2026 Kia Carnival: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings
EPA rates the 2026 Kia Carnival at 21–32 mpg combined across 2 versions. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 54 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.
Safety recalls
2
EPA combined mpg
21–32
NHTSA overall rating
5/5
Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT
NHTSA lists this vehicle as CARNIVAL HYBRID.
Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Kia dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.
2026 Kia Carnival recalls
NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2026 Kia Carnival, newest first.
Fuel system, gasoline: Delivery: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
NHTSA 26V232000Reported Apr 10, 2026
Filed by
Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC368)
Units affected
141,032 (estimate)
Problem
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Carnival vehicles. Fuel may leak at the pipe connection between the fuel pipe and fuel rail.
Risk
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten, or replace the fuel pipe as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC368. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 24, 2026.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."
Risk
An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 9, 2026.
Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.
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2026 Kia Carnival fuel economy by version
EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.
Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.
EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.
2026 Kia Carnival crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
2026 Kia Carnival NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Rollover risk
Forward collision warning
2026 KIA CARNIVAL HYBRID PV HEV FWD
5 stars
4 stars
5 stars
4 stars
14%
Standard & Optional
2026 KIA CARNIVAL PV N/A FWD
5 stars
4 stars
5 stars
4 stars
14%
Standard & Optional
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.
Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.
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2026 Kia Carnival owner complaints
Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 Kia Carnival, most recently on Oct 23, 2026. 3 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 5 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.
Most-cited components in 2026 Kia Carnival complaints
Component named in complaints
Mentions
Electrical system
20
Unknown or other
18
Power train
13
Vehicle speed control
8
Engine
7
Fuel/propulsion system
6
Structure: Body
4
Back over prevention: Warnings
3
Seats
3
Back over prevention: Rearview system braking
2
Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.
