kIA cARNIVAL

We brought in a Kia Carnival over the last few months and wanted to provide an update for everyone who has been asking about a Lift Kit for this platform. Unfortunately, we don’t have good news—but it’s important information for anyone considering lifting their Kia Carnival.

During our research and development process, we always test the CV axles to determine their operating angles and tolerance limits. When testing, we leave the CVs installed and cycle the suspension through its full range of motion—both under load and at full droop—to observe how the joints behave. Even with a 1.5-inch strut spacer, we found that the CV axles began to bind under the vehicle’s own weight, meaning they were already beyond their safe articulation range before returning to ride height.

While there was still a small amount of upward travel left, any scenario where the front suspension becomes unweighted—such as during off-road use, rapid rebound, or a wheel drop—could force the CVs past their limit, leading to joint damage or axle failure. Additionally, steering movement increases the CV angle even further, compounding the risk when the suspension is near full droop.
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Because of these results, a lift kit for the Kia Carnival would compromise not just the drivetrain integrity, but also the safety of the vehicle. We always prioritize safety, drivability, and component longevity, and in this case, the suspension geometry of the Carnival simply doesn’t allow for a lift within safe CV axle operating parameters.