2022 Kia Carnival vs 2021 Kia Seltos

The 2021 Kia Seltos, despite being a subcompact SUV, offered a surprisingly spacious and commanding presence on the road. Its design featured an upright layout with a busy yet cohesive headlight and grille styling. The aggressive approach angle of the lower front bumper hinted at off-road capabilities, even though it wasn't designed for such adventures. The two-tone roof design and red circles around the wheel centers added a trendy and dynamic touch. Inside, the Seltos boasted a straightforward and intuitive design, with clean lines and tech features reminiscent of upscale brands. The LCD screen for climate controls and the touchscreen atop the dash provided visual symmetry, while the handle framing the tray below the center stack emphasized its sporty and utilitarian nature.

The 2022 Kia Carnival, on the other hand, stood out with its unique design elements across different trims. The LX trim featured a standard grille and silver-painted 17-inch aluminum wheels, while the EX trim offered more paint color options, 19-inch machined-finish aluminum wheels, and simulated open-pore wood trim. The SX trim introduced a mirrored grid-pattern grille and black wheels, while the SX Prestige focused on cabin enhancements with simulated textured metal dashboard trim and VIP Lounge Seats. The Carnival's SUV styling included simulated skid plates, a floating roof design, and robust roof-rack options. Despite its minivan roots, the Carnival's design was angular, conservatively tasteful, and won the "best design" award in its segment.

The 2021 Kia Seltos offered two engine options. The LX, S, and EX trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and available in front-wheel or all-wheel drive. While adequate for city driving, this engine lacked power at higher speeds. The S Turbo and SX Turbo trims featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. This engine provided ample power for quick acceleration and highway maneuvers. The Seltos offered Normal, Sport, and Smart drive modes, with Sport mode enhancing throttle response and steering feel. Despite its upright layout, the Seltos handled well with minimal body roll and a smooth ride.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, driving the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. It had a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. The V6 engine delivered smooth and effortless acceleration, while the automatic transmission operated seamlessly. The Carnival offered Normal, Eco, Sport, and Smart driving modes, with Smart mode being the most commonly used. However, there was a noticeable delay in downshifts when accelerating out of corners or on inclines. The Carnival's fuel economy was rated at 22 mpg combined, with a tested average of 21.7 mpg. Dynamically, the Carnival felt taut and athletic, with a flat cornering stance, though it could feel stiff over uneven surfaces when lightly loaded.

The 2021 Kia Seltos provided impressive cargo space for a subcompact SUV, with 26.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 62.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. It featured numerous storage compartments and cubbies throughout the cabin, offering convenience for both front and rear passengers. The rear seats provided ample head- and legroom, a rarity among subcompact SUVs, making the Seltos a practical choice for those needing space.

The 2022 Kia Carnival, being a minivan, excelled in practicality. The SUV-style dashboard and center console design limited storage space compared to competitors. The LX trim featured individual captain's chairs in the second row, with an optional middle seat for added flexibility. The EX and SX trims offered an 8-passenger Slide Flex seat configuration, while the SX Prestige boasted power-adjustable VIP Lounge Seats with an Ottoman-style leg rest. The Carnival's third-row seat provided comfort for adults, and the rear cargo area offered 40.2 cubic feet of space, expandable to 86.9 cubic feet with the third-row seats folded. The Carnival's smart hands-free power-sliding side doors and liftgate added convenience, though they could be inadvertently activated.

The 2021 Kia Seltos featured a 3.5-inch TFT digital screen in the instrument panel and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the base S trim. The SX Turbo trim offered a Bose premium sound system, a 7-inch digital display screen, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. While the infotainment system was intuitive, there were quirks, such as the default audio source switching to the phone when connected via USB. The Seltos had two USB ports, but only one allowed data connection, which could be confusing in the dark.

The 2022 Kia Carnival's LX trim came with analog gauges, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, and wireless Android Auto. The EX trim introduced a 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD Radio, SiriusXM, voice recognition, and UVO Link connected services. The Carnival also featured Passenger View and Passenger Talk, enhancing communication with rear passengers. The SX trim added a dual-screen rear entertainment system with streaming capabilities, while the SX Prestige included a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. Kia provided a comprehensive quick reference guide for the Carnival's technology.

The 2021 Kia Seltos came standard with front- and side-impact airbags, electronic stability control, a tire pressure monitoring system, and child-seat anchor latches. All trims except the base LX included a suite of driver-assistance features, such as forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. The EX trim added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the SX trim offered adaptive cruise control with idle stop-and-go and cyclist detection. The Seltos also featured a helpful alert for when the vehicle in front had moved away at a stoplight.

The 2022 Kia Carnival offered an extensive list of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). Standard features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, active blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure and -keeping assistance, and rear parking sensors. The EX trim added front parking sensors, cyclist detection, navigation-based adaptive cruise control, and Highway Driving Assist (HDA). The Carnival also featured an ultrasonic rear occupant alert system and Safe Exit Assist. The SX trim included a surround-view camera system, while the SX Prestige offered a Blind View Monitor. Crash-test results were unavailable at the time of review.