2022 Kia Carnival vs 2021 Kia Sportage

The 2021 Kia Sportage featured a design that some might have described as frog-like, with its tiger-nose grille and bulbous headlights. However, Kia marketed it as having a "Euro-focused" style. This two-row crossover SUV had a short wheelbase and overhangs, making it suitable for city driving. The headlights were carried over from the previous year, and the Sportage offered wheel options ranging from 17 to 19 inches. Inside, an 8-inch touchscreen display served as the centerpiece, surrounded by air vents and physical buttons for tuning and volume. The interior, while not the most tech-forward, was still a pleasant environment.

In contrast, the 2022 Kia Carnival stood out with its unique design elements across different trims. The LX trim featured a standard black grille and 17-inch aluminum wheels, while the EX trim offered more paint colors, 19-inch machined-finish wheels, and simulated leather. The SX trim introduced a mirrored grid-pattern grille and black wheels, and the SX Prestige trim focused on cabin enhancements with real leather and VIP Lounge Seats. The Carnival's SUV styling included simulated skid plates, a floating roof design, and a robust roof rack on higher trims. Despite the visible sliding door tracks, the Carnival's design was appealing, with sharp angles and a conservative yet tasteful appearance.

The 2021 Kia Sportage offered a choice between LX, EX, and SX Turbo trims, with either front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The LX and EX trims were powered by a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine, producing 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. The SX Turbo trim featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, delivering 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. All models used a six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy for the FWD Sportage with the 2.4-liter engine was 23 mpg city, 30 highway, and 26 combined, while AWD models saw a slight decrease. The Sportage's suspension provided a smooth ride, though the steering and tire grip left room for improvement.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was equipped with a new 3.5-liter V6 engine, generating 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. The Carnival's V6 engine provided smooth and effortless acceleration, and the automatic transmission operated seamlessly. Driving modes included Normal, Eco, Sport, and Smart, with Smart mode being the most commonly used. The Carnival's fuel economy was rated at 22 mpg combined, with a test average of 21.7 mpg. The front-wheel-drive Carnival felt athletic, with a flat cornering stance, though it could be stiff over uneven surfaces.

The 2021 Kia Sportage, while on the smaller side of the compact crossover segment, offered good interior space for passengers. The SX Turbo trim featured a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat and 8-way power adjustment for the passenger, along with heated and ventilated seats. Rear legroom and headroom were adequate, but cargo space was limited, with 30.7 cubic feet behind the second row and 60.1 cubic feet with the rear seat folded.

The 2022 Kia Carnival, being a minivan, excelled in practicality. The LX trim had 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 featured VIP Lounge Seats with power adjustments and leather upholstery. The Carnival's cargo area was spacious, with 40.2 cubic feet behind the third row and 86.9 cubic feet with the third row folded. Removing the second-row seats created a maximum cargo volume of 145.1 cubic feet. The Carnival's smart hands-free power-sliding doors and liftgate added convenience, though they could be inadvertently activated.

The 2021 Kia Sportage featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and USB ports as standard. Most trims included Kia's UVO Link connected services. The SX Turbo trim added wireless charging and an eight-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. The technology was user-friendly, with logical menus and physical controls.

The 2022 Kia Carnival's LX trim included analog gauges, an 8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The EX trim upgraded to a 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD Radio, SiriusXM, and voice recognition. The Carnival also featured Passenger View and Passenger Talk for enhanced communication. The SX trim added a dual-screen rear entertainment system, 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 technology.

The 2021 Kia Sportage boasted a strong safety suite, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, automatic high beams, and a driver-monitoring system. The SX Turbo trim added adaptive cruise control. The Sportage received Top Safety Pick status from the IIHS and performed well in NHTSA crash tests.

The 2022 Kia Carnival offered an extensive list of ADAS features, such as forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure and -keeping assistance, and rear parking sensors. The EX trim added front parking sensors, cyclist detection, and Highway Driving Assist. The Carnival also included an ultrasonic rear occupant alert system and Safe Exit Assist. The SX trim featured a surround-view camera system, while the SX Prestige had a Blind View Monitor. Crash-test results were unavailable at the time of review.