Kia Carnival vs GAC M8

The Kia Carnival starts from $55,490 before on-road costs, while the GAC M8 opens at $76,590. That makes the Kia Carnival the more affordable entry point by $21,100.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $61,039 and $84,249 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the GAC M8 by roughly $4,985 in fuel alone.

Both the Kia Carnival and GAC M8 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The GAC M8 packs more ADAS features with 8 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 5 in the Kia Carnival.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the Kia Carnival and 7 in the GAC M8. The GAC M8 adds a 360-degree camera that the Kia Carnival misses.

Both come with modern infotainment systems. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Kia Carnival stands out with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto that you will not find on the GAC M8. The GAC M8 counters with Apple CarPlay, heated front seats, GAC Premium audio and ambient lighting. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Kia Carnival uses a Petrol producing 216kW and 355Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 9.1 seconds.

The GAC M8 responds with a Petrol Turbo making 140kW and 330Nm, paired to a automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 9.5 seconds.

The Kia Carnival has the clear power advantage at 216kW vs 140kW. In the real-world sprint, the Kia Carnival is 0.4s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Kia Carnival measures 5,155mm long on a 3,090mm wheelbase, 57mm shorter than the GAC M8 at 5,212mm (3,070mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Kia Carnival generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 587L in the Kia Carnival and 800L in the GAC M8, giving the GAC M8 a 213L advantage. The Kia Carnival seats 8 vs 7.

For towing, the GAC M8 leads with a 2,000kg braked capacity vs 2,000kg. That 0kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,736/year for the Kia Carnival and $1,739/year for the GAC M8. That is a $997 annual difference in favour of the GAC M8.

Estimated annual total: $2,736 (Kia Carnival) vs $1,739 (GAC M8). The GAC M8 saves you roughly $997 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 7 years / 999,999km (Kia Carnival) vs 8 years / 150,000km (GAC M8). The GAC M8 has longer coverage.