The Hyundai Entourage was the minivan Hyundai sold in North America between 2007 and 2009. It was not a Hyundai design: it was a rebadged version of the second-generation Kia Carnival, the minivan known in North America as the Kia Sedona. Hyundai’s only contribution to the shape was the badge.
Hyundai Entourage at a glance
| Maker | Hyundai, a rebadged Kia Carnival |
|---|---|
| Sold | North America, 2007–2009 |
| Based on | second-generation Kia Carnival (VQ) |
| Carnival generation | 2005–2014 |
| Wheelbases | short and long |
| Main engine in North America | 3.8-litre V6 Hyundai Lambda |
| Claimed output | 240 hp |
| Gearbox | five-speed automatic |
| Seating | seven seats in a 2+3+2 layout |
| Successor | no direct Hyundai replacement |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Kia Carnival, which describes the Entourage only as a rebadged variant. The full equipment list of the Carnival is used here with care, because the Entourage’s own specification is not documented in the source.
History of the Hyundai Entourage
Kia’s second-generation Carnival went on sale worldwide in 2005 in short and long-wheelbase forms. Compared with the first generation it had a front track two inches wider and a rear track three inches wider, a smaller turning circle, and a body with more high-tensile steel; together with a lighter engine, transmission and rear suspension, the whole vehicle weighed about 400 lb less than before. The short-wheelbase car shared its platform with the Kia Magentis and was designed for Europe, where it competes in the large MPV class.
In North America the same car was sold as the Kia Sedona, and a rebadged variant of the second generation was offered there as the Hyundai Entourage from 2007 to 2009. Kia introduced the second-generation Sedona to the American market at the Chicago auto show in February 2005 for the 2006 model year with a single engine and gearbox choice, the 240 hp 3.8-litre V6 Hyundai Lambda with continuously variable intake valve timing and a five-speed automatic.
Equipment varied widely by market. Depending on the version the Carnival offered six airbags, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, stability control with traction control and brake assist, dual or tri-zone climate control, an aisle between the front seats with a fold-down tray, Isofix points, sliding rear doors with a hold-open lock, power sliding doors and tailgate, reversing sensors and in-dash navigation. In Europe and Asia the short-wheelbase model could be ordered with the full equipment list and 2+3+2 seating; in North America the short-wheelbase car was kept to a base specification, with the high-end options reserved for the long-wheelbase version.
The Entourage is therefore a footnote in Hyundai’s history: a North American market gap filled with a Kia product that carried a Hyundai badge for three model years, while the third-generation Carnival of 2014 went its own way.
Design and features
- Kia underneath: the Entourage was a rebadged second-generation Kia Carnival.
- Two wheelbases: the Carnival range was sold in short and long forms.
- Hyundai V6: the North American car used Hyundai’s 3.8-litre Lambda engine.
- Short career: three model years, 2007 to 2009, only in North America.
Hyundai Entourage versions
- Entourage (2007–2009): the Hyundai-badged Carnival for North America.
- Kia Sedona: the same vehicle under its Kia name in North America.
- Short wheelbase: the European-oriented version, base specification in North America.
- Long wheelbase: the version that carried the full equipment list in North America.
The Entourage’s Hyundai stablemate in the people-carrier class was the smaller Santamo, and the two are quite different cars. More Hyundai models are in the Hyundai collection.
Video: 2007 Hyundai Entourage Limited Start Up, Engine, and In Depth Tour
Video by Saabkyle04 on YouTube.
Sources
- Kia Carnival, English Wikipedia: second generation, wheelbases, equipment, North American engine
