The 2025 Kia Carnival gets 21 to 33 miles per gallon combined, depending on the version. The best is the 2025 Carnival Hybrid at 33 mpg; the best regular gas version is the 2025 Carnival (6-cyl 3.5 L) at 21 mpg.
In the Minivan - 2WD class for 2025, the Carnival ranks 2nd of 5 for combined mileage (33 mpg), 2nd of 5 for yearly fuel cost ($1,900 for its cheapest version, cheapest first) and 3rd of 5 for tailpipe CO2 (274 grams per mile for its lowest version, lowest first). The middle model of the class gets 30 mpg, costs $2,850 a year and puts out 274 grams per mile.
Across all 250 2025 models in the file that burn fuel, the middle best-version figure is 25 mpg and the highest is 57 mpg (Toyota Prius). Of the 249 other models, 31 get more miles per gallon than the 2025 Carnival's best version, 5 other models get the same and 213 get less. The 2025 Carnival's cheapest version costs $1,900 a year to fuel by the agency's figure; of the 241 other models with a cost figure, 29 cost less, 3 the same and 209 more.
Open the best-mileage list of this class for 2025. Cost and CO2 in the table are each model's lowest figure over its versions; plug-in hybrid and fuel-cell versions have no fuel cost and are left out of the cost column.
| Place | Model | Best version | mpg | Fuel a year, cheapest version | CO2 g/mi, lowest version |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2025 Toyota Sienna | 2025 Sienna 2WD | 36 | $1,750 | 246 |
| 2 | 2025 Kia CarnivalThis car | 2025 Carnival Hybrid | 33 | $1,900 | 274 |
| 3 | 2025 Chrysler Pacifica | 2025 Pacifica Hybrid | 30 | $2,850 | 119 |
| 4 | 2025 Chrysler Voyager | 2025 Voyager | 22 | $2,850 | 401 |
| 4 | 2025 Honda Odyssey | 2025 Odyssey | 22 | $2,850 | 395 |
Pick a 2025 version, then set your miles and fuel price. Fuel price as of 2026-11-14, U.S. Department of Energy / EPA. The price box starts at the dated price of the fuel the picked version burns (regular, midgrade or premium gasoline, diesel, E85 or electricity) and sets the price of that fuel. Miles are limited to 1,000 to 60,000 a year and the price to $0.01 to $20.00; a value outside that is worked out at the nearest limit.
2025 Carnival, 6-cyl 3.5 L: 18 mpg city, 26 highway, 21 combined. The agency's own estimate for the 2025 Carnival version is $2,950 a year (15,000 miles, the agency's fuel prices).
The 3 nearest rivals in the Minivan - 2WD class for 2025, picked by closest combined mileage; only versions with a fuel-cost figure are listed. Same miles as on the left. The price box on the left is the price of the fuel of the version you picked: a rival that burns the same fuel uses that price, a rival that burns another fuel keeps the dated price of its own fuel. The 5-year line is 5 times the yearly gap.
The Pacifica costs $130 less to fuel each year.
Over 5 years the Pacifica costs $650 less to fuel than the Carnival (5 times the yearly difference, at these miles and these prices).
Dollar gaps use each car's best-mileage version.
| Rival in 2025 | Best version | Combined | Fuel a year, agency (15,000 miles) | Against the Carnival (mileage) | Agency yearly fuel cost against the Carnival | Side by side |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Chrysler Pacifica | 2025 Pacifica Hybrid | 30 mpg | - | 3 lower | - | - |
| 2025 Toyota Sienna | 2025 Sienna 2WD | 36 mpg | $1,750 | 3 higher | $150 less a year | Compare |
| 2025 Chrysler Voyager | 2025 Voyager | 22 mpg | $2,850 | 11 lower | $950 more a year | - |
EPA test figures for 2025; the last column is the yearly fuel cost against the cheapest version.
| Version | Engine | Gearbox | Drive | City | Highway | Combined | Fuel a year | CO2 g/mi | Fuel vs cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Carnival HybridHybrid | 4-cyl 1.6 L | Automatic (AM-S6) | Front-wheel | 34 | 31 | 33 | $1,900 | 274 | cheapest |
| 2025 Carnival | 6-cyl 3.5 L | Automatic (S8) | Front-wheel | 18 | 26 | 21 | $2,950 | 426 | +$1,050 |
The cheapest-to-run hybrid, the 2025 Carnival Hybrid (33 mpg, $1,900 a year), costs $1,050 a year less in fuel than the cheapest-to-run gas version, the 2025 Carnival (21 mpg, $2,950 a year).
Enter the price difference you were quoted for the 2025 Carnival; this page has no prices. Miles come from the calculator. The fuel price box there sets the price of the fuel of the version picked there; a version here that burns another fuel keeps the dated price of its own fuel. Versions with no fuel-cost figure are not listed.
Type the price difference you were quoted to see the payback.
Tailpipe CO2: the 2025 Carnival Hybrid puts out 274 grams per mile; across the 2 tested versions the figure runs from 274 to 426.
EPA scores (1 to 10, 10 best) for the 2025 Carnival Hybrid: fuel economy score 6 (4 to 6 across versions), greenhouse gas score 6 (4 to 6 across versions).
