Ford S-MAX vs Kia Carnival

Kia Carnival

Verdict

The S-MAX has a 80% bigger boot, the S-MAX is 17% more powerful, while the Carnival is about 15% cheaper. Weigh that against the equipment each side gives you in the table below.

What the S-MAX has over the Carnival

Lane-keeping AssistRear FoglampsAuto Start/StopTiptronic

What the Carnival has over the S-MAX

Sun ShadePower Door

Based on the published spec sheets of the selected variants — a blank field on one side can also mean unlisted data.

The Carnival's wheelbase is 241 mm longer, which usually translates to more rear legroom. The Carnival is 79 mm wider — more shoulder room, but a tighter fit in parking bays. Boot space favours the S-MAX: 285 litres against 56.

S-MAX 4,796 × 1,916 × 1,655 mm · wheelbase 2,849 mmCarnival 5,155 × 1,995 × 1,775 mm · wheelbase 3,090 mm

Representative body-type outlines, drawn to scale from each car's length and height.

Price & overview
Price	RM221,728	RM188,888✓
Body type	MPV	MPV
Segment	D-Segment	D-Segment
Assembly	CBU	CBU
Ownership
Road tax / year	RM440✓	RM561
Monthly instalment (est.)	RM2,265/mo	RM1,930/mo✓
Insurance / year (est.)	RM6,078	RM5,224✓
Fuel / year (est.)	RM3,144	—
Energy cost / 100 km (est.)	RM15.72	—
5-year running costs (est.)	RM48,309	—
Powertrain
Engine Tech	16-valve, DOHC, direct fuel injection, turbocharged with variable valve timing	16-Valve DOHC, Turbocharged with Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing
Capacity	1,999 cc	2,151 cc
Horsepower	237 hp at 5,300 rpm✓	197 hp at 3,800 rpm
Torque	345 Nm at 2,300 rpm	440 Nm at 1,750 rpm✓
Cylinder Arrangement	Inline 4	Inline 4
Fuel	Petrol	Diesel
Bore × Stroke	87.5 mm × 83.1 mm	83 mm × 99.4 mm
Compression Ratio	9.3	16
Drivetrain
Transmission	Conventional Automatic	Conventional Automatic
Transmission Name	Selectshift	8-speed Automatic with E-Shift
Gears	6	8
Transmission Manufacturer	Ford/GM	—
Driveline	Front Wheel Drive	Front Wheel Drive
Performance & Efficiency
0-100 km/h	8.4 seconds	—
Rated Economy	7.9 L/100 km	—
Top Speed	224 km/h	—
Co2	180 g/km	—
Dimensions
Length	4,796 mm	5,155 mm
Width	1,916 mm	1,995 mm
Height	1,655 mm	1,775 mm
Wheelbase	2,849 mm	3,090 mm
Weight	1,748 kg	2,129 kg
Fuel Tank	70 litres	72 litres
Doors	5	5
Seats	7	11
Boot Space	285 litres✓	56 litres
Front Tyre	235/55R17	235/60R18
Rear Tyre	235/55R17	235/60R18
Spare Tyre	Space Saver	Space Saver
Factory Tyres	Michelin Primacy 3	Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance SUV
Chassis
Assembly	Spain (CBU)	Korea (CBU)
Front Suspension	MacPherson Strut	MacPherson Struts
Rear Suspension	Multi-link	Multi-links
Front Wheels	17" Alloy	18" Alloy
Rear Wheels	17" Alloy	18" Alloy
Steering	Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering)	Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering)
Crash Safety Ratings
EuroNCAP	5 stars	—
Safety
Airbags	7 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Driver's Knee, Front and Rear Curtain)	8 (Driver and Front Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Front Center Airbag, Driver's Knee Airbag)
ABS/EBD	✓	✓
Stability Control	✓	✓
Alarm	✓	✓
Immobilizer	✓	✓
Airbag Disable Function	✓	✓
Child Safety Lock	Manual for Rear Doors	Manual for Rear Doors
Seat Belts	7 Three-point	8 Three-point, 3 Lap Belts
ISOFIX	Available On Three Middle Row Passenger Seats	Available for 2 Outer 2nd Row Seats
Lane-keeping Assist	Steering Correction	No
Seatbelt Reminder	All Seats	All Seats
Lighting
Headlamps	Adaptive LED Projector with Auto High Beam	LED Projector
Taillamps	LED Combination	Full LED
LED Daytime Running Lights	✓	✓
Front Foglamps	✓	✓
Rear Foglamps	✓	—
Wing Mirror Turn Indicators	✓	✓
Cabin
Front Seats	Power Adjustable Seats with Memory for Driver, Heated, Ventilated, with Massage Function	Power Adjustable Front Seats
Rear Seats	40:20:40 Split-Folding and Sliding Middle Row, 50:50 Split-Folding Last Row, Electric Folding	40:20:40 Split-folding, Sliding, Reclining and Removable 2nd Row with Tip-up Centre Seat, 40:20:40 Split-folding, Sliding, Reclining and Removable 3rd Row with Tip-up Centre Seat, Folding 4th Row
Front Air-con	Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System	Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control
Rear Air-con	Rear Vents with Blower Control	Single-zone Automatic Climate Control with 3rd Row Air Vents
Power Sockets	2 Front, 1 Middle Row, 1 Boot	1 Front, 1 Rear, 1 Boot, 2 USB-C Front, 2 USB-C Second Row, 2 USB-C Third Row
Interior Lighting	Map Lights and Ambient Lights	Map Lights
Cup Holders	2 Front, 2 Last Row	2 Front, 4 Middle Row, 4 Last Row
Sun Shade	—	Manual 2nd and 3rd Row Sun Shades
Audio	8" Ford SYNC 2 with 9-speaker Sony Premium Audio	12.3" Infotainment Touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 6 Speakers
Convenience
Power Windows	Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch	Four Windows, Driver's Side Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch
Engine Start	Keyless Push Button	Keyless Push Button
Locks	Keyless Operation	Keyless Operation
Auto Start/Stop	✓	—
Auto Headlamps	✓	✓
Auto Wipers	✓	✓
Cruise Control	Passive Cruise Control	Passive Cruise Control
Tiptronic	✓	—
Paddle Shift	✓	✓
Steering Audio Control	✓	✓
Steering Tilt	✓	✓
Steering Telescopic	✓	✓
Boot Operation	Remote Control Activation	Powered Boot
Parking Sensor Front	4 Sensors	6 Sensors
Parking Sensor Rear	4 Sensors	6 Sensors
Reverse Camera	Yes	Yes, 360-degree Camera
Folding Wing Mirrors	✓	✓
Bluetooth	✓	✓
Power Door	—	Power Sliding Rear Doors - Both Sides
Hill Start Assist	✓	✓
Instrument Cluster	Digital/Analogue	Full LCD Monitor
Parking Brake	Electronic	Electronic
Warranty
Warranty Mileage Manufacturer	100,000 km	150,000 km✓
Warranty Manufacturer	3 years	5 years✓

Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration. Running-cost estimates assume 20,000 km/year. Fuel at RM1.99/litre (RON95, subsidised). Insurance: comprehensive motor tariff, no NCD. Instalment: 10% down, 2.5% flat rate, 9 years. Prices checked October 2026.