[redvan]

Hey all, just parked my new red LXS in the driveway and was thrilled to find this site. Admittedly I had to settle for the LXS since the market for these is insane and no EX’s were to be had without going thousands of miles away and paying greater thousands of dollars over MSRP (can’t believe I’m thrilled to have paid MSRP but I guess I should be?)

I can live without the 12.1” screen and will accept my manual liftgate lot in life but I hate these LX rims! Does anyone know if EX or SX rims/tires are a one for one swap?

 

[Todd111]

Congrats on getting your car at MSRP in this market! We had to go out of state and pay MSRP + $700 + shipping to get ours but it was still less than the $5k-$10k markup that dealers are charging in our area. I’m currently waiting to receive my Carnival LX and I’m not a huge fan of the rims either but I’ll probably just live with them. As someone who has settled for base trims on some cars in my past, I’m just glad this car will have alloy wheels and not steel wheels with hubcaps. For a base trim, the LX still has a surprisingly good amount of standard features (CarPlay/Android Auto, smart key w/push button & remote start, and all the safety features)

To answer your question about rims; you should be able to put EX or SX rims and tires on an LX. However, you may want to consider these factors:

- Your current 17” tires have taller sidewalls which can result in a more comfortable ride. Going to a larger size rim will result in you purchasing tires with shorter sidewalls and a harsher ride (rougher over bumps). Granted, those shorter sidewalls might also give you better handling in corners but maybe not a significant difference.

- The OEM EX/SX rims could be expensive to purchase from Kia. A more economical solution would be to buy aftermarket wheels through a place like TireRack.com or your local wheel/tire shop. The cheapest solution would be to purchase different aftermarket 17” rims while keeping your existing tires. Alternatively, you could purchase 19” aftermarket rims and tires that match the size of the OEM EX/SX ones but are less expensive because they aren’t “Kia” branded.

If you do end up changing the wheels to EX/SX or aftermarket, please post photos so we can see how they look on an LX.

Thanks,
Todd

 

[redvan]

Hi Todd, thank you for the detailed response! I am feeling fortunate on the MSRP, and part of me is toying with the idea of selling this thing privately and pocketing a tidy profit, but my wife is having none of it, lol.

I have resigned myself to keeping the stock 17’s. Between the expense upfront and what aftermarket anything does to your resale I can’t justify the expense.

I will say that After an afternoon of grocery runs and errands I already miss that power lift gate. Our other daily driver is a loaded 2016 Subaru Outback with the power lift gate and and it’s amazing how what you once considered a gimmicky luxury now feels like you’re totally missing something essential. But we’re pretty adaptive creatures and I suspect after a few months I won’t mind so much. I hope you’re new ride gets here soon. Safe travels!

Congrats on getting your car at MSRP in this market! We had to go out of state and pay MSRP + $700 + shipping to get ours but it was still less than the $5k-$10k markup that dealers are charging in our area. I’m currently waiting to receive my Carnival LX and I’m not a huge fan of the rims either but I’ll probably just live with them. As someone who has settled for base trims on some cars in my past, I’m just glad this car will have alloy wheels and not steel wheels with hubcaps. For a base trim, the LX still has a surprisingly good amount of standard features (CarPlay/Android Auto, smart key w/push button & remote start, and all the safety features)

To answer your question about rims; you should be able to put EX or SX rims and tires on an LX. However, you may want to consider these factors:

- Your current 17” tires have taller sidewalls which can result in a more comfortable ride. Going to a larger size rim will result in you purchasing tires with shorter sidewalls and a harsher ride (rougher over bumps). Granted, those shorter sidewalls might also give you better handling in corners but maybe not a significant difference.

- The OEM EX/SX rims could be expensive to purchase from Kia. A more economical solution would be to buy aftermarket wheels through a place like TireRack.com or your local wheel/tire shop. The cheapest solution would be to purchase different aftermarket 17” rims while keeping your existing tires. Alternatively, you could purchase 19” aftermarket rims and tires that match the size of the OEM EX/SX ones but are less expensive because they aren’t “Kia” branded.

If you do end up changing the wheels to EX/SX or aftermarket, please post photos so we can see how they look on an LX.

Thanks,
Todd

 

[thofli]

Hi Redvan, congrats on your new Carnival. I was looking for an EX too, but ended up purchasing a LXS for just a few hundred over MSRP from a local dealer. Although I was wanting the EX features, the LXS was priced right and was available. At first, I wasn’t a huge fan of the rims, but I’m getting used to them now. Considering it’s a minivan, I actually kind of like the understated look. Agree also with Todd111 that the larger sidewalls provide a smoother ride. Overall, I’m really happy with how the Carnival drives

As for the convenience features, although there is no power lift gate, the LXS has a hidden feature. When the car is locked and you approach the rear lift gate with the key fob in your pocket, a proximity sensor automatically unlocks it when you press the lift gate release button. You still have to lift it manually, but it’s convenient to just walk up and open the lift gate when the car is locked. There’s also a setting for the power sliding doors to automatically open when you approach either door (using the proximity of the key fob again). I’ve found this handy when I’m carrying groceries, etc. I also really like how the LXS comes with wireless Apple CarPlay (something the 12.1 display in EX and above trims don’t support). The EX does have built in wireless charger, but I found a slim rubberized wireless charger that fits perfectly in the center storage area (by the USB ports). Problem solved. Hope this helps and you’re enjoying your new car!

 

[redvan]

Hi Redvan, congrats on your new Carnival. I was looking for an EX too, but ended up purchasing a LXS for just a few hundred over MSRP from a local dealer. Although I was wanting the EX features, the LXS was priced right and was available. At first, I wasn’t a huge fan of the rims, but I’m getting used to them now. Considering it’s a minivan, I actually kind of like the understated look. Agree also with Todd111 that the larger sidewalls provide a smoother ride. Overall, I’m really happy with how the Carnival drives

As for the convenience features, although there is no power lift gate, the LXS has a hidden feature. When the car is locked and you approach the rear lift gate with the key fob in your pocket, a proximity sensor automatically unlocks it when you press the lift gate release button. You still have to lift it manually, but it’s convenient to just walk up and open the lift gate when the car is locked. There’s also a setting for the power sliding doors to automatically open when you approach either door (using the proximity of the key fob again). I’ve found this handy when I’m carrying groceries, etc. I also really like how the LXS comes with wireless Apple CarPlay (something the 12.1 display in EX and above trims don’t support). The EX does have built in wireless charger, but I found a slim rubberized wireless charger that fits perfectly in the center storage area (by the USB ports). Problem solved. Hope this helps and you’re enjoying your new car!

Thank you thofli! I’d did not realize the higher trims didn’t support wireless CarPlay. That in and of itself is a huge win in “feel good about my purchase” column. Been driving 10 days now and do really love the vehicle.

 

[Todd111]

Thank you thofli! I’d did not realize the higher trims didn’t support wireless CarPlay. That in and of itself is a huge win in “feel good about my purchase” column. Been driving 10 days now and do really love the vehicle.

+1 to enjoying wireless CarPlay. I’ve driven many cars with CarPlay but this is the first one I’ve had with wireless CarPlay. I didn’t realize I needed it until I had it… SO convenient!

Another LX feature I‘ve come to enjoy is the flat black trim on the dash (instead of piano black). It’s great to not be blinded by reflective trim and as a bonus, it should be more resistant to surface scratches.

 

[dpittman9905]

I agree with the flat black trim, that is much better for my 4 kids then the finger print magnet of the EX