Kia Carnival Best and Worst Years (2022–2025)
The 2025 Kia Carnival is the year to avoid, with a complaint index of 100, the highest of the four model years, driven mostly by electrical system failures. The 2024 model is the strongest choice with a complaint index of 33 and a Good verdict.
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.
- Model years
- 4
- 2022–2025
- NHTSA complaints
- 383
- Recall campaigns
- 6
- Crashes reported
- 7
- Fires reported
- 0
- Top problem area
- Electrical System
Carnival Complaint Index by year
Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.
Kia Carnival problems and recalls by year
Carnival years to avoid: what went wrong
2025 Kia Carnival Index 100 · 124 complaints · 1 recalls
The 2025 Carnival has the highest complaint index (100) of any Carnival year and ranks worst overall. Electrical system issues dominate, making up 67% of complaints for the year, with owners describing battery drain and parasitic electrical draws that leave the vehicle undriveable at a median mileage of 34,967 miles. Engine complaints (16) and fuel system complaints (10, median 6,000 miles) also appear. One recall covers a fuel pipe connection that may leak. With zero crashes and only 5 injuries reported, the issues center on drivability and repeated dealer visits rather than serious accidents.
Most common Kia Carnival problems (all years)
Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.
- Electrical System131 (34%)
- Other106 (28%)
- Structure & Body78 (20%)
- Engine53 (14%)
- Fuel System37 (10%)
- Visibility & Wipers24 (6%)
- Transmission & Powertrain15 (4%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras12 (3%)
- Steering12 (3%)
- Brakes7 (2%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- What year Kia Carnival should I avoid?
- The 2025 Kia Carnival is the year to avoid, based on NHTSA complaints, with a complaint index of 100, the highest among the covered years, mostly tied to electrical system failures.
- Which Kia Carnival year is best?
- The 2024 Carnival is rated Good with a complaint index of 33, the lowest among the four years, and only 2 recall campaigns.
- Are 2022 and 2023 Kia Carnival models reliable?
- Both are rated Caution. The 2022 has a complaint index of 67 with 6 recalls, and the 2023 has a complaint index of 0 but is capped to Caution because of a Do Not Drive or Park Outside recall.
- Does the 2025 Kia Carnival have an electrical problem?
- Yes. Electrical system complaints account for 67% of all 2025 complaints, with owners reporting battery drain and parasitic draws, at a median failure mileage of 34,967 miles.
- Does the Kia Carnival have recalls?
- Across 2022-2025, NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns total for the Carnival, including a fuel pipe connection leak recall covering 2022-2026 model years.