Kia Carnival vs Mercedes-Benz A-Class

The Kia Carnival starts from $50,570 before on-road costs, while the Mercedes-Benz A-Class opens at $48,900. That makes the Mercedes-Benz A-Class the more affordable entry point by $1,670.

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 $55,627 and $53,790 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Mercedes-Benz A-Class by roughly $5,555 in fuel alone.

ANCAP safety ratings have not been published for both models yet. We will update this section when crash test results are available.

The Kia Carnival features a 12.3-inch touchscreen paired with a 4-inch digital dash, while the Mercedes-Benz A-Class gets a 10.3-inch display and 10.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Kia Carnival stands out with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charging and power tailgate that you will not find on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. The Mercedes-Benz A-Class counters with Apple CarPlay and ambient lighting. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Kia Carnival gets cloth upholstery while the Mercedes-Benz A-Class offers synthetic leather.

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 Mercedes-Benz A-Class responds with a Petrol making 100kW and 200Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 9.5 seconds.

The Kia Carnival has the clear power advantage at 216kW vs 100kW. 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, 736mm longer than the Mercedes-Benz A-Class at 4,419mm (2,729mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Kia Carnival generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 587L in the Kia Carnival and 370L in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, giving the Kia Carnival a 217L advantage. The Kia Carnival seats 8 vs 5.

For towing, the Kia Carnival leads with a 2,000kg braked capacity vs 1,800kg. That 200kg 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 $1,625/year for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. That is a $1,111 annual difference in favour of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

Estimated annual total: $2,736 (Kia Carnival) vs $1,625 (Mercedes-Benz A-Class). The Mercedes-Benz A-Class saves you roughly $1,111 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 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz A-Class). The Kia Carnival has longer coverage.