2023 Kia Carnival Remains A Bargain Despite Price Hike

After what felt like an eternity for soccer moms everywhere, the latest iteration of the Kia Carnival was finally revealed in American spec in February 2021, effectively replacing the Sedona. Rather than being marketed as a boring family hauler, the Carnival was intended to be something more boasting a wide range of capabilities that you wouldn't find in your typical seven-seater van. Apart from one recall affecting a few thousand units in December of last year, the 2022 Carnival seems to be trouble-free. It's also been attractively priced, but will that trend continue for the 2023 model? The short answer is yes.

Starting with the base model EX, the 2023 Carnival enters the market at $32,600, up $500 from the 2022 model's price of $32,100. This theme continues with most of the range, as the LX with the optional eight-seat package now costs $34,600 (up from $34,100). The EX is similar with a new price of $38,100 (from $37,600), but the luxurious SX trim has had less of an extreme change. The SX now costs $41,300, an increase of only $200. In particularly good news, the range-topping SX Prestige trim is now $400 cheaper at an MSRP of $45,700. However, there's a small caveat.

For the 2022 model year, Kia asked $1,175 for destination and delivery. That figure has now risen to $1,335, a rise of $160. Still, that's not enough to change the fact that the top trim has become slightly more affordable. Of course, the reason that a top trim tends to drop in price is generally that the model variant is not selling well. Most buyers tend to go for other trims that don't have all the bells & whistles but meet all their needs, so Kia has made the smart choice and raised the prices of models that generate greater turnover. Despite this, the Carnival is an absolute bargain compared to its biggest rivals.

The 2022 Chrysler Pacifica (the 2023 model is only coming later this year) starts at $37,095 excluding destination ($1,495). Pricing for the 2023 Sienna has not yet been revealed either but is expected to remain in the $37,000 range.