Is anyone else waiting until December to buy their Kia Carnival? I’m not sure if waiting will make a difference in terms of deals. The 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid we want is new, so I’m unsure if waiting will help or if I should act now. Does anyone have experience with getting good deals at the end of the year?
The last day of the year often brings some decent deals. Sometimes dealerships are willing to sell cars at a loss if it means getting a manufacturer incentive for the total number of cars sold.
esleystanley said:
The last day of the year often brings some decent deals. Sometimes dealerships are willing to sell cars at a loss if it means getting a manufacturer incentive for the total number of cars sold.
Oh really? That’s good to know .
We’re waiting as well, but in our city in Canada, dealerships haven’t seen a single hybrid yet. The US seems to have more, though. We might just go with a gas version instead.
Cillian said:
We’re waiting as well, but in our city in Canada, dealerships haven’t seen a single hybrid yet. The US seems to have more, though. We might just go with a gas version instead.
That’s my concern too. There are very few hybrids around here, and the only dealership in our area has them. I’m worried they’ll sell out, but I’m also hoping to get the best deal. They already quoted me $4000 over MSRP.
@CathyGenesis
We went to Kia of Temecula. The sticker was 47k, but we got them down to 44k. After taxes and fees, it was 49k.
CateGee said:
@CathyGenesis
We went to Kia of Temecula. The sticker was 47k, but we got them down to 44k. After taxes and fees, it was 49k.
That’s great! Temecula isn’t too far from me, so that’s good to know. What trim did you get? This is why I asked here—it’s encouraging to hear positive stories. I’m hoping I can get a deal like that too. I’ve heard that getting below MSRP isn’t out of the question, so I might wait until December.
@CathyGenesis
It’s totally up to you. We shopped for about two weeks and finally went to Temecula. Jeremih was our sales guy and cut out all the nonsense. I told him I wanted an OTD price of 57k with our upside-down 10k trade-in, and he gave me 59k. I think we could have haggled a bit more, but we were so done with the dealership experience that we just said yes. I think you could aim for OTD at 47k or maybe even 46k.
@CathyGenesis
It depends on your situation. We’re not in a huge rush and are okay waiting for 4-6 months. We’re also considering the Sienna, which is fully hybrid and has been slowly arriving in stock.
@Cillian
Unfortunately, Toyotas are in high demand here, and you have to go on a list. At least that’s what I’ve been told—maybe they were just lying. We’re expecting a baby in May, and I really wanted to get the car and set up the car seats before then.
@CathyGenesis
You should wait. This car should never be purchased over MSRP. If you really ‘have to have it,’ then maybe it’s justified to pay over MSRP.
Callen said:
@CathyGenesis
You should wait. This car should never be purchased over MSRP. If you really ‘have to have it,’ then maybe it’s justified to pay over MSRP.
I agree. I was upset when I got quoted over MSRP. I think they’re taking advantage of the newness and low stock, but I’m willing to wait. I’ve already gone through this with Toyota. They tried to tell me that I wouldn’t see any 2025 Siennas for two years, so I had to buy the 2024 above MSRP. I told them to take a hike. It’s been a long process. I really dislike dealing with shady dealerships.
@CathyGenesis
My wife doesn’t like the look of the Sienna, so I don’t have to deal with that. It’s too expensive, and they know they can get away with it. We have a 2022 LXS Carnival. I test drove the 2025 model last week and was surprised by how well the hybrid drove. No lag, just like the V6. The 19-inch wheels on the EX didn’t feel much different from my 17-inch ones, but they would be more expensive to replace. The dealer offered me 3k over sticker, but if I took the car that evening, he’d give it to me at MSRP. My lease on the Carnival ends in April. No effort from the dealer to make it worth terminating early. So much for loyalty, haha. I shook his hand and walked out. Location is NY for comparison.
@CathyGenesis
Have you looked at nearby cities? Some people mentioned last week that they had hybrids in stock.
Cillian said:
@CathyGenesis
Have you looked at nearby cities? Some people mentioned last week that they had hybrids in stock.
Yeah, I’m worried about tariffs raising the price of the hybrids. I’ve checked a 50-mile radius on the Kia website and called the dealers that say they have hybrids in stock. But many, like Kia of Cerritos, say they don’t have any even though it shows up on the site. I’m thinking that if I wait until December, there’s a better chance of getting a good deal before the tariffs go up. I’m willing to drive, but I don’t want to go all over and find out they’re out of stock. That’s why I’ve been calling first.
@CathyGenesis
I got mine in the Sacramento area last week, 2k off MSRP for the Hybrid EX.
Gordon said:
@CathyGenesis
I got mine in the Sacramento area last week, 2k off MSRP for the Hybrid EX.
May I ask how you got them to knock the price down? I’m not great at negotiating and could use some tips.
@CathyGenesis
Just showed them an ad for one 200 miles away. Asked if they wanted a deal because I’m willing to drive three hours for a 2k discount. Of course, they started with the ‘markups’ talk, but I told them I wasn’t in a rush. If they wanted to sell that day, they’d have to take 2k off. If not, I’d find another dealer or drive 200 miles. A friend got a car at MSRP in San Jose, Capitol Kia. Here’s a link, but I bought mine at Elk Grove.
@CathyGenesis
I just got one a bit below MSRP at Santa Monica Kia. Covina had 3 SXP hybrids in stock in the color we wanted.