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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2025 Kia Carnival is associated with 178 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 1 safety recall campaign in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Electrical System, accounting for 63 reports (35% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 1.6L 4-Cyl hybrid and 3.5l 6-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 21 to 33 MPG combined. Detailed NHTSA crash-test ratings are not available in the current AutoUtility dataset for this model year.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 178 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 1 official campaign
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Electrical System (63 / 35%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 1 crash / 1 fire / 7 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: Not rated by NHTSA
  • • EPA Certified Range: 21–33 MPG across 2 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2025 Kia Carnival?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Carnival Hybrid Hybrid 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM-S6) 34 MPG 31 MPG 33 MPG — $1,850 / yr
Carnival 3.5L 6-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 18 MPG 26 MPG 21 MPG — $2,950 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2025 Kia Carnival?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
PV FWD 14.000000000000002%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard & Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2025 Kia Carnival models.
View complete 2025 Kia Carnival crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2025 Kia Carnival?

Summary of 178 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
178
Crash Reports
1
Fire Reports
1
Complaints w/ Injury
7
Total Injuries
7

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Electrical System 63 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control 10 complaints
Engine 7 complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 6 complaints
Fuel & Propulsion System 5 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2025 Kia Carnival problems & component breakdown (49 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2025 Kia Carnival?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #26V232000 Active Recall
Affected Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC368. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 24, 2026.
View all 2025 Kia Carnival recalls & campaign history (1 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2025 Kia Carnival

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2025 Kia Carnival

How many safety recalls does the 2025 Kia Carnival have?

The 2025 Kia Carnival is associated with 1 official NHTSA safety recall campaign in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 1 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2025 Kia Carnival?

NHTSA records list 178 consumer defect complaints for the 2025 Kia Carnival. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Electrical System, appearing in 63 filings (35% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2025 Kia Carnival defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Is there an official NHTSA crash safety rating for the 2025 Kia Carnival?

An official NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test rating is not available for the 2025 Kia Carnival in AutoUtility's current federal dataset.

NHTSA publishes crash safety evaluations for a selected sample of passenger vehicles each model year. Consult NHTSA.gov for active safety equipment records and vehicle safety bulletins.

Check active safety equipment and ratings overview →
Source: NHTSA NCAP Registry

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2025 Kia Carnival get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2025 Kia Carnival range from 21 to 33 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.