2021 Nissan Rogue vs 2022 Kia Carnival

The 2021 Nissan Rogue presented a striking new design with a more technical and rugged appearance, making it resemble an SUV rather than a car. Its exterior featured dark gray plastic cladding, bold simulated skid plates, and lower door protection, which added a sense of ruggedness, especially noticeable on the back bumper. The modern aesthetic was further enhanced by clean LED lighting elements, a prominent V-Motion grille, and well-proportioned dimensions. The Rogue offered four trim levels, each with aluminum wheels up to 19 inches in diameter, and optional two-tone paint with a black roof for a custom look. The interior of the Rogue SL test vehicle was light and bright, featuring an Almond color leather interior and a panoramic glass sunroof. The cabin was designed with abundant soft-touch surfaces, appealing simulated wood trim, and fabric-wrapped windshield pillars, lending a sense of quality. The controls were arranged in a clean and logical fashion, and the Platinum trim offered quilted semi-aniline leather, contrast stitching, and ambient lighting for a luxurious feel.

The 2022 Kia Carnival 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 replaced the standard grille with a mirrored grid-pattern design and added black wheels. The SX Prestige trim focused on interior enhancements, including simulated textured metal dashboard trim, 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 look. Inside, the SUV theme continued with a dashboard and center console resembling a crossover, and the interior looked upscale even in base trim. The Carnival offered various interior color options, including a Tuscan Umber color, adding to its unique and attention-grabbing personality.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue was powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque. While adequate for daily driving, the engine struggled with the SUV's nearly 3,500-pound weight, especially in mountainous areas. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) performed well, with programmed ratios that mimicked a traditional automatic transmission. The Rogue offered all-wheel drive, 8.2 inches of ground clearance, and new Snow and Off-Road driving modes for adventurous driving. Despite its power limitations, the Rogue's ride and handling were commendable, thanks to a robust architecture with 35% high-strength steel, a strut front, multi-link rear suspension, and advanced control systems. The steering was notably improved, providing a better feel and response. The tested Rogue SL with front-wheel drive achieved 27.5 mpg, slightly below the EPA rating.

The 2022 Kia Carnival featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine delivering 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The engine provided smooth and effortless acceleration, and the transmission operated unobtrusively. The Carnival offered Normal, Eco, Sport, and Smart driving modes, with Smart mode being the most used despite a delayed downshift response. The Carnival's fuel economy was rated at 22 mpg combined, with a tested average of 21.7 mpg. Dynamically, the front-wheel-drive Carnival felt taut and athletic, with a flat cornering stance and responsive handling. However, it could feel stiff over broken pavement and wobbly over uneven surfaces when lightly loaded. The Carnival's towing capacity was 3,500 pounds, but it lacked all-wheel drive and electrified powertrain options.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue featured Zero Gravity seat designs for enhanced comfort, with improved versions in the new model. The seats varied by trim, with cloth upholstery in the S trim, leatherette in the SV, leather in the SL, and premium leather in the Platinum. The Rogue offered heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats, but no ventilated seat option. The interior was quieter due to aerodynamic improvements and acoustic glass. The Rogue's rear seat provided generous headroom and legroom, with nearly 90-degree opening rear doors for easy access. The SUV could accommodate up to three child safety seats, and a rear-seat reminder system was standard. The Rogue offered 31.6 cubic feet of cargo space in the S and SV trims, with up to 36.5 cubic feet in the SL and Platinum trims, thanks to the Divide-N-Hide cargo management system. The maximum cargo volume with the rear seats folded was 74.1 cubic feet.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was designed for practicality, with an SUV-style dashboard and center console. The LX trim featured individual captain's chairs in the second row, with a wide center pass-through. The LX Seat Package added a middle second-row seat, which could slide forward or backward, fold flat, or be removed for a pass-through to the third row. The EX and SX trims offered an 8-passenger Slide Flex seat configuration, while the SX Prestige featured power-adjustable VIP Lounge Seats with leg rests. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the Carnival's rear cargo area provided ample space. The smart hands-free power-sliding side doors and liftgate had pros and cons, with the liftgate offering a deep storage well and 40.2 cubic feet of volume behind the third-row seat. Folding the third-row seats created 86.9 cubic feet of cargo space, and removing the second-row seats in certain trims increased the volume to 145.1 cubic feet.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue offered a competitive infotainment package, starting with an 8-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto in the S trim. The system included knobs for power/volume and station tuning, though they were not very protrusive. Higher trims added NissanConnect Services, a WiFi hotspot, and integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The SL Premium Package and Platinum trim featured a 9-inch touchscreen, navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, and a Bose audio system. The Platinum trim also included wireless smartphone charging, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 10.8-inch head-up display.

The 2022 Kia Carnival's technology varied by trim. The LX trim had analog gauges, a digital driver information center, and an 8-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, and 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. It also included navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and eight speakers. The SX trim added a dual-screen rear entertainment system with touchscreen control, device mirroring, and embedded apps. The SX Prestige featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. Kia provided a quick reference guide for the technology, which was intuitive to use but required time to set up and learn.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue prioritized safety with a comprehensive suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) under the Nissan Safety Shield 360 umbrella. This included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. The Rogue also featured ten airbags, a driver monitoring system, and a rear-seat reminder system. The SV trim added adaptive cruise control with ProPilot Assist, which included lane-centering assistance. The SL Premium Package and Platinum trim offered an upgraded ProPilot Assist with Navi-link technology. The Rogue's architecture used high-strength steel to enhance crash protection, though crash-test results were unavailable at the time of review.

The 2022 Kia Carnival also offered a comprehensive list of ADAS, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, active blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure, -keeping, and -centering 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 featured an ultrasonic rear occupant alert system and Safe Exit Assist. The SX trim included a surround-view camera system, while the SX Prestige had a Blind View Monitor. Crash-test results were unavailable at the time of review.