The upcoming 2026 Kia Carnival facelift recently made a premature local appearance following an accidental discovery on the official Kia Malaysia website, which showed the MPV in its entirety along with local specifications.
Shortly after these visuals and specifications were taken down, Kia Sales Malaysia (KSM) released an official teaser on its Facebook page highlighting the model’s new light signature. These developments follow the formal takeover of the marque’s local operations by KSM, which also included the announcement of revised pricing for the Kia Sportage, EV9, and the outgoing pre-facelift Carnival.
The new Kia Carnival facelift measures 5,155 mm long, 1,995 mm wide, and 1,785 mm tall, with a 3,090 mm wheelbase. While these figures mostly mirror its predecessor, there is a marginal height increase of 10 mm. The exterior adopts Kia’s latest design language, featuring vertically aligned LED headlights similar to those on the EV9, alongside new 19-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, the cabin receives a significant digital overhaul. A curved display with 12.3-inch segments replaces the outgoing analogue cluster, and a new digital touch panel now handles both climate and multimedia controls, doing away with traditional physical buttons.
While global markets received new 1.6-litre turbo hybrid and 3.5-litre V6 petrol options, the specifications seen on the local Kia website suggests that the familiar 2.2-litre turbodiesel will indeed remain for the new model. Performance specifications were not explicitly listed, but the engine will likely produce the same 199 hp and 440 Nm of torque as before.
The most striking details from the revealed specifications concern the local lineup and pricing, as it appears the 11-seater variant could soon be reintroduced to the Malaysian market with the 2026 Kia Carnival facelift model, following its brief absence from the range. According to the now-deleted website, the 11-seater variant is expected to be priced at RM188,888, while the 7-seater variant will retail at RM248,888.
For comparison, the purported price for the new 11-seater is RM4,972 cheaper than the current 8-seater variant, which was recently reduced to RM193,860. Conversely, the 7-seater is significantly RM29,928 more expensive than the outgoing version, which currently retails at RM218,960.
While we must wait for the official launch to confirm these figures, the teaser hints at an imminent launch here in Malaysia. Final pricing will likely stay within the ballpark of KSM’s recently adjusted figures for the outgoing pre-facelift model, and the Kia Carnival facelift is expected to be offered in Malaysia as a locally assembled (CKD) model, given that the facelift model is already being exported into Thailand, notably in the hybrid configuration.
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