The new 2022 Kia Carnival CKD 7-seater and 8-seater models are now officially launched here in Malaysia, with prices starting from RM229,888 (basic selling price).

Being the first Kia model to be locally assembled at the Inokom plant in Kulim, Kedah, the brand's new distributor (Dinamikjaya Motors Sdn Bhd) will be offering the new Kia Carnival in three different variants with two seating configurations (7-seater & 8-seater). Being manufactured in Kulim, the 2022 Carnival will not just be for the local Malaysian market but also for export to our ASEAN neighbours. That will, however, only happen at a later date after orders for the domestic market are fulfilled.

The fourth-gen Carnival offers a 'sense of solidity and an upgraded appearance' thanks to Kia's new design identity. The most noticeable feature, of course, is its new 'tiger face' front end which blends seamlessly with the Kia 'tiger-nose' front grille.

All variants come with the same LED lighting package which includes its dual front headlights, daytime running lights, rear combination taillights, and front fog lights. Only the rear fog lights and reverse lights are using bulbs.

Exterior-wise is the same across the board for all three variants of the new Kia Carnival, with the exception of a dual power sunroof with sliding and tilt glass available for the 8-seater High and 7-seater High variants (not available for the base 8-seater Mid).

All models are also fitted with the same 18-inch alloy wheels (234/60 R18) wrapped in Goodyear rubbers with a spare 17-inch wheel for emergencies. Hiding behind those are ventilated discs with MacPherson struts handling the front and solid discs mounted at the rear with a multi-link suspension setup.

The CKD 7-seater and 8-seater Kia Carnival also comes with 40% local content, meaning 40% of the vehicle components are made or sourced locally, including the seats. There are also plans afoot for the 11-seater Kia Carnival to be CKD'ed in the near future.

Performance comes in the form of the Smartstream D4HE 2.2L turbodiesel CRDi inline-four engine which produces 199hp @ 3,800rpm and 440Nm of torque from 1,750rpm. It's the same for all three 2WD variants, including the eight-speed automatic 'E-Shift' transmission.

The top speed is set at 190km/h, but more importantly, the new Kia Carnival has a fuel efficiency of only 6.5L/100km, which is also the same for all variants. Quite a way to go when paired with its 72-litre fuel tank capacity.

The driver gets to enjoy the Kia Carnival's leather-wrapped steering wheel, but the instrument cluster is different depending on the variant of your choice. The base 8-seater Mid gets a 4.2-inch TFT-LCD cluster, while the other two come ready with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

At the centre of it all lies a 12.3-inch capacitive infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, seven USB ports in total, a wireless charger, and 12 high-end speakers courtesy of Bose. The only thing that's different is that the base Carnival gets a reverse camera, while the other two get the Surround View Monitor (SVM).

The front seats have eight-way power adjustability, but the driver gets an extra four-way lumbar adjustment for added comfort (two-way for the 8-seater Mid). While the leather seats might look the same (leatherette for 8-seater variants), only the two High models get memory, heated, and ventilation functions.

Those sitting at the back, particularly the second row, get to enjoy the new Kia Carnival the most. Once you enter the cabin via the Smart Power Sliding Doors, you'll find enough seating comfort and space for three adults in the second row for the bottom two variants.

The 7-Seater High model gets the more premium 'Relaxation Seats' for two with a centre walk-through for easier access to the third-row seats. The third-row setup is the same for all - a 60:40 pop-up and sinking seats finished in leather for the range-topping 7-seater High and leatherette for the two 8-seaters.

The standard safety features like seven SRS airbags, ABS, Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Traction Control (TCS), Multi-Collision Brake Control (MCB), Hill-start Assist (HAC), and ISOFIX anchors are available as standard across all three models of the new Kia Carnival.

If advanced safety features are what you're after, then you can either choose between the 8-seater High or 7-seater High variants, which are fitted with some additional specs that are not available in the base 8-seater Mid. These are:

The locally-assembled 2022 Kia Carnival is now open for booking with prices as follows (OTR without insurance): Kia Carnival 2.2L 8-Seater - RM231,228 Kia Carnival 2.2L 8-Seater (High) - RM247,228 Kia Carnival 2.2L 7-Seater (High) - RM261,228

These prices also come with five years manufacturer's warranty and free scheduled maintenance (up to 100,000km, whichever comes first).

Five colour options are available - Astra Blue, Sonic Silver, Jet Black, Snowflake White Pearl and Meteor Gray.