My week with the KIA Grand Carnival

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It's not every day we get to test drive a nice big family car around here. And there are often times we wish we had a 2nd car so it was a nice week when we had an extra car, a brand new top of the line KIA Grand Carnival to be exact. And I'm a fan of KIA as it was the first people mover we bought when I was pregnant with the twins. I really felt like I had made it as a mum when I started driving that KIA around......even though at the time it was just Keira in the back seat.
 

We've since got a new car and I love my big 7 seater van BUT and it's a big but, I hate that I can't park at my favourite shopping centre in Chatswood. In fact I can't park at either centre in Chatswood because their height restrictions don't let me in. Not me personally since I'm only 5ft but my van. And the nice apartment we've booked at Noosa next month? Yep, can't park underneath either. So I loved driving the KIA Grand Carnival around last week because it is an 8 seater but isn't the size of a bus and doesn't have any height issues. I felt like I was driving a station wagon around town and kept going to hoist myself up into the drivers seat and then realised I didn't need to.
 

the kids were so excited!

Now I was lucky enough to be driving the Platinum edition which has some pretty neat features like automatic sliding doors and boot - so good for school drop off and pick up because you don't have to get out of the car. And the kids loved the sunroof.  Here is retro daddy getting back in the car while the boot is coming down.

We used our time wisely with the Kia Grand Carnival, a trip to Chatswood Chase so I could park underneath. I got to test out the boot and loved how it steps down so that your shopping doesn't fly around the boot. Nothing worse than driving home with groceries and hearing your cans and bottles roll around the boot and hoping they don't squash your bread or break your eggs. I wonder did a lady come up with the boot design?

Retro daddy was impressed with the boot space and we could fit our double pram in there too. Making it a great car for young families and those with twins. In fact one of my lovely readers has triplets in baby capsules and fits them all in the KIA Grand Carnival with her 2 older children

We also used our time with the KIA to go to our favourite sushi place

drove to our favourite place to check out the ocean

we had some great weather in Sydney recently!

and our favourite place to have chips and a run around down at Clontarf.

So what did I learn in the last week while having the KIA Grand Carnival at our house. Don't go to New Shanghai for dumplings at Chatswood Chase and expect a table at 12 noon on a saturday, don't take all 5 kids including a newborn to the shops and think you'll get much shopping done, 

ahhh Chatswood, I've missed you

I also learnt you can fit 5 carseats in the KIA Grand Carnival, automatic sliding doors are so good for the school run and reversing cameras are the best especially if you have a cat who likes to sit on the driveway! And since giving the car back I've also learnt that it's really hard for kids to understand that the new car isn't our car to keep.

A big thank you to KIA for letting us drive your lovely car. I really enjoyed driving it and I see why so many of my readers and friends have the KIA Grand Carnival because it was a great car, easy to drive and best of all - fit all 7 of us in. I’m left wishing it was my car so I could go to Chatswood more – retro daddy isn’t so sure about the shopping at Chatswood but he does agree with me that’s it a great car for families!

And we made a little movie which I hope you enjoy......just click here!