9 is Kia’s most costly vehicle globally.
The Carnival includes second-row luxury powered relaxation seats with ventilation and leg support, a one-touch smart power sliding door, a dual sunroof, a 12-speaker Bose premium sound system, dual panoramic curved displays (12.3-inch CCNC infotainment and 12.3-inch instrument cluster), and Level 2 ADAS with 23 autonomous features.
The EV9 includes an 18-way driver power seat with memory function, a 12-way front passenger power seat, second-row captain seats with 8-way power adjust, second-row massage seats, a Trinity panoramic display (12.3-inch instrument cluster, 6-inch HVAC controls, and 12.3-inch touchscreen navigation), a dual sunroof, ten airbags, next-generation Kia Connect with over 100 features, vehicle to load (V2L), and more than 27 ADAS functionalities.
Kia Carnival and Kia EV9 Specifications
The Carnival has a Smartstream 2.2-litre in-line 4-cylinder E-VGT CRDi engine that generates 193PS of maximum power and 441Nm of peak twisting force. The engine is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The EV9 is built on the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), which will support future Hyundai electric cars (EVs) in India. Kia has chosen the EV9 all-wheel-drive (AWD) with a dual-motor configuration for the Indian market, which offers a combined power output of 384PS and peak torque of 700Nm. The vehicle can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds. It claims a range of 561 kilometers (ARAI) on a single full charge. With a 350kW DC fast charger, the battery can be recharged from 10-80% in just 24 minutes.
Kia Carnival & Kia EV9 Dimensions
When it comes to proportions, the Carnival and EV9 are quite enormous. The Carnival is 5,155mm long, 1,995mm wide, 1,775mm tall with roofrails, and has a 3,090mm wheelbase. The MPV has 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside the cabin, there are seven seats (2+2+3).
The EV9 measures 5,015mm long, 1,980mm wide, and 1,780mm tall, including roofrails. The wheelbase measures 3,100mm. The vehicle has 20-inch alloy wheels. The interior has a 6-seat (2+2+2) arrangement.
Kia Carnival, Kia EV9 Price
We predict the Carnival pricing to be around Rs 50 lakh (ex-showroom). The EV9 might cost around Rs 1 crore (ex-showroom).
Kia Carnival and Kia EV9 Rivals
Carnival and EV9 do not have any direct competitors in the Indian market. However, the Carnival may entice consumers considering Toyota’s Innova Hycross, Maruti Suzuki’s Invicto, and even Toyota’s Fortuner and JSW MG’s Gloster. The EV9 will compete with the EQE of Mercedes-Benz and the iX of BMW.