I tested the car built for iPad babies... here's how it sparked a parenting war
I spent a week in a high-tech minivan with Netflix included.
Each time friends got in the back seat, it sparked a parenting debate over whether a built-in touchscreen is genius or a gateway to iPad addiction.
I tested the surprisingly high-rolling 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige, a $59,000 minivan equipped with a rear-seat entertainment package.
That add-on includes two power-operated captain's chairs, complete with leg rests, that face matching 14.6-inch digital displays.
Passengers in the second row can access streaming services, mirror their phones, play video games, and pair Bluetooth headphones for a personal theater experience — effectively spelling the end for my favorite childhood road trip classics like Mad Libs, The Alphabet Game, and 'I spy with my little eye...'
'This would be so nice on long trips just to shush my children,' a friend with a five and a and three-year-old, who shall remain unnamed, told me while riding in the car.
But not everyone was sold.
'I don't want to encourage my children to be iPad babies,' another friend and could-be parent said.
The Kia Carnival is a surprisingly high-tech minivan with a truck like stance in the front
The entertainment package on the Carnival Hybrid is a parenting Rorschach test, separating the digital skeptics from the tech optimists.
But while the backseat screens captured the topline conversations, the rest of the car kept the plot moving. Kia has built a highly competent minivan.
Minivan with muscle?
Kia has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a budget-oriented brand.
For years, the Korean company built simple cars and slapped them with robust, 10-year, 100,000-mile warranties.
Now, the carmaker's contemporary Kia lineup has a distinctive, modern design flair, and the Carnival is a great example.
An upright, SUV-inspired shape and truck-like grille give the front a muscular edge that is not often found in the minivan segment.
That ruggedness falls apart on the side and back, where modern design aesthetics pull the van in different directions.
The van features a metallic, textured c-pillar that sets the side profile apart from the rest of the industry
Our tester had an entertainment package that equipped second-row seats with 14-inch tablets. They had screen monitoring, Netflix, and video game capabilities
The giant rear window and understated liftgate is a departure from the rest of the van's muscular vibe
Sharp LED accents — including a jagged headlight design, and a full-width rear light bar — complete the look.
Aside from its somewhat disjointed design, the van at least attempts to be interesting. In this segment, that is worth noting.
Hybrid power doesn't drag
Much like the gas-sipping, surprisingly agile hybrids from Kia's Asian carmaking counterparts (like Toyota and Honda), the Carnival Hybrid's powertrain felt composed in city driving.
Kia's hybrid powerhouse is a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a 72-horsepower electric motor.
The hybrid system delivers a combined 242 horsepower that won't smoke a sports car off the line, but feels plenty powerful to get to highway speeds on a short ramp.
And it builds that power efficiently. According to the EPA, the Carnival Hybrid achieves a combined fuel economy of 33 mpg, with 34 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.
I averaged about 35 mpg in mostly stop-and-go New York driving, which is excellent for something that can haul seven passengers and a Costco haul.
The car's entertainment package also came with second row captain's chairs, complete with power-operated leg rests
The Carnival has a camera package that allows parents to view the back of the car through the infotainment system
Tech gadgets, galore
Kia didn't forget about entertaining the parents. The van also features technology for helicopter parents among us.
In the top trim, the first row is equipped with dual 12.3-inch displays that span the dash.
Inside those screens, drivers can access wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as voice-activated controls, a speaker for the back row, and rear-seat monitoring cameras.
Underneath the screens are a series of haptic and digital buttons that control the climate.
Kia's digital climate controls have always been well-organized. Normally, I'm wildly skeptical of cars forgoing buttons for temperature controls, but this layout is easy to use.
Look at the comment section on any DailyMail.com story about digital buttons, and you will find a slew of people who disagree. To each their own.
Our Carnival Hybrid tester included additional costs for the ceramic gray paint color and black wheels
The van's tech includes a series of dials and digital controls underneath the infotainment system
Value: Is it worth it?
The base Carnival Hybrid LXS starts at $40,990, while the non-hybrid model kicks off at $36,990.
My top-trim SX Prestige tester, decked out with optional wheels, special paint, a second-row sunroof, and the all-important screen package, totaled just over $59,000.
That's serious money, but it's also great value in a segment with bloated and ballooning prices.
Toyota's Sienna starts at $44,295 (it is only available as a hybrid for 2025), while Honda's Odyssey requires a minimum of $42,220 and doesn't offer a hybrid option.
Final thoughts
Many of my formative years were spent in the backseat of a car, watching vehicles pass by and memorizing their makes and models.
Who would I have become had my parents swapped the entertainment of my imagination with the relational guidance of Bluey and Peppa Pig? Who knows.
While (unintentionally) highlighting divides in our digital appetites, the Carnival Hybrid also makes a compelling case for the future of American family road trips.
Many owners will just have to remember to pack the Wi-Fi hotspot.
