Kia America Dabbles with On-Demand, At-Home Car Shopping

The all-new 2022 Kia Carnival Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) replaces the outgoing Sedona. Carnival has a 3.5-liter V6 engine rated at 290 horsepower. This provides up to 3,500 pounds of towing capacity for trailer, boat, or camper trips. It also has standard Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). The 2022 Carnival will be offered in four (confusing, complicated? – Autocrat) trim levels: LX, EX, SX, and SX-Prestige.

Kia America has announced “Kia@Home” which delivers scheduled test drives of two of vehicles direct to consumers at a location of their choosing in several major cities. It is the latest example of an automaker exploring the boundaries of the traditional franchised dealer network.

The all-new Carnival MPV and the all-electric Niro EV are available in some locations. The hour-long sales pitch includes a detailed vehicle walk-around from a Kia@Home Drive Specialist. Ultimately, customers interested in buying a Carnival MPV or Niro EV “will work with a local Kia dealer to purchase a vehicle.” The people conducting the test drives/vehicle walk-arounds are third-party product specialists that Kia has enlisted in each market. No other details were provided to AutoInformed.

Reservations for Kia@Home are open with appointments being scheduled through October 3. Both the Carnival MPV and Niro EV will be available in these markets:

• Atlanta
• Austin
• Boston
• Chicago
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• New York City Metro
• Philadelphia
• Seattle
• Washington, D.C.

Carnival MPV also available in:

• Cleveland
• Columbus
• Dallas/Fort Worth
• Houston
• Indianapolis
• Orlando
• Phoenix
• Tampa