autoX Awards 2024: Raymond Reddington – there’s heft in the name itself, right? It’s not puffed up and uncouth like ‘Jack the Ripper’ but doesn’t have the regality of ‘Vito Corleone’ either. It’s somewhere in between being industrial and debonair.
Reddington is quite a character. He’s the star of a Netflix show called ‘The Blacklist’. A fugitive at the top of the FBI’s ‘Most Wanted’ list, Red, as he’s also known, runs an intricate and vast global criminal empire with as much the display of intimidation as the gift of gab – goodness heavens, the man talks, but never any rubbish. Sometimes even the mundanity that he expresses doesn’t let your fascination slip. There’s finesse and experience in every story he narrates.
Anyway, Reddington is also a man of fine taste. His attire is custom-made but doesn’t compromise practicality for high-end. His shoes are Italian, made of pebble grain leather for luxury, but they have practical rubber soles. His outerwear, made of the finest cashmere and wool, is wind- and water-resistant. He accessorises with a great sense of detail too – the fedoras and the watches… et all.
He gets chauffeured in a Mercedes-Benz S Class and has a little experience with the Land Rover Defender – the L316 (previous generation model) at that. Reddington confesses to being a fan of the old-school ways of the world, so it’s fitting enough I think.
But his world is very dynamic – evolving at every step in ways few can imagine. Say if things go south, and he’s forced to swap his limo sedan with something inconspicuous, the Kia Carnival should do well.
Surely he’d not like to trade luxury with spartan and that’s where the Carnival holds its own. It’s excellently laid out for the driver with almost all the controls in easy reach. But the second row, where Reddington would sit, is the centre-piece item. The chairs are exceptionally comfortable and the ride is sufficiently pampering. There’s even enough space in the last row for proper grown-ups.
Also Read: 2024 Kia Carnival Limousine and Limousine Plus Variants Explained: What's Different?
The last-gen Carnival was dry as dust but the aesthetic enhancements have afforded it enough visual zest and is a bold look without being in-your-face. The list of creature comforts is extensive with all the features you can imagine, and the latest ADAS suite keeps up with the game.
It drives well for a van, and the engine-gearbox performance is more than adequate. I reckon it’ll hold its own against Reddington’s foes during the inevitable chase. It’s also priced right for him. Unfortunately, that sinks it a bit on our ratings.
- Kia Carnival (Lap Time: 1.16.75)
| PARAMETERS | POINTS | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| QUALITY | 5 | 4.5 |
| COMFORT / SPACE | 5 | 5 |
| REFINEMENT | 5 | 4 |
| DESIGN | 5 | 3.5 |
| DRIVETRAIN | 5 | 3.5 |
| RIDE & HANDLING | 5 | 3.5 |
| PRACTICALITY | 5 | 4 |
| X FACTOR | 20 | 12 |
| LAP TIME | 15 | 4.6 |
| VALUE FOR MONEY | 30 | 15 |
| TOTAL | 100 | 59.6 |
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