A mother of three from Las Vegas has turned her Kia Carnival into a viral sensation by wrapping it in salmon pink to mimic the look of the Volkswagen ID. Buzz, racking up over 14 lakh views on Instagram. For Indian buyers curious whether this look could translate here, it’s worth knowing upfront that the Carnival sold in India is a different vehicle altogether: a single, diesel-only Limousine Plus variant and not the hybrid model featured in the viral video. Here’s what the makeover actually involved and how it compares to what’s sold locally.
What Johanna Jones Actually Did
- Johanna Jones had her partially wrapped in salmon pink. This created a two-tone look inspired by Volkswagen’s vintage styling instead of a full-body colour change.
- Inside, she added a colourful rug and removed one second-row seat. For those who don’t know, this is a configuration option available on US-market Carnival models. So basically, several global markets this setup isn’t universally available.
- Jones has said the project wasn’t sponsored, and that her family spent months comparing vehicles and taking test drives before settling on the Carnival over other options, including their original preference for an actual vintage bus.
How The India-Spec Carnival Differs
- The Kia Carnival sold in India comes only as a Limousine Plus variant with a 2+2+3 seating layout, priced at approximately Rs 59.45 lakh (ex-showroom).
- It’s powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine producing 190 bhp and 441 Nm paired with an 8-speed automatic gearbox, unlike the hybrid powertrain used in the US-market Carnival featured in the viral clip.
- Since the seat-removal configuration Jones used isn’t confirmed to be available on Indian units, buyers here inspired by the video would likely be limited to exterior wrap changes rather than replicating the full interior modification.
In terms of features, it includes ventilated second-row VIP captain chairs with leg support, dual 12.3-inch screens, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, dual sunroofs and automatic power sliding doors. Safety is managed by eight airbags, a 360-degree camera and Level 2 ADAS driver assistance.