The 2026 Kia Carnival gets 21 to 32 miles per gallon combined, depending on the version. The best is the 2026 Carnival Hybrid at 32 mpg; the best regular gas version is the 2026 Carnival (6-cyl 3.5 L) at 21 mpg.
In the Minivan - 2WD class for 2026, the Carnival ranks 2nd of 5 for combined mileage (32 mpg), 2nd of 5 for yearly fuel cost ($1,950 for its cheapest version, cheapest first) and 3rd of 5 for tailpipe CO2 (275 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 275 grams per mile.
Across all 235 2026 models in the file that burn fuel, the middle best-version figure is 24 mpg and the highest is 57 mpg (Toyota Prius). Of the 234 other models, 36 get more miles per gallon than the 2026 Carnival's best version, 4 other models get the same and 194 get less. The 2026 Carnival's cheapest version costs $1,950 a year to fuel by the agency's figure; of the 225 other models with a cost figure, 33 cost less, 2 the same and 190 more.
Open the best-mileage list of this class for 2026. 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 | 2026 Toyota Sienna | 2026 Sienna 2WD | 36 | $1,750 | 246 |
| 2 | 2026 Kia CarnivalThis car | 2026 Carnival Hybrid | 32 | $1,950 | 275 |
| 3 | 2026 Chrysler Pacifica | 2026 Pacifica Hybrid | 30 | $2,850 | 119 |
| 4 | 2026 Chrysler Voyager | 2026 Voyager | 22 | $2,850 | 401 |
| 4 | 2026 Honda Odyssey | 2026 Odyssey | 22 | $2,850 | 395 |
Pick a 2026 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.
2026 Carnival, 6-cyl 3.5 L: 18 mpg city, 25 highway, 21 combined. The agency's own estimate for the 2026 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 2026, 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 2026 | Best version | Combined | Fuel a year, agency (15,000 miles) | Against the Carnival (mileage) | Agency yearly fuel cost against the Carnival | Side by side |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Chrysler Pacifica | 2026 Pacifica Hybrid | 30 mpg | - | 2 lower | - | - |
| 2026 Toyota Sienna | 2026 Sienna 2WD | 36 mpg | $1,750 | 4 higher | $200 less a year | Compare |
| 2026 Chrysler Voyager | 2026 Voyager | 22 mpg | $2,850 | 10 lower | $900 more a year | - |
EPA test figures for 2026; 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Carnival HybridHybrid | 4-cyl 1.6 L | Automatic (AM-S6) | Front-wheel | 34 | 31 | 32 | $1,950 | 275 | cheapest |
| 2026 Carnival | 6-cyl 3.5 L | Automatic (S8) | Front-wheel | 18 | 25 | 21 | $2,950 | 428 | +$1,000 |
The cheapest-to-run hybrid, the 2026 Carnival Hybrid (32 mpg, $1,950 a year), costs $1,000 a year less in fuel than the cheapest-to-run gas version, the 2026 Carnival (21 mpg, $2,950 a year).
Enter the price difference you were quoted for the 2026 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 2026 Carnival Hybrid puts out 275 grams per mile; across the 2 tested versions the figure runs from 275 to 428.
EPA scores (1 to 10, 10 best) for the 2026 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 2026 model.
| Model year | Best gas version | Best hybrid | Versions tested | Against 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 22 mpg | none | 1 | 10 mpg lower than 2026 | |
| 2023 | 22 mpg | none | 1 | 10 mpg lower than 2026 | |
| 2024 | 22 mpg | none | 1 | 10 mpg lower than 2026 | |
| 2025 | 21 mpg | 33 mpg | 2 | 1 mpg higher than 2026 | |
| 2026This page | 21 mpg | 32 mpg | 2 | this page |
Compared with the 2025 model: 2 versions were tested then and 2 now; the best figure went from 33 to 32 mpg (down 1).
| Version in 2026 | 2026 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Carnival Hybrid, 4-cyl 1.6 L | 32 mpg | 33 mpg | -1 mpg |
| 2026 Carnival, 6-cyl 3.5 L | 21 mpg | 21 mpg | no change |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 KIA CARNIVAL PV N/A FWD | 5 of 5 | 4 of 5 | 5 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| 2026 KIA CARNIVAL HYBRID PV HEV FWD | 5 of 5 | 4 of 5 | 5 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
The agency lists 2 variants; all 2 are shown.
The agency's record for the first rated vehicle also lists 31 complaints, 2 recalls, 0 investigations.
Includes agency records filed under: CARNIVAL, CARNIVAL HYBRID.
56 complaints for the 2026 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 | 22 | |
| Unknown Or Other | 19 | |
| Power Train | 14 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | |
| Engine | 7 |
3 of the 56 reports say the car was in a crash, 1 mentions a fire and 3 mention an injury. One report can name more than one part.
Includes agency records filed under: CARNIVAL, CARNIVAL HYBRID.
2 recalls are on file for the 2026 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 HYBRID.
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.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles.
Fix: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026.
Other 2026 models of the same agency class, each with its best combined figure. The Carnival itself is at 32 mpg.
More Kia models that have a 2026 page here, with the class of each and its best combined figure.
The 2026 Carnival Hybrid with 32 mpg combined (34 city, 31 highway). Among the regular gas versions it is the 2026 Carnival at 21 mpg.
The 2026 Kia Carnival costs between $1,950 and $2,950 to fuel by the agency's estimate, which assumes 15,000 miles a year. The cheapest is the 2026 Carnival Hybrid at $1,950; the dearest is the 2026 Carnival at $2,950. Use the calculator above for your own miles and fuel price.
In the agency's tests the best hybrid, the 2026 Carnival Hybrid, gets 32 mpg combined and the best non-hybrid, the 2026 Carnival, gets 21 mpg: 11 mpg more for the hybrid.
The 2026 Kia Carnival is 2nd of 5 for combined mileage. The top of the class is the 2026 Toyota Sienna at 36 mpg, and the middle figure for the class is 30 mpg. In the list, the next one ahead is the 2026 Toyota Sienna at 36 mpg and the next one behind is the 2026 Chrysler Pacifica at 30 mpg.
The 2025 model had 2 tested versions and the 2026 model has 2. The best figure went from 33 to 32 mpg (down 1).
In the agency's 5-Star Safety Ratings (checked 2026-11-14; 5 is the best), the stars are 2026 KIA CARNIVAL PV N/A FWD: overall 5 of 5, front 4, side 5, rollover 4; 2026 KIA CARNIVAL HYBRID PV HEV FWD: overall 5 of 5, front 4, side 5, rollover 4. The agency lists 2 variants; all 2 are shown.
56 complaints for the 2026 Kia Carnival are on file at the safety agency (checked 2026-11-14); the part named most often is Electrical System (22 reports). Complaints are reports owners sent in, not proven defects.
The agency's database lists 2 recalls for the 2026 Kia Carnival (checked 2026-11-14). They are listed above with the repair the maker offers.
For the 2026 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 2026 Kia Carnival: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, fueleconomy.gov vehicle file (file dated 2026-11-04). Recalls for the 2026 Kia Carnival: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (checked 2026-11-14). Crash-test ratings for the 2026 Kia Carnival: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (checked 2026-11-14). Complaints for the 2026 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.