Step Right Up: The 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid

"Minivan."

How many readers did I just lose?

The American aversion to minivans is right up there with the "what men will do to avoid therapy" meme craze of a few years ago.

And like that, it's pretty dumb.

Minivans are the Swiss Army Knife of vehicles, able to carry prodigious numbers of people and amounts of stuff while riding and handling better than SUVs or pickups and getting much better fuel economy.

Still, the word "minivan" is so fraught that Kia describes the Carnival as an "MPV" (multi-purpose vehicle).

There are exactly five minivans for sale in America, and for 2025, the Kia Carnival has joined the Toyota Sienna in offering a hybrid (actually, the only way to get a Sienna is with a hybrid). The Chrysler Pacifica has a plug-in hybrid model, and the Volkswagen ID.Buzz is all-electric. Kia's move leaves only the Honda Odyssey without electrification (which Honda will reportedly correct with a hybrid in the 2026 model year).

The hybrid makes a big difference in fuel economy compared to the Carnival's standard V6, with 33 mpg combined city/highway as opposed to 21.

There is a bit of a power penalty---the V6 makes 287 horsepower, the hybrid 242---but it doesn't hurt the Carnival in acceleration. Both versions go from 0 to 60 in 7.8 seconds.

The one drawback to the loaded SX-Prestige trim is the second-row seating, which does not fold flat.

If your priority is people and not cargo, though---they're pretty great. Cushy, well-bolstered and they slide forward and backward, allowing for a wide range of legroom.

Our tester had the optional rear seat entertainment package.

The base price of the 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige is $52,600 ($53,995 with destination), and it comes loaded:

A comprehensive suite of active safety features, a Bose Premium audio system, navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a free three-month subscription to SiriusXM Satellite Radio, a system to see and talk to the rear seat passengers, dual smart power sliding doors, three-zone automatic climate control, smart key with pushbutton start and remote start, heated and ventilated power front seats with leather trim, wireless device charging, 19-inch alloy wheels, a smart power liftgate, dual power sunroofs, LED projector headlights, LED rear combination lights, LED fog lights and LED daytime running lights, roof rails, rear spoiler, rear privacy glass, dark exterior accents, a head-up display, heated steering wheel, digital rearview mirror, trailer pre-wire harness and the SX-Prestige Seat Package with heated and ventilated second-row power seats, ambient lighting and glossy interior trim.

Our tester also had extra-cost options: $495 for the Ceramic Silver paint, $2,500 for the Rear Seat Entertainment Package and $265 for carpeted floormats.

Bottom line on the window sticker: $57,255.

While that seems like a breathtaking number for a minivan, it actually comes in a shade below a top-of-the-line Toyota Sienna Platinum, and I'd argue the Carnival is a nicer minivan. With both the Odyssey and Pacifica getting rather long in the tooth, that puts the Carnival at the top of the shopping list.