If you’ve got a large family you may think the only option is a 7 passenger SUV however consider the latest Kia Carnival 8-seat people mover. Unfortunately the word people mover may conjure up thoughts of a large box with little or no sophistication.

Far from it, the latest Kia Carnival is a very impressive vehicle –I tested the 3.3-litre V6 Carnival SLi now with 8-speed automatic at $52,490, with five star ANCAP crash safety rating, a roomy and versatile cabin it is one of the few vehicles that can carry 8 passengers and their luggage in comfort –by comparison most 7-seat SUV’s somewhat compromise luggage wise with a full load of passengers. The Carnival is large yes but it doesn’t feel so on road due to sharp dynamics. The eight-speed automatic in this latest model has also made a world of difference. I had six-people on board along with a dog and a load of luggage – fully loaded the Carnival was at its best. The SLi model comes with electric sliding side doors and their just perfect for a large family. As a driver I’d like manual shift paddles, this is subjective, but it does help for quicker down shifts for engine braking on hills. This aside the drive-ability in this third series model is impressive, backed by Kia’s seven-year /unlimited kilometre warranty and seven years of affordable fixed price servicing every 15,000km. The improvements in this latest series Carnival have made it very competent indeed – more versatile than many large SUV’s with a more comfortable ride. I’m David Berthon

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