2022 Acura RDX vs 2022 Kia Carnival

The 2022 Kia Carnival, a fresh addition to the market, showcased a distinctive design that set it apart from its competitors. Each trim level offered unique styling elements, with the LX and LX+ featuring a standard black grille and 17-inch aluminum wheels. The EX trim elevated the aesthetic with a mirrored grid-pattern grille, 19-inch machined-finish wheels, and simulated leather upholstery. The SX trim added black wheels, textured metal dashboard trim, and luxurious VIP Lounge Seats. The Carnival's SUV-inspired design included features like skid plates, a floating roof, and roof rails, giving it a robust appearance. Despite the visible sliding door tracks, Kia cleverly integrated them into the vehicle's character lines, maintaining a sleek look. The Carnival's angular design was a refreshing contrast to the more rounded or bloated appearances of its rivals, making it a standout in its segment.

Inside, the Carnival continued the SUV theme with a dashboard and centre console reminiscent of a crossover. This approach, combined with Kia's attention to style, gave the Carnival an upscale feel even in its base trim. The interior was designed with practicality in mind, offering a spacious and comfortable environment for front-seat occupants. The Carnival's design was both functional and visually appealing, making it a top contender in the minivan market.

In contrast, the 2022 Acura RDX featured subtle styling changes inspired by its larger sibling, the MDX. The updates included modifications to the grille surround and bumper styling, along with new wheel designs and paint colours. The limited-production PMC Edition stood out with its exclusive Long Beach Blue Pearl paint and Orchid white interior. The RDX lineup offered a range of trims, from the base model to the luxurious PMC Edition, with prices starting at $45,800. The A-Spec Platinum Elite package, priced at $60,375, offered high-quality interior materials and a quieter cabin, enhancing the overall driving experience. While the RDX's vertical air inlets were a polarizing design choice, the SUV maintained a stylish and sophisticated appearance, appealing to those seeking a blend of luxury and performance.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was equipped with a robust 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. This engine powered the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission, providing smooth and effortless acceleration. The Carnival's towing capacity was 1,587.5 kilograms, making it a practical choice for families with towing needs. The vehicle offered four driving modes: Normal, Eco