2021 Subaru Crosstrek vs 2022 Kia Carnival

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek was a clever adaptation of the Impreza hatchback, designed to capture the growing interest in crossovers. It featured rugged aesthetics, standard all-wheel drive (AWD), and a higher driving position, which gave it an SUV-like presence. The Crosstrek stood out with its black body cladding, model-specific alloy wheels, and increased ground clearance of 22 centimetres. These changes provided the Crosstrek with a distinct character, enhanced by vibrant colour options like Plasma Yellow Pearl. Despite its SUV mimicry, the Crosstrek retained the Subaru Global Platform, ensuring a refined driving experience.

Inside, the Crosstrek's interior was largely unchanged from the Impreza, offering functionality but lacking in visual flair. The Outdoor grade added Plasma Yellow Pearl accents, which clashed with certain exterior colours. The simulated carbon-fibre trim appeared cheap, but the water-repellant upholstery was practical for outdoor adventures. The Crosstrek's interior space was adequate, with a higher driving position than the Impreza, but it didn't offer the commanding view typical of larger SUVs. Overall, the Crosstrek balanced practicality with a touch of rugged style.

The 2022 Kia Carnival, a fresh entrant in the market, showcased unique design elements across its trims. The LX and LX+ trims featured a standard grille and silver-painted 17-inch aluminum wheels, while the EX trim offered a more sophisticated look with 19-inch machined-finish wheels and SynTex simulated leather. The SX trim added black wheels, textured metal dashboard trim, and luxurious VIP Lounge Seats. The Carnival's SUV-inspired design included simulated skid plates, a floating roof, and roof rails, giving it a modern and appealing appearance.

Kia's design approach for the Carnival was a departure from traditional minivans, with sharp angles and a conservative yet tasteful aesthetic. The interior continued the SUV theme, with a dashboard and centre console reminiscent of a crossover. The Carnival's upscale appearance was evident even in the base trim, and the VIP Lounge Seats in the SX trim were a standout feature. Despite the SUV styling, the Carnival's practicality as a minivan was evident, offering ample space and comfort for passengers.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek offered two gasoline powertrain options. The Outdoor and Limited trims featured a new 2.5-litre boxer-four engine, producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. Other trims continued with the 2.0-litre boxer-four, delivering 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. The boxer engine's design, with cylinders parallel to the ground, provided a lower centre of gravity, enhancing handling. However, the SUV-like stance somewhat negated this benefit. A six-speed manual transmission was available with the 2.0-litre engine, but most buyers opted for the CVT, which was standard on Sport and Limited trims.

All Crosstrek trims came with standard AWD, a rarity among small crossovers. The X-Mode feature improved traction on loose surfaces, with Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes available on the Outdoor trim. While not an off-road powerhouse, these features were useful in adverse weather conditions. On pavement, the Crosstrek exhibited predictable handling, though the higher centre of gravity resulted in noticeable body roll. The 2.5-litre engine provided adequate acceleration, but the CVT's droning was evident.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was powered by a new 3.5-litre V6 engine, generating 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, driving the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Carnival lacked AWD and electrified powertrain options, but its towing capacity was 1,587.5 kilograms. The V6 engine delivered smooth and effortless acceleration, with the automatic transmission operating seamlessly. The Carnival offered Normal, Eco, Sport, and Smart driving modes, with Smart mode being the most commonly used.

Fuel efficiency was reasonable, with an average of 10.8 L/100 km during testing. The Carnival's front-wheel-drive setup provided a taut and athletic feel, with a flat cornering stance. However, the ride could be stiff over uneven surfaces, and the vehicle felt bouncy over drainage dips and speed humps. When loaded with passengers and cargo, the ride quality improved, making it a practical choice for families.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek shared its interior dimensions with the Impreza hatchback, offering the same front and rear legroom. While front headroom was identical, the Crosstrek provided slightly more rear headroom. Cargo space was competitive, with 588 litres available with the rear seats in place and 1,565 litres with the seats folded. However, it lagged behind some competitors in cargo capacity. The Crosstrek featured a rear-seat reminder system, a handy cubby hole for phones, and minimal storage space, emphasizing its compact car roots.

The driving position in the Crosstrek was higher than the Impreza's, but it didn't offer the commanding view of larger SUVs. Outward visibility was good, thanks to ample side glass and a car-like front fascia. The Crosstrek's compact size limited passenger and cargo space, but it remained a practical choice for those seeking a crossover with car-like handling.

The 2022 Kia Carnival excelled in practicality, offering eight-passenger seating with a versatile second-row bench seat. The middle seat could slide forward, fold flat, or be removed for added flexibility. The SX trim featured power-adjustable VIP Lounge Seats with Ottoman-style leg rests, providing a luxurious experience. However, these seats couldn't be removed or folded flat, limiting maximum cargo volume. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the Carnival's rear cargo area was spacious, providing ample collision crush space.

Kia's smart hands-free power-sliding side doors and liftgate added convenience, though they could open unintentionally. The Carnival offered a deep storage well with 1,139 litres of volume behind the third-row seat, accommodating large items. Folding the third-row seats created 2,460 litres of cargo space, and removing the second-row seats expanded it to 4,110 litres. While the seats were heavy and required care during reinstallation, the Carnival's cargo capacity was impressive, rivaling larger SUVs.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek featured Subaru's Starlink infotainment system, with a standard 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, and Bluetooth. SiriusXM satellite radio was included on all but the base model. Higher trims received an 8-inch touchscreen, with navigation standard on the Limited trim. Subaru's unique dual-screen setup displayed information on a second screen above the main touchscreen, though it seemed redundant.

The 8-inch touchscreen was user-friendly, with large analog knobs and buttons for essential functions. The steering wheel featured chunky buttons for EyeSight driver-assistance features, ensuring ease of use. Overall, the Crosstrek's infotainment system was straightforward and functional, catering to tech-savvy drivers.

The 2022 Kia Carnival's technology offerings varied by trim. The LX trim featured traditional analog gauges, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, and six speakers. Starting with EX+ trim, the Carnival boasted a 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment system with HD Radio, SiriusXM, voice recognition, and UVO Link connected services. Navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and eight speakers were also included.

The EX+ and SX trims featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, with the SX trim adding a 12-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system. Kia provided a comprehensive quick reference guide for the technology, emphasizing its complexity. While the tech was intuitive, taking time to familiarize oneself with the features was recommended for a seamless experience.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in side crash tests and four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests. The IIHS awarded it a "Top Safety Pick" rating, with the highest "good" rating in all crash tests and front-crash prevention tech. However, this rating applied only to models with available EyeSight driver-assist features and Steering Responsive Headlights.

EyeSight offered standard features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warning on CVT-equipped models. Additional features included automatic high beams, reverse automatic braking, lane-change assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. While the adaptive cruise control worked well, the system's cameras were susceptible to obstruction and sunlight interference.

The 2022 Kia Carnival boasted an extensive list of safety features and advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). Standard equipment included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure and keeping assistance, and rear parking sensors. The EX trim added front parking sensors, active blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability.

The Carnival featured an ultrasonic rear occupant alert system, monitoring the cabin for movement and alerting the owner if a child or pet was left inside. Safe Exit Assist used blind-spot warning sensors to prevent occupants from exiting when traffic was approaching. The EX+ trim included a surround-view camera system and a Blind View Monitor, enhancing safety and visibility.

The IIHS awarded the 2022 Kia Carnival a Top Safety Pick rating, while the NHTSA had not rated it at the time of publication.