Best combined figure of the Carnival gas version and hybrid each model year since 2016, set against the 2025 model.
| Model year | Best gas version | Best hybrid | Versions tested | Against 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 22 mpg | none | 1 | 11 mpg lower than 2025 | |
| 2023 | 22 mpg | none | 1 | 11 mpg lower than 2025 | |
| 2024 | 22 mpg | none | 1 | 11 mpg lower than 2025 | |
| 2025This page | 21 mpg | 33 mpg | 2 | this page | |
| 2026 | 21 mpg | 32 mpg | 2 | 1 mpg lower than 2025 |
Compared with the 2024 model: 1 version was tested then and 2 now; the best figure went from 22 to 33 mpg (up 11).
The 2026 model has 2 tested versions.
| Version in 2025 | 2025 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Carnival Hybrid, 4-cyl 1.6 L | 33 mpg | not tested in 2024 | new in 2025 |
| 2025 Carnival, 6-cyl 3.5 L | 21 mpg | 22 mpg | -1 mpg |
Crash-test stars from the U.S. safety agency's 5-Star Safety Ratings, checked 2026-11-14. 5 is the best.
| Vehicle | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Kia Carnival PV FWD | not rated | 4 of 5 | not rated | 4 of 5 |
| 2025 Kia Carnival HEV PV FWD | not rated | 4 of 5 | not rated | 4 of 5 |
The agency lists 2 variants; all 2 are shown.
The agency's record for the first rated vehicle also lists 128 complaints, 1 recall, 0 investigations.
Includes agency records filed under: CARNIVAL, CARNIVAL HEV.
199 complaints for the 2025 Kia Carnival are on file (checked 2026-11-14). Complaints are reports that owners sent to the safety agency. They are not proven defects, and the counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold.
| Part named in the reports | Reports | |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 110 | |
| Engine | 36 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 32 | |
| Unknown Or Other | 30 | |
| Power Train | 21 |
3 of the 199 reports say the car was in a crash, 1 mentions a fire and 12 mention an injury. One report can name more than one part.
Includes agency records filed under: CARNIVAL, CARNIVAL HEV.
1 recall is on file for the 2025 Kia Carnival at the U.S. safety agency (checked 2026-11-14). A dealer does recall repairs free of charge.
Includes agency records filed under: CARNIVAL, CARNIVAL HEV.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Carnival vehicles. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the fuel pipe and fuel rail.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2026.
Other 2025 models of the same agency class, each with its best combined figure. The Carnival itself is at 33 mpg.
More Kia models that have a 2025 page here, with the class of each and its best combined figure.
The 2025 Carnival Hybrid with 33 mpg combined (34 city, 31 highway). Among the regular gas versions it is the 2025 Carnival at 21 mpg.
The 2025 Kia Carnival costs between $1,900 and $2,950 to fuel by the agency's estimate, which assumes 15,000 miles a year. The cheapest is the 2025 Carnival Hybrid at $1,900; the dearest is the 2025 Carnival at $2,950. Use the calculator above for your own miles and fuel price.
In the agency's tests the best hybrid, the 2025 Carnival Hybrid, gets 33 mpg combined and the best non-hybrid, the 2025 Carnival, gets 21 mpg: 12 mpg more for the hybrid.
The 2025 Kia Carnival is 2nd of 5 for combined mileage. The top of the class is the 2025 Toyota Sienna at 36 mpg, and the middle figure for the class is 30 mpg. In the list, the next one ahead is the 2025 Toyota Sienna at 36 mpg and the next one behind is the 2025 Chrysler Pacifica at 30 mpg.
The 2024 model had 1 tested version and the 2025 model has 2. The best figure went from 22 to 33 mpg (up 11).
In the agency's 5-Star Safety Ratings (checked 2026-11-14; 5 is the best), the stars are 2025 Kia Carnival PV FWD: front 4, rollover 4; 2025 Kia Carnival HEV PV FWD: front 4, rollover 4. The agency lists 2 variants; all 2 are shown.
199 complaints for the 2025 Kia Carnival are on file at the safety agency (checked 2026-11-14); the part named most often is Electrical System (110 reports). Complaints are reports owners sent in, not proven defects.
The agency's database lists 1 recall for the 2025 Kia Carnival (checked 2026-11-14). They are listed above with the repair the maker offers.
For the 2025 Kia Carnival: EPA file 2026-11-04; fuel price 2026-11-14; crash tests 2026-11-14; complaints 2026-11-14; recalls 2026-11-14. Not covered: purchase price, towing, reliability, repair and insurance costs.
Mileage and fuel cost for the 2025 Kia Carnival: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, fueleconomy.gov vehicle file (file dated 2026-11-04). Recalls for the 2025 Kia Carnival: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (checked 2026-11-14). Crash-test ratings for the 2025 Kia Carnival: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (checked 2026-11-14). Complaints for the 2025 Kia Carnival: NHTSA (checked 2026-11-14). Fuel prices: U.S. Department of Energy / EPA (2026-11-14). Your own mileage depends on how and where you drive. Where our numbers come from.