Kia has seen amazing success with the Telluride since its release. Now, we are noticing that others in the lineup are adopting the more rugged styling presented first by the Kia Telluride SUV. The 2022 Kia Sorento was recently revealed with updated adventurous looks. Additionally, we’ve seen the reveal of the all-new Kia Sedona Carnival. This minivan also shows up with a more rugged exterior style.

Plus, the interior is luxurious enough to compete with other minivan favorites like the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, and Chrysler Pacifica. In fact, Car and Driver even likens its exterior to the “modern Range Rover.” Overall, the 2022 Kia Sedona is going to change the minivan game. It looks about as rugged as its three-row Telluride sibling, but it can seat 9 people.

The 2022 Kia Sedona Carnival

The Kia Sedona is known globally as the Carnival, and we kind of get it. It’s almost like a party bus. But instead of driving around inappropriately inebriated adults, it ships the kids around to school, practice, and game day. Car and Driver muses that this Telluride-esque soccer dad’s dream car will likely “be powered by a 290-hp 3.5-liter V-6 engine with front-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission.” However, we really don’t know much right now.

We do know that it looks vastly more awesome than pretty much any other minivan we’ve ever seen. A nice sculpted jaw and daytime running lights that seamlessly work into the redesigned grille give this people mover a total exterior style upheaval. It won’t just compete with the Sienna, Odyssey, and Pacifica. The 2022 Kia Sedona Carnival actually might influence upcoming changes in those vans as well. The old favorites could end up taking a back seat to the new Kia minivan.

Will the new Sedona have all-wheel drive?

Because the rugged Kia Telluride SUV and the all-new Kia Sorento offer available all-wheel drive, you may wonder if the new Kia minivan will as well. We have the same question. Will we get another all-wheel-drive minivan? It’s something that is now a driving force in the minivan segment. Both the Toyota Sienna and the Chrysler Pacifica now offer models equipped with AWD.

In order to drop into the segment and really compete, the Kia Sedona needs to offer more than just a pretty face and a couple extra seats, right? An available all-wheel drive option would help give it an edge by putting the new Kia minivan more on par with the Toyota Sienna and the Chrysler Pacifica.

Who knows––if the Sedona adds an AWD option maybe Honda will finally feel the pressure to offer an AWD Odyssey, too. Car and Driver reports that AWD “isn’t on the menu” for the 2022 Kia Sedona Carnival. But this is a very fluid industry, and that could change before it hits production. Additionally, a hybrid isn’t in the forecast for the all-new Kia Sedona. However, it will likely come as an option a model year or two into this new Sedona generation.

It’s a Telluride minivan

Comparing the Telluride and the Sedona, it’s easy to see the similarity in exterior style. The two are likely to be priced similarly. It will also come with a V6 mated to the same eight-speed transmission as the Kia Telluride SUV. In fact, there’s a decent chance that when these vehicles do finally offer a hybrid option the system technology will be the same. Overall, the 2022 Kia Sedona Carnival is a game-changer for the minivan segment. It might even turn out to offer some competition for the Kia Telluride itself.