2025 Kia Carnival: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
125 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 125 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 125.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
the vehicle was rear-ended on the highway. The front driver airbag and seatbelt for the driver and passengers in the middle row, likely malfunctioned, as the driver hit her head on the front visor/headliner and rearview mirror. The rear passenger was thrown into the center console.
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a strong fuel odor inside the vehicle. The contact's minor children were unable to ride in the vehicle due to the odor. Several dealers were contacted and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was contacted by th…
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and coming to a complete stop, the vehicle shut off. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted and driven back to the residence. The following day, the vehicle shut off again and was restarted after several attempts. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer on several occasions; however, …
Recalls: 1 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 26V232000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Carnival vehicles. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a minivan of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System82 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other19 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine15 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Fuel/Propulsion System8 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Exterior Lighting5 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
- Power Train5 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
Other Kia Carnival years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2025 Kia Carnival?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (82 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2025 Kia Carnival a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 43/100, computed from 125 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2025 Kia Carnival's most common problem?
82 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2025 Kia Carnival sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2025 Kia Carnival cost to run per year?
About $6,285 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $31,425 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2025 Kia Carnival have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2025 Kia Carnival, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 10/04/2026. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other minivans of about the same age.
What will a 2025 Kia Carnival really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 125 complaints, 1 recalls on record
- 125 NHTSA complaints on record (125.0/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (35.0/yr)
- 1 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems