MPVs, or minivans, are often quite uninteresting to behold. But with the all-new Carnival (Sedona for some markets), Kia Motors has tried to liven things up a bit. If you think, you’ve already seen it before then you’re correct. What the company did was to release minuscule information alongside a few images earlier this year. Now, however, the company has officially launched it in Korea and revealed all there is to know about the fourth-gen “Grand Utility Vehicle”. That’s what Kia calls it!

The new Carnival looks striking. Everything from the toothy “Tiger” grille, elongated bonnet and zig-zag LED DRLs to the blacked-out A and B pillars, big wheels (up to 19 inches) and design creases all around, help in delivering a more macho stance. The MPV also rides on a new platform, which has given more enormous proportions as well. Math lovers, get this – the wheelbase has increased by 30mm; the length by 40mm; and width by 10mm. It also gets a 30mm longer rear overhang. All of that means there’s more room inside the cabin.

Depending on the market and variant, the new Carnival will offer a three- or a four-row configuration. That means it can seat seven, eight or up to eleven passengers. If you want to transport non-living thing, it can accommodate 2,905 litres of stuff with the front two seats erect. With three rows of seats in use, the MPV can still gulp 627 litres of luggage. With 26mm shaved off the lift-over height for the trunk, the loading and unloading of baggage should be more comfortable as well.

Falling under the “creature comfort” section are tons of gizmos all around the MPV. For instance, there are two 12.3 inch displays on the dashboard hiding behind a single sheet of glass.  One serves the purpose of an instrument cluster, while the other handles infotainment duties. Some markets will benefit from the inclusion of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with voice recognition. Stuff such as electrically-adjustable captain seats, powered rear doors, a telematics system, powered tailgate and bucket-loads of connected-car as well as passive and active safety features will also be on offer, including Kia’s ‘Level 2’ autonomous driving technology.

The Kia Carnival will be available with both petrol- and diesel-fed powertrains. The range will start with a new 2.2-litre diesel that will generate up to 199bhp/440Nm. Compared to the old 2.2-litre motor, the new one weighs 20kg less, offers better efficiency and produces lesser emissions. Next in line will be a 3.5-litre MPi petrol V6 with up to 268bhp/332Nm on tap. The range-topper has the same cubic capacity but benefits from direct injection tech. That will produce up to 290bhp/355Nm.

Kia says that in its latest avatar, the Carnival offers a more refined ride. The hydraulic steering has been ditched for a motor-driven one. That has helped in delivering a 5.6 per cent quicker steering ratio. In other words, Carnival should be a bit more fun to drive. And, if you’re not in Korea, you won’t have to wait for too long. Kia says the new-gen MPV will start arriving in global markets from later this year.