Gone are the days of driving a boring minivan, thanks to Kia’s ingenuity with the 2026 Carnival. As your trusted Kia dealer near Katy, we’re thrilled to introduce the incredibly versatile and sophisticated Carnival. It’s not your average minivan. The 2026 Carnival caters to a wide range of drivers, offering best-in-class accommodations across its three rows of seats, advanced connectivity features, and a host of safety technologies that provide peace of mind. Whether you’re shuttling kids to school, venturing beyond the city limits with your family for a weekend getaway, or commuting into the city, the Carnival adapts to and complements your lifestyle.
It Doesn’t Look Like a Minivan
The minivans of decades past were defined by their oversized footprints, low stances, lackluster performance, and forgettable designs. They weren’t exciting to drive, as families valued their practicality over their aesthetics or performance. Fortunately, that’s changed with the 2026 Carnival.
Boldly styled to stand out on the road, the 2026 Carnival doesn’t look like a minivan, but an extension of Kia’s sophisticated SUV lineup. Kia accomplishes this with the Carnival’s sweeping exterior body lines, signature front grille, and lighting that frames the front and rear fascias. The Carnival’s silhouette is sleek, exuding sophistication from every angle. Its exterior color palette adds to that aesthetic, treating Katy drivers to distinct hues like Panthera Metal, Aurora Black Pearl, Deep Chrome Blue, and Flare Red.
You can take the Carnival’s aesthetic even further with the SX Dark Edition. Designed to captivate any landscape, the specialty trim is instantly recognizable by its 19-inch dark alloy wheels and exclusive dark exterior accents. Inside, dual power sunroofs and an expansive digital landscape define the cabin.
More for Your Money
Kia promises more for your money with the 2026 Carnival, which starts at $36,990. Instead of treating the Carnival LX as an afterthought, like most base trims, Kia does the opposite and offers outstanding value by setting a high baseline. The 2026 Carnival LX exceeds every expectation, rolling off Kia’s production floor with a 3.5L V6 engine under its hood and an extensive lineup of driver-assist technologies. Katy drivers can confidently navigate the road with the help of Blind-Spot Detection Technology, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, and Kia’s Auto Emergency Braking Technology, which includes Pedestrian, Cyclist, and Junction Turning Detection.
Despite being a base trim, the Carnival LX is a modern road warrior with an impressive digital landscape. Its 12.3-inch center touchscreen offers wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Kia’s Navigation-Based Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go enhances your driving experience, mitigating stress and fatigue as you focus on the road ahead.
Best-in-Class Accommodations
The 2026 Carnival is expertly designed to keep you and your passengers comfortable. The cabin offers seating for up to eight passengers, featuring best-in-class accommodations that provide ample head, leg, hip, and shoulder room. Yet, the perks don’t stop there.
The Carnival’s first-class second row steals the spotlight with its VIP Lounge Seats. The heated and ventilated seats have a one-touch relaxation mode, which reclines the seats and raises the footrests. Alternatively, the Slide-Flex seating system enables all three middle row passengers to slide their seats forward and back so that nobody feels cramped. Maximizing the space is easy with the available middle seat, which doubles as a seat or a table that passengers in the second and third rows can use. Parents often enjoy how easy it is to use a child seat with the Slide-Flex system.
While the Carnival’s cabin is undeniably spacious, its dual sunroofs make it feel even bigger by letting natural light permeate the cabin. Opting for ambient interior lighting enhances this feeling, allowing you to choose the perfect color to set the mood for every occasion.
Engaging, Efficient, and Responsive
The 2026 Carnival challenges the status quo by proving that not all minivans are boring to drive. Kia accomplishes this impressive feat by recognizing that drivers have unique needs. Some drivers prefer traditional gas powertrains, while others are ready to transition to a hybrid lifestyle, enjoying the benefits of a more efficient engine. The Carnival offers both.
The 2026 Carnival's standard powertrain is Kia’s proven 3.5L V6 engine and smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission. The engine produces 287 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, making the Carnival engaging, responsive, and capable. It can tow up to 3,500 lbs, heightening its versatility. It’s also surprisingly efficient, with the V6 averaging 25 MPG on the highway, 18 MPG in the city, and 21 MPG combined.
Drivers looking for hybrid performance will find it with the 2026 Carnival Hybrid and its 1.6L turbocharged I-4 hybrid engine. Kia pairs this engine with a six-speed automatic transmission, yielding an output of 242 hp and a best-in-class 271 lb-ft of torque. Remarkably efficient, the 2026 Carnival Hybrid averages 31 MPG on the highway, 34 MPG in the city, and 32 MPG combined. It can also tow up to 2,500 lbs.
Tech for Everyone
The 2026 Carnival is undeniably one of the most technologically advanced in its class. In addition to the standard 12.3-inch touchscreen, you can outfit the 2026 Carnival with dual 12.3-inch panoramic curved displays that integrate the digital instrument cluster with the center touchscreen. The optional dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system, featuring 14.6-inch displays, is a must-have for families, complete with integrated streaming apps. The software works with the infotainment system, ensuring seamless over-the-air updates.
The Carnival’s technologies also add convenience. For example, trims like the EX add a Passenger View in-cabin camera and a Passenger Talk in-cabin intercom, making it easier to communicate with and see passengers in the backseat.
Confidence and Peace of Mind
Kia’s dedication to driver safety is apparent in the 2026 Carnival’s extensive lineup of active and passive safety features and driver-assist tools. Katy drivers can confidently navigate any situation because features like Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian, Cyclist, and Junction Turning Detection are working behind the scenes to improve their situational awareness and mitigate the potential for collisions.
The 2026 Carnival’s advanced driver assist features also include Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, a Driver Attention Warning, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, and Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist. Top-tier trims are equipped with a Surround View Monitor and Blind-Spot View Monitor.
If you spend a lot of time cruising on the highway, the Carnival’s Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go is the perfect tool to mitigate fatigue. The technology is navigation-based, meaning it relies on geographic data to adjust the Carnival’s speed to reflect speed limits and upcoming changes in the terrain, like curves, exits, and interchanges.
Backed by the Industry’s Best Warranty
Kia stands behind its lineup and its customers. When you purchase a 2026 Carnival, you’re joining an automotive legacy that’s taken the world by storm. More importantly, you’re gaining an automotive partner for life. We promise to partner with you every mile ahead, from our showroom floor to our service center. Kia makes the same promise, with its industry-leading 10-year or 100,000-mile limited warranty. This coverage instills confidence in your purchase and provides peace of mind, knowing that Kia and our team are dedicated to keeping your Carnival running at its best, mile after mile.