Kia to Launch CKD Carnival MPV in Malaysia Soon

Kia Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the joint venture company of Kia Corporation and Bermaz Auto Berhad (BAuto) has rolled out the Kia Carnival MPV from the Inokom assembly plant in Kulim, Kedah. The Carnival will be its first Kia model produced under this new partnership.

“The roll-out of the Kia Carnival in CKD form was an important milestone in the marque’s renaissance in Malaysia. We are delighted to welcome the first Kia model produced here at Inokom for the Malaysian and ASEAN markets. The Kia Carnival marks a new beginning for the Kia brand and showcases all the hallmarks of our products, superior design, smart technology and an impressive driving experience”, said the Kia Asia Pacific President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ted Lee.

Same but Different

The locally assembled Kia Carnival will be using the same 2.2-litre Turbo Diesel engine with an output of 199hp and 440Nm of torque. This will be paired with the same 8-speed automatic transmission as the fully imported unit that was sold earlier. The locally assembled Kia Carnival however, will only be available in 7-seater and 8-seater configurations, unlike the 11-seat layout of the CBU one.

Premium Class Mobility

The CKD Carnival is specified with a long list of stylish and high-tech features to deliver a premium class mobility experience for the driver and passengers. The list of equipment includes front & rear heated and ventilated seats, Premium Relaxion seats in the second row that can be fully reclined, 12-speaker Bose® sound system, ambient lighting, 12.3-inch infotainment display, and one-touch smart power sliding doors and smart power tailgate.

For safety, a comprehensive Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) comes as standard feature for the safety of the driver, passenger and other road users. The CKD Kia Carnival is equipped with Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Junction Turning (FCA), Smart Cruise Control (SCC), Lane Following Assist (LFA), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Blind-spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), High Beam Assist (HBA) and Safe Exit Assist (SEA).

Dato Wong Kin Foo, Managing Director of Dinamikjaya Motors Sdn. Bhd. said, “The consumer’s response to the fully imported Kia Carnival 11-seater variant launched in January has been very encouraging and we are confident that the consumers will be equally enthusiastic about the CKD Kia Carnival. We believe these CKD variations will serve the differing needs and expectations of those in the market for a modern and luxurious multi-purpose vehicle”.

Making Malaysia the Hub

Kia Malaysia will be pursuing its plan to become the hub that serves targeted export markets with various CKD models which will be assembled here. Kia says the plan to export is on track and the company will soon make the maiden shipment. Kia Malaysia believes that this joint venture plan will boost the price competitiveness and supply of the Kia Carnival due to the significant demand for vehicles in Malaysia and export markets.