2023 Kia Carnival vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2022 Buick Enclave represented a significant shift in Buick's design philosophy, moving away from its traditionally conservative styling to embrace a more modern and upscale appearance. This transformation was evident in the Enclave's exterior, which featured a refreshed grille, updated front and rear fascias, and new headlamp and taillamp designs. The Avenir trim, in particular, stood out with its unique grille and 20-inch wheels, offering a touch of luxury. Inside, the Enclave's cabin was enhanced with upgraded materials and a restyled centre console, incorporating new push-button gears. The Avenir trim further elevated the interior experience with climate-controlled front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs, and a split sunroof, providing a comfortable and visually appealing environment.

In contrast, the 2023 Kia Carnival broke away from the typical minivan mould with its SUV-like design elements, such as a visible hood and a lower driving position. The Carnival's exterior was marked by high-tech lighting, an intricate grille, and stylish roof pillar trim, giving it an upscale image. Inside, the Carnival SX trim featured dual 12.3-inch screens for instrumentation and infotainment, adding a touch of sophistication. The interior materials, while not as luxurious as some might expect, were sufficient to prevent the minivan from feeling cheap. The Carnival's unique VIP Lounge Seats in the SX trim offered a luxurious experience for second-row passengers, though they came with some practical limitations. Overall, the Carnival's design and interior features made it a compelling choice for those seeking a stylish and tech-savvy minivan.

The 2022 Buick Enclave was powered by a 3.6-litre V6 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, delivering 310 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque. In Canada, all Enclave trims came standard with all-wheel drive, providing a maximum towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms. The Enclave was renowned for its quiet and smooth ride, thanks to Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology. The Avenir Technology package further enhanced the driving experience with a premium ride suspension and continuously variable real-time chassis damping. Despite its size, the Enclave offered surprisingly responsive acceleration, and the nine-speed transmission performed seamlessly. While not designed for off-road adventures, the Enclave's AWD and 19 centimetres of ground clearance made it capable of handling light off-road trails and wintry conditions.

The 2023 Kia Carnival, on the other hand, featured a 3.5-litre V6 engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission, producing 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. The Carnival's front-wheel-drive setup offered a towing capacity of 1,587 kilograms. While the Carnival lacked all-wheel drive and a hybrid powertrain, it provided a satisfying driving experience with its responsive V6 engine and smooth transmission. The Carnival's driving modes, including Eco, Normal, Smart, and Sport, allowed drivers to tailor the driving experience to their preferences. However, the brakes showed signs of fading during a mountain descent, though they performed well in other driving situations. The Carnival's ride quality was firm and sporty with a single occupant but softened with a full load of passengers. Overall, the Carnival offered a satisfying driving experience, though it lacked the athleticism of some competitors.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered a spacious and comfortable interior, with easy ingress and egress and excellent visibility. The Enclave's cabin provided ample headroom, legroom, hip room, and shoulder room for passengers in all three rows. The third row was surprisingly accommodating for adults, making it suitable for long journeys. The Enclave's second-row captain's chairs added versatility, though the folding mechanism could be confusing for newcomers. The restyled centre console featured push-button transmission gears, which allowed for easy access to USB ports and the wireless phone charging pad. The Enclave also offered generous cargo space, with 668 litres behind the third row, 1,634 litres with the third row folded, and a maximum of 2,758 litres with both rows folded. Power-folding third-row seats made accessing the cargo space even more convenient.

The 2023 Kia Carnival's interior was designed to resemble an SUV, with a lower driving position and a centre console similar to those found in SUVs. The Carnival offered three types of upholstery, with genuine leather available in the SX trim. The SX trim also featured heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The Carnival's second-row VIP Lounge Seats in the SX trim provided a luxurious experience but limited cargo space to 2,460 litres. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, with USB ports and cupholders for added convenience. The Carnival's cargo area offered 1,139 litres of space behind the third row, with a deep well for storing sports equipment. The third-row seats could be easily tumbled into the storage well to expand cargo space, though the resulting load floor had numerous cracks and crevices. Without the VIP Lounge Seats, the Carnival offered a maximum cargo space of 4,110 litres, surpassing many competitors.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information centre, with Premium and Avenir trims offering an 8-inch reconfigurable version. The Essence trim came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, supporting Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, along with wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. The Enclave's infotainment system allowed pairing of up to 10 devices, with a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot supporting up to four devices. The system's interface was user-friendly, though some graphics appeared dated. The Premium and Avenir trims featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system, though it lacked power for back-seat passengers. The Enclave also included a three-month trial of SiriusXM 360L and six USB ports, with charging and data capabilities in the front row. Notable available features included adaptive cruise control, a head-up display, and HD surround vision.

The 2023 Kia Carnival SX impressed with its 12.3-inch digital instrumentation and infotainment touchscreens, mounted side-by-side under a single piece of glass. The digital instrumentation featured lush graphics and changed appearance based on the time of day, adding a surprise-and-delight element. The infotainment system included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a three-year subscription to Kia Connect connected services. However, the 12-speaker Bose audio system was deemed mediocre by audiophiles. The Carnival's native voice recognition system was only partly successful, and a request to change the climate system resulted in an overzealous response. Additional tech features included Quiet Mode, Passenger Talk, and a passenger view camera, enhancing the Carnival's family-friendly appeal.

The 2022 Buick Enclave saw significant updates to its driver-assist and safety tech, with the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package becoming standard on all trims. This package included automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-change alert with blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, rear park assist, following-distance indicator, and automatic high-beam headlights. Additional standard safety features included a Safety Alert driver's seat, a rear-seat reminder system, and an HD reversing camera. Premium trim added enhanced automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera, and rear pedestrian alert. The Enclave received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings in most IIHS crash tests, with an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.

The 2023 Kia Carnival came equipped with a range of driver assistance and collision avoidance systems, with features added as you moved up the trim levels. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. Blind-spot monitoring was available from the EX trim. The Carnival's rear-seat reminder system used ultrasonic sensors to detect movement for up to 24 hours after locking the vehicle, alerting the owner if a child or pet was left inside. The Carnival also featured adaptive cruise control and a Safe Exit Assist system, which warned occupants of approaching vehicles when parked on a busy street. The EX trim added a Junction Turning Detection system, while EX+ and SX trims included a surround-view camera and Blind-Spot View Monitor. The Highway Driving Assist technology was particularly impressive, providing accurate and smooth assistance on highways. The IIHS named the 2023 Carnival a Top Safety Pick, though the standard headlights received a Poor rating.