The Kia Carnival (기아 카니발 in Korean) is the minivan line Americans knew for years as the Kia Sedona. Kia sold it under the Sedona name in North America and Europe, and in the US the Carnival name took over with the 2022 model year.
The Korean Carnival isn’t a copy of the US one, though. It comes with 7 or 9 seats instead of 7 or 8, and Kia Korea also sells a taller Hi-Roof version. This guide covers the name history, the seats, the two powertrains, 2027 prices in Korea and the official fuel economy.
The short answer
- The name: Carnival in Korea since 1998. In the US, the 2022 Carnival replaced the Sedona.
- Powertrains in Korea: a 3.5-liter gas engine with an 8-speed automatic, or a 1.6 turbo hybrid with a 6-speed automatic.
- Seats: 7 or 9 in Korea. Kia’s US spec sheets list 7- and 8-passenger versions.
- Korean-market version: the Hi-Roof (하이루프), 2,045 mm (80.5 in, our conversion) tall. It isn’t among the 2026 US trims.
- Price in Korea: The 2027 Carnival starts at ₩36,860,000 for the 3.5 gas Prestige 9-seater.
- Why 9 seats matter: a 9-seater with at least six people on board can use Korea’s expressway bus lanes.
How we checked
Korean specs, fuel economy and prices come from Kia Korea’s Carnival specification page, its price page and the October 2026 price list. US specs come from Kia America’s media site, and US fuel economy from fueleconomy.gov. The name history comes from Kia’s heritage archive and Kia America’s 2021 launch release. The bus lane rule comes from Korea’s Road Traffic Act Enforcement Decree.
We didn’t use dealer sites, reviews or forums. Where a figure is our own calculation or conversion, we say so.
Carnival and Sedona: one minivan, two names
Kia’s heritage archive lists the first Carnival as a 1998 model and calls it Korea’s first-generation minivan. The archive says Kia took the model abroad under the name Sedona in North America and Europe.
Kia America’s February 2021 launch release says the all-new 2022 Carnival replaces the outgoing Sedona. Since then, Kia has used the Carnival name in the US as well, so a Sedona in US listings is an older model from the same line.
Kia America calls the Carnival an MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) rather than a minivan. On Kia Korea’s site, it’s simply 카니발.
Engines and size: Korea vs the US spec sheets
Kia Korea gives power in PS and torque in kgf·m. Kia America gives hp and lb-ft. The figures in parentheses are our conversions.
| Korea (The 2027 Carnival) | US (2026 Carnival) | |
|---|---|---|
| Gas engine | 3.5 gas, 3,470 cc, 294 PS (290 hp), 36.2 kgf·m (262 lb-ft) | 3.5 V6 gas, 3,470 cc, 287.1 hp, 260.4 lb-ft |
| Hybrid | 1.6 turbo hybrid, 245 PS (242 hp) system output, 37.4 kgf·m (271 lb-ft) | 1.6 turbo hybrid, 241.7 hp and 270.5 lb-ft combined |
| Transmissions | 8-speed automatic (gas), 6-speed automatic (hybrid) | 8-speed automatic (gas), 6-speed automatic (hybrid) |
| Seats | 7 or 9 | 7 or 8 |
| Fuel tank | 72 L (19.0 US gal) | 19.0 gal |
The gas engine’s rated output differs slightly between the two sites. Kia doesn’t explain the gap, so treat the two figures as close rather than identical. The hybrid’s combined figures line up almost exactly once converted.
Kia Korea lists the Carnival at 5,155 mm (203.0 in) long and 1,995 mm (78.5 in) wide, on a 3,090 mm (121.7 in) wheelbase. Kia America’s spec sheet gives the same 203.0 in length and 121.7 in wheelbase. The gas version is 1,775 mm (69.9 in) tall and the hybrid 1,785 mm (70.3 in).
7 seats or 9: the Korean layouts
The seat count is the biggest difference for a family. According to Kia Korea’s price list, the 9-seater has four rows. The third row is a pair of individual seats that slide and tip up, and the fourth row is a pop-up seat that folds into the floor. The 7-seater has three rows, with a 60:40 third row that folds into the floor. Every 7-seat trim except the Outdoor also gets second-row “premium relaxation” seats.
The 7-seater puts the comfort into the second row. The 9-seater carries more people, and in Korea that has a practical upside on the expressway.
Why 9 seats matter on Korean expressways
A big family car can legally share the bus lane on a Korean expressway. Under Appended Table 1 of the Road Traffic Act Enforcement Decree, passenger cars and vans with 9 or more seats can use them. A passenger car, or a van with 12 seats or fewer, also needs at least six people on board.
So a 9-seat Carnival qualifies when six or more people are riding, and a 7-seat Carnival doesn’t, however many are inside. Our Hyundai Staria guide covers the same rule for Korea’s other big people mover, which comes with up to 11 seats.
Where and when each expressway bus lane runs is a separate matter, so follow the road signs. The seat count only decides whether your vehicle is allowed in the lane at all.
The Carnival Hi-Roof
The Hi-Roof (하이루프) is a Carnival with a raised roof. Kia Korea lists it at 2,045 mm (80.5 in) tall, which is 270 mm (10.6 in) more than the standard gas version by our subtraction. Length, width and wheelbase are unchanged.
It comes with the same 3.5 gas and 1.6 turbo hybrid powertrains, as a 7- or 9-seater. The price list adds an extra rear brake light (후방 보조 제동등) and rear LED reading lights to its standard equipment. It also notes that Kia Genuine Accessories can’t be added to the Hi-Roof.
Kia America’s 2026 trim list (LX, LXS, EX, SX and SX Prestige for the gas Carnival) doesn’t include a high-roof version. Within the two markets we checked, the Hi-Roof is a Korean-market Carnival.
2027 Carnival prices in Korea
Kia Korea’s Carnival prices are dated October 22, 2026, for The 2027 Carnival. These are the 3.5 gas prices. The 1.6 turbo hybrid adds ₩4,550,000 to a 9-seater and ₩4,500,000 to a 7-seater.
| Trim | 9-seat | 7-seat |
|---|---|---|
| Prestige | ₩36,860,000 | — |
| Outdoor | — | ₩42,830,000 |
| Noblesse | ₩41,210,000 | ₩43,820,000 |
| Signature | ₩44,560,000 | ₩47,380,000 |
| X-Line | ₩45,320,000 | ₩47,910,000 |
| Black Edition | ₩45,920,000 | ₩48,510,000 |
| Hi-Roof Noblesse | ₩52,610,000 | ₩55,220,000 |
| Hi-Roof Signature | ₩55,960,000 | ₩58,780,000 |
| Hi-Roof Black Edition | ₩57,320,000 | ₩59,910,000 |
A dash means the price list doesn’t show that trim with that seat count. The Prestige is 9-seat only, and the Outdoor is a 7-seater that leaves out the second-row premium relaxation seats.
Options and packages are extra, and the price list notes that equipment varies by trim. Prices can change, so get a quote rather than relying on these figures. We haven’t converted them to dollars or compared them with US prices, since exchange rates and taxes differ.
Official fuel economy in Korea
Kia Korea lists government-reported fuel economy (정부 신고 연비) in km/L for each layout and wheel size. Versions with the optional built-in dash cam (빌트인 캠) are listed separately, at the same or slightly lower figures.
| Version | Combined, km/L | City / highway, km/L | Combined, US mpg (our conversion) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 gas, 7 or 9 seats | 9.0 | 7.8 / 10.9 | 21.2 |
| 3.5 gas Hi-Roof | 8.7 | 7.6 / 10.4 | 20.5 |
| Hybrid 9-seat, 18-inch wheels | 14.0 | 14.6 / 13.3 | 32.9 |
| Hybrid, 19-inch wheels | 13.5 | 14.0 / 12.9 | 31.8 |
| Hybrid Hi-Roof | 13.0 | 13.8 / 12.1 | 30.6 |
The figures above are for versions without the dash cam. Kia notes that they come from a standard test mode and that real-world economy varies with road conditions, driving style, load, maintenance and outside temperature.
For reference, fueleconomy.gov rates the 2026 US Carnival at 21 mpg combined and the Carnival Hybrid at 32 mpg combined. The Korean and US tests are different procedures, so don’t treat the converted Korean figures as EPA numbers. Our guide to gas stations in Korea explains fuel types and how to check prices.
Renting, buying or owning a Carnival in Korea
Renting. Want to try one first? Rental companies often add their own age and license rules on top of the legal minimums. Our guide to car rental in Korea for foreigners separates what the law requires from what rental companies add.
Buying used. In Korean listings, check whether the ad says 7인승 or 9인승 (7-seat or 9-seat) and whether it’s a 하이브리드 (hybrid) or 하이루프 (Hi-Roof). Our step-by-step guide to buying a used car in Korea as a foreigner covers the paperwork.
Car tax. Korea’s annual car tax is based on engine size, and the 3.5 gas (3,470 cc) and the 1.6 hybrid (1,598 cc) fall into different bands. Our guide to car tax in Korea for foreigners has an estimator for the yearly tax.
If you know other Kia models only by their US or UK names, our Hyundai and Kia name lookup table lets you find the Korean name.
Last checked: October 29, 2026. Sources: Kia Korea, Carnival specifications (in Korean); Kia Korea, Carnival prices and price list (in Korean); Kia Heritage Archive, Carnival (1st Gen.); Kia America, 2022 Carnival launch release; Kia America, 2026 Carnival specifications and 2026 Carnival Hybrid specifications; fueleconomy.gov, 2026 Kia vehicles; Road Traffic Act Enforcement Decree, Appended Table 1 (in Korean). hp, lb-ft, inch, gallon and mpg figures and the Hi-Roof height difference are our own conversions and calculations.
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