2026 Kia Carnival MPG and Fuel Cost
The 2026 Kia Carnival gets up to 21 mpg combined with a gas engine and up to 32 mpg as a hybrid, across 2 EPA-tested versions.
EPA fuel economy
2026 Kia Carnival · 2 EPA-tested versionsBest gas version
21MPG combined
18 city 25 highway
$3,100 a year to fuel
3.5L 6-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic
Best hybrid version
32MPG combined
34 city 31 highway
$2,050 a year to fuel
1.6L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automated manual
Best version saves $1,250 in fuel over 5 years vs the average new vehicle (EPA)
Fuel cost: 15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.32 a gallon (regular gas).
At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs $2,050 to $3,100 a year. Compared with 2025, the best hybrid version is down 1 mpg.
Every 2026 Carnival version
EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.
| Version | Combined | City / Hwy | Fuel / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | |||
1.6L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automated manual Best
EPA listing: Carnival Hybrid |
32 mpg | 34 / 31 | $2,050 |
| Gas | |||
3.5L 6-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic
EPA listing: Carnival |
21 mpg | 18 / 25 | $3,100 |
Fuel cost at your prices
EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.32 a gallon for regular gas. Change the numbers to match your driving.
| Version | Per year | 5 years |
|---|---|---|
1.6L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automated manual | $2,025 | $10,125 |
3.5L 6-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic | $3,086 | $15,429 |
At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.
Kia Carnival MPG by model year
The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Gas: 21 to 22 mpg (every year from 2022 to 2026); highest in 2022. Hybrid: 32 to 33 mpg (2025 to 2026); highest in 2025.
- Best gas version
- Best hybrid version
2026: gas 21 mpg · hybrid 32 mpgTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
| Model year | Best gas version | Best hybrid version |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 22 | – |
| 2023 | 22 | – |
| 2024 | 22 | – |
| 2025 | 21 | 33 |
| 2026 | 21 | 32 |
How the 2026 Carnival compares
2026 minivans covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.
| 2026 model | Best combined | Best gas | Fuel / year |
|---|---|---|---|
Best: hybrid |
36 mpg | – | $1,800 |
Kia Carnival This page Best: hybrid |
32 mpg | 21 mpg | $2,050 |
Best: gas |
22 mpg | 22 mpg | $2,950 |
Best: gas |
22 mpg | 22 mpg | $2,950 |
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2026 Carnival recalls and complaints
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 47 owner complaints for the 2026 Carnival.What they cover, and crash test ratingsQuestions
How much fuel does the 2026 Carnival hybrid save?
Comparing two-wheel-drive versions at EPA's assumptions (15,000 miles a year, $4.32 a gallon), the hybrid costs $2,050 a year to fuel against $3,100 for the gas model: $1,050 a year, or $5,250 over five years.
Does the 2026 Kia Carnival need premium gas?
No. EPA lists every 2026 Kia Carnival version on regular gasoline.
How does the 2026 Carnival's MPG compare with the 2025?
For 2026, the best gas version is rated 21 mpg, the same as the year before and the best hybrid version is rated 32 mpg, down 1 from 33.
Sources and method
- US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
- EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.32, midgrade $4.93, premium $5.32, diesel $6.29 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
- Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Sep 29, 2026 and complaint file dated Sep 28, 2026.
Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.