First drive: 2015 Kia Grand Carnival in the UAE

It’s not often that a launch event is held for a minivan. But Kia felt the all-new third-generation version of their people-carrier is important enough to be highlighted, especially since they’ve added “Grand” to the Carnival’s name now. So off we went for a convoy drive in and around Abu Dhabi.

For starters, the Grand Carnival looks great for a minivan. It gives off a vibe that it competes with the twice-as-expensive Mercedes-Benz Viano, except that Kia’s own presentation listed the Toyota Innova as a rival, let alone the Toyota Previa.

Inside, there’s a decent amount of soft-touch surfaces up front, with padded door inserts and creamy leather in the top-spec model. There’s a fair bit of space too, although the headroom in the second and third rows are a tad average. Passengers in the third row get enough legroom, but have to rest their elbows on hard plastic.

Storage options inside aren’t hugely innovative compared to, say, the pricier Honda Odyssey, but there’s enough for most uses, such as the central console up front that can be configured to store a laptop, and a third row that requires a bit of muscle to fold down into the floor. Fold both the second and third rows, and you can sleep in it.

You can spec up this minivan with features such as touchscreen navigation, tri-zone a/c, power doors and tailgate, blind-spot monitor, keyless start, cruise control and more, but all those features add up to a 2-ton curb weight, weighing down on the otherwise-powerful 266 hp 3.3-litre V6 engine. Mated to a 6-speed automatic, it isn’t particularly quick and you will never find yourself spinning the front tyres unintentionally.

The handling is also a bit, shall we say, hard to figure out on account of the overly-light steering and pedals. We weren’t going quick enough in the convoy anyway when it came to corners, so maybe it stays composed at the limit for all we know, but there’s not much in the way of feedback to make you think you can explore those limits. Its aging Japanese rivals, the Toyota Previa and the Honda Odyssey, can be hustled surprisingly well around corners, and could even be called “fun” at some level.

What the Grand Carnival does really well — better than its aforementioned rivals in fact — is the ride comfort bit. It’s smooth, mostly composed with the mildest of floatiness, and fairly quiet at legal speeds. With the pleasant cabin materials, it’s a nice place to be in while cruising on the highway.

The Kia Grand Carnival is a great entry in an underappreciated segment, and gets the basics right when it comes to family vehicles — space, comfort and features. With pricing expected to be well below other minivans, it is a good proposition for someone who just wants to ferry a big family without the expense of a big SUV.

Keep track of prices and updates in the Kia buyer guide.

Photos by Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury.