- Kia launches a cheaper High Roof variant for the Carnival in Korea.
- The model retains the steel roof extension but skips premium tech.
- Pricing starts at around $34,600 for the base V6-powered model.
Kia is expanding its minivan lineup in Korea with the Carnival High Roof. It slots below the range-topping Hi Limousine and goes after large families and executive-transport buyers who want the added cabin height but can skip the full suite of luxury amenities.
The High Roof uses the same roof extension as the Hi Limousine, adding 270 mm (10.6 inches) over the standard model for an overall height of 2,055 mm (80.9 inches). The body-colored add-on is steel, shaped for aerodynamics, trimmed in chrome, and houses an LED brake light at the rear. Everything else carries over from the facelifted Carnival.
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That taller roofline opens up real headroom inside, making it easier for passengers to climb into the second and third rows. The pillars and ceiling wear suede upholstery, and rear passengers get dedicated LED reading lights.
Kia Carnival High Roof
Unlike the Hi-Limousine, which is also available with a four-seater layout, the High Roof is currently offered as a nine-seater, although a seven-seater option will join the lineup later this year. Other differences from the flagship trim include the omission of the 21.5-inch rear passenger display and the extended ambient lighting, along with the lack of massaging and ventilated captain’s chairs with integrated legrests.
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Even so, the standard kit runs generous. The entry-level Noblesse comes with full-LED headlights, 18-inch alloys, eco-leather upholstery, Kia’s curved digital cockpit, heated seats and steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and a full ADAS suite. The Signature trim layers on better materials and a memory function for the driver’s seat and side mirrors, plus optional premium Bose audio and a head-up display.
The color palette stops at two, Aurora Black Pearl and Snow White Pearl, each paired with a Cotton Beige interior.
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Powertrains carry over from the rest of the range, gasoline or hybrid. The naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 makes 290 hp (216 kW / 294 PS) through an eight-speed automatic. The turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder hybrid puts out a combined 242 hp (180 kW / 245 PS) through a six-speed automatic.
Pricing for the Carnival High Roof opens at 52,110,000 KRW ($34,600) for the V6 Noblesse and runs to 60,210,000 KRW ($39,900) for the Hybrid Signature. The Hi Limousine, by comparison, starts at 63,270,000 KRW ($42,000) and climbs to 97,800,000 KRW ($64,900). Kia said nothing about wider availability, though the High Roof almost certainly stays a Korea-only affair.
