My wife and I are considering a 2025 Carnival hybrid EX in ceramic silver. The MSRP on the listing was $44,800, but when we visited the dealership, they quoted us $50,000. I was really surprised by the markup and thought this kind of pricing had stopped. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Should I check with another Kia dealership?
I didn’t go for the ceramic silver, so my price was $500 lower right from the start. The MSRP, including freight, was $44,300. They had advertised a $1,770 discount, which they honored when I mentioned it, but only after I brought it up. They tried to add $6,000 in dealer add-ons and a $3,000 maintenance package, but I got them to remove all of that. The doc fees here were about $700, plus registration and taxes. My total included a trade-in, so it’s not exactly comparable. But I ended up with around $1,770 off MSRP, with no add-ons and only doc fees and tax. This was in the Vegas area.
I bought the same model you’re looking at. The extra cost was just the carpeted mats (which I didn’t want, but they came with the car). The base price was $44,360. There were taxable fees of $24, doc fees of $260, tax of $2,678.64, and non-taxable fees of $31. My final OTD price was $47,353.64.
@Isaac
$44,360 seems like a fair deal to me. They probably would’ve made the sale at that price!
@Isaac
That looks very similar to my deal. +1
@Isaac
Hey, fellow Michigan dealer .
I looked at the hybrid ceramic silver too. The dealer initially wanted $5,000 over MSRP, but I negotiated it down to MSRP plus $250 after a few hours of back and forth. The doc fee was around $300, and my OTD ended up being $50,000. This was in New York state.
I have a 2022 LXS. We test drove the 2025 EX hybrid, and the MSRP was about $45,000. We weren’t looking for the hybrid, but I wanted to see how it drove. I was surprised to find it handled almost the same as the V6. We also drove a regular V6 EX, which was a few thousand cheaper. Both drove exactly like my 2022. The general manager offered us the car at MSRP if we took it that night, but then added a $3,000 markup. I thanked him and walked out. This was in NY.
I bought a 2025 Carnival EX hybrid from here. The price you see on the listing is the price you pay (if you’re financing, but the rate was good). DM me for more details if you’re interested. Just ask for Jared. I don’t work there, just sharing my experience.
@Eva
Where is this located? Do they ship to you?
Smart said:
@Eva
Where is this located? Do they ship to you?
It’s in Harrisonburg, VA. You might want to call and check with them.
OTD prices can be tricky because they depend on state taxes, trade-in credits, and registration fees. What matters more is the car’s selling price relative to MSRP. We got our SXP hybrid in eastern PA for $1,100 under MSRP. It’s not the EX you’re asking about, but it’s one example. Hybrids were harder to find early on, but they’re becoming more available. After owning ours, I’m glad we didn’t consider the V6. The MPG is amazing and it’s fast enough for a minivan.
@Flippa
You’re right. I should probably change my post to focus more on the sales price. The MSRP was $44,800, but when I went in, they said the price was $50,000. After a lot of negotiation, I got it down to $46,000. It just feels frustrating to be fighting just to get back to the internet MSRP and anything lower than that seems out of reach.
@Wyatt
It’s all good! I always see people sharing their OTD prices, but it only relates to their specific situation. That said, I know how frustrating it can be. If you have another dealership option, I’d say just move on. The process should be easier now. I think you’ll love the car though! It’s got a ton of space (we came from an XC90) and a great powertrain. If you’re getting the 8-seat version, that middle seat that slides back is awesome for seating flexibility. We’ve got two older kids in the outboard seats and a 2-year-old in a car seat in the middle. We kind of stagger them like a reverse Mclaren F1 setup—strap him in and slide him back .
I’m dealing with a similar issue. I thought I’d be negotiating from MSRP for the 2025 Hybrid EX, which was listed as $50,880 on the window sticker. But when I asked, they quoted me $54,000. I couldn’t believe it. They said they could negotiate from there, but that’s just frustrating. I’ve been checking around at different dealerships, but no one seems to be honoring MSRP. It’s pretty annoying, but I guess it’s supply and demand for the new car.
@Smart
I have an appointment at another dealership tomorrow. I’ll call ahead to see if they’re at least willing to honor the internet price.
Wyatt said:
@Smart
I have an appointment at another dealership tomorrow. I’ll call ahead to see if they’re at least willing to honor the internet price.
Good idea. I called another dealership, and they said they’d honor MSRP, but they didn’t have the car I wanted. They’ll tell you anything over the phone just to get you to visit. Just be aware of that.