Kia | A hybrid version of the Carnival will debut in a few months

After Chrysler with its Pacifica and Toyota with its Sienna, it is now Kia's turn to offer a hybrid version of its Carnival minivan. This new livery previously announced will be offered in Canada from the start of next year.

This Carnival hybrid essentially relies on a 1.6L turbocharged four-cylinder engine supported by an electric motor whose power is increased to 72 hp and a six-speed automatic transmission. The combined horsepower is 242 hp and the torque tops out at 270 lb-ft. It's slightly behind the V6 in terms of power (288 hp), but the torque is a little more generous than for the latter (260 lb-ft).

The gap between these two engines is still major in terms of fuel consumption, but not as pronounced as one would expect. While a Toyota Sienna is capable of lowering its thirst to 6.7 L/100 km by relaying torque to all four wheels, the Korean contender consumes 7.2 L/100 km with a front-wheel drive architecture. This is still significantly better than the V6's estimated 10.7 L/100 km.

With a starting price of $46,545, this Carnival hybrid opens up a gap of almost $6,000 with the entry-level V6 livery. That's a lot, especially if most of the journey takes place on the highway, where the difference in consumption is less marked (7.6 L/100 km versus 9 L/100 km).

Read our quick drive of the Kia Carnival