Full-size Multi-Purpose Vehicles (MPVs) are in short supply in Pakistan. As a result, only a few large MPVs have ever been introduced in the country.

Lucky Motor Corporation Limited (LMCL) recently debuted the Kia Carnival in Pakistan. The MPV’s futuristic design and modern features were praised by enthusiasts, which aided sales.

Hyundai Nishat has added the ‘brand-new’ Staria MPV to the mix. It is also extremely futuristic in appearance and promises impressive features, raising the question of whether it can break the monopoly of the Kia Carnival.

Hyundai Nishat has added the ‘brand-new’ Staria MPV to the mix. It is also extremely futuristic in appearance and promises impressive features, raising the question of whether it can break the monopoly of the Kia Carnival.

Let us have a thorough look at both vehicles and find out:

Exterior Styling

Kia Carnival

The latest model, while still a minivan, is heavily influenced by SUV design. The vehicle appears much more poised and aggressive for an MPV, thanks to a slightly longer wheelbase and shorter front and rear overhangs.

The nose is now longer and straighter in the front. It also features Kia’s patented ‘Tiger Face’ front grille that spans the width of the vehicle, sleek new headlights with Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) integrated into the sides of the front grill, and a large and beefy bumper with a silver trim piece for a fine finish.

Except for a few sharp character lines that run the length of the MPV, the side profile is almost identical to that of any other mid-size minivan. The wheel arches are slightly pronounced to give it a planted and muscular appearance. Needless to say, all of these are purely cosmetic.

Carnival also has the “Island Rood” design, which consists of black A and B pillars that support the body-colored roof. It has a signature chrome fin on the C-pillar with a diamond pattern finish that begins at the top and wraps around the window creases to the tailgate.

To complement the design, the rear has a sleek taillight that extends across the back, a few sharp lines, and a rear bumper with foglights, reverse lights, and a scuff-plate-like silver trim piece.

Hyundai Staria

The Staria appears to be a modern take on classic MPVs. An old-school design combined with futuristic styling creates a modern look.

The front fascia features a massive LED lightbar that serves as a large DRL and spans the entire width of the Staria. Below that is a massive mesh-patterned grille with quad-LED headlights. The smooth and rearward-slanted front gives the MPV a retro appearance.

The side profile is smooth and blocky, similar to classic minivans. The extremely low beltline and large windows allow for excellent visibility and a distinct style. It has no sharp lines or creases along the side, which is a welcome design feature.

Staria’s backside is similarly clean and straightforward. A large rear windshield and large verticle taillights are two notable styling elements. The rest of its styling is smooth, simple, and true to the theme of ‘classic minivan reimagined.’

With the all-new Staria, Hyundai appears to have taken cues from Tesla’s minimalistic design language.

Interior

Kia Carnival

The interior of the Carnival is modern and functional. The analogue gauge cluster and infotainment unit are combined into a single panel. The interior is brought to life by a modern dash design, diamond-patterned trim around the vents, and silver and piano-black trim pieces.

Carnival is a full-size minivan, so it has a lot of space. It can comfortably seat seven adult passengers, with the second-row passengers enjoying the most comfort thanks to the captain’s chairs.

Cargo space behind the third-row seats on the Carnival is 1138 litres, 2435 litres with the third row folded down, and 4106 litres with the third and second rows folded down. Overall, the Carnival interior is appealing, comfortable, and functional.

Hyundai Staria

The interiors of Carnival and Staria are starkly different. While the former appears more premium, the latter is more basic and utilitarian.

It shares the Hyundai Sonata’s four-spoke steering wheel. The gauge cluster is modern and all-digital, while the dash design is a mix of old and new, with a touch-based infotainment unit and a modern centre control stack.

The Staria is also a full-size MPV that can seat up to 11 people. Its second-row seats can be rotated, allowing rear passengers to face each other if desired.

It is worth noting, however, that the fourth-row seats take up the majority of the cargo space. The Staria has 841 litres of boot space with the last-row seats upright, which can be expanded to 5000 litres with all seats folded down.

Staria, with its interior space, configuration options, and practicality, could pose a threat to both family and commercial vehicles.

Dimensions and Weight

Carnival and Staria both use the same platform, but the former is slightly smaller and lighter. The following are the dimensions of both MPVs:

Performance

Kia Carnival

The Kia Carnival has only one engine option: a naturally aspirated 3.5 litre V6 petrol engine with 272 horsepower (hp) and 332 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

It has McPherson struts up front and multi-link coil spring suspension at the back. It has disc brakes on all four wheels with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) technology, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EDB), and Brake Assist (BA) technology.

According to various reviews, the Carnival provides a fuel economy of up to 10 kilometers per liter (km/l).

Hyundai Staria

The Staria is available with two powertrains: a turbocharged 2.2-liter 4-cylinder diesel engine producing 174 horsepower and 430 Newton-meters of torque and mated to either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic transmission, and a naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6 petrol engine producing 268 horsepower and 331 Newton-meters of torque and mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

It also has McPherson struts in the front and a multi-link coil spring suspension in the rear. It has four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, EDB, and BA technology.

According to various road tests, the diesel-powered variants have a fuel economy of up to 11 km/l, while the petrol variants have a fuel economy of up to 8 km/l.

Features

This list consists of features from the top variants of both vehicles. Here’s how the two MPVs stack up: