The Kia Carnival has long been a popular choice for families seeking a spacious and versatile people mover. With the 2025 model year update, many are curious about its safety credentials. Let's dive into the safety rating of the 2025 Kia Carnival and what it means for potential buyers.
Current ANCAP Safety Rating
As of 2025, the Kia Carnival maintains its five-star ANCAP safety rating, which was originally awarded based on testing conducted in 2021. This rating applies to all petrol and diesel variants of the Carnival.
It's important to note that Kia Australia has confirmed they are consulting with ANCAP regarding the adjustments made in the 2025 update. The company anticipates that the Carnival will be able to continue with its existing five-star rating.
Safety Scores Breakdown
In the 2021 ANCAP assessment, the Kia Carnival achieved impressive scores across various categories:
- Adult Occupant Protection: 90%
- Child Occupant Protection: 88%
- Vulnerable Road User Protection: 68%
- Safety Assist: 82%
These scores demonstrate the Carnival's strong performance in protecting both adult and child occupants.
New Safety Features for 2025
The 2025 update brings several enhancements to the Carnival's safety suite:
- New front centre airbag (standard across all grades)
- Front parking sensors (now standard on all variants)
- Updated speed sign recognition system
Standard Safety Equipment
All 2025 Kia Carnival models come equipped with:
- AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) with Pedestrian, Cyclist, and Junction detection
- Lane departure warning and lane keeping assistance
- Blind-spot assist
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Adaptive cruise control
- Rear occupant alert
- Trailer stability control assistance
- Multi-collision braking
- Reversing camera
Higher trim levels (Sport+ and above) add features like:
- Parking Collision Avoidance – Rear (AEB reverse)
- Blind-Spot View Monitor
- Surround View Monitor (360-degree camera)
- Advanced Highway Driving Assist
Hybrid Model Considerations
It's worth noting that the newly introduced hybrid variant of the Carnival has not yet been assessed by ANCAP and is currently unrated. Kia is working with ANCAP to potentially extend the existing five-star rating to this model as well.
Conclusion
The 2025 Kia Carnival continues to offer a high level of safety, maintaining its five-star ANCAP rating from 2021. With the addition of new safety features and technologies, Kia has demonstrated its commitment to keeping the Carnival at the forefront of family vehicle safety.
For those considering the hybrid model, it may be worth waiting for official ANCAP assessment results if a rated safety score is a priority.
As always, while safety ratings and features are crucial, they should be considered alongside other factors such as practicality, performance, and value when making a purchasing decision.
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