Car camping in a Kia Carnival

Q: Is the Kia Carnival good for car camping?

Yes. The Kia Carnival has full-size cargo space, enough room for a standard camping kit. Around 145 cu ft behind the front seats once the second row is lifted out - minivan space in SUV styling. Pull those seats and drop the third row into the floor for a flat sleeping zone; the VIP lounge seats stay put.

A complete kit for a family of four, sized to the Carnival.

Build my Carnival kit → Couple version instead Starter version, ~$764

Carnival car camping setup and accessories

9 items, ~$1,285 total. Amazon prices. Affiliate links: we earn a commission on Amazon purchases at no extra cost to you.

Tent

GEERTOP 4-Person 4-Season Waterproof Tent

Fits:: 4-6 person
Rating:: 4-season

~$180

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Sleeping Bag (x4)

Kelty Cosmic 40°F Sleeping Bag

Rated to:: 40°F
Fill:: Synthetic

~$80 each

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Sleeping Pad (x4)

Klymit Insulated Static V Sleeping Pad

Warmth:: Three seasons (R 4.4)
Type:: Inflatable

~$83 each

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Cooler

Coleman Classic 52-Quart Cooler

Holds:: 52 qt
Keeps ice:: 3 days

~$55

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Camp Chair (x4)

Coleman Cooler Quad Chair

Packs:: Standard quad
Supports:: 325 lbs
Seat:: Padded

~$40 each

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Camp Lighting

Coleman 1000-Lumen LED Lantern (BatteryGuard)

Brightness:: 1000 lumens

~$50

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Headlamp (x4)

Lepro Rechargeable LED Headlamp

Brightness:: 300 lumens
Power:: Rechargeable

~$10 each

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Camp Stove

Coleman Triton 2-Burner Propane Stove

Burners:: 2
Fuel:: Propane

~$84

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Cook Set

Fire-Maple Feast 12-Piece Camp Cookware Set

Pieces:: 12
Surface:: Steel

~$65

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Add all 9 to Amazon cart

One press puts the whole kit in your cart; take out anything you already own there.

How we pick these

Not quite you? Change who is coming, the quality tier or the season - your Carnival stays filled in.

What fits in the Carnival

Around 145 cu ft behind the front seats once the second row is lifted out - minivan space in SUV styling. That is full-size cargo space: any tent, cooler or chair we list fits - nothing has to pack small.

Pull those seats and drop the third row into the floor for a flat sleeping zone; the VIP lounge seats stay put.

Sleeping inside the Carnival

With the rear seats folded, the Kia Carnival sleeps two on the folded floor; the kit's tent takes the rest of the family.

On the cargo floor: two of the kit's pads, or swap them for a 4-inch minivan air mattress that fills the floor.
For regular trips, a low plywood platform makes it a real bed with storage underneath.
Hybrid trims: leave it running in park with the climate on (about half a gallon to a gallon a night, open air only). Other trims: crack the rear windows behind Kia Carnival window rain guards and run a small fan to stop condensation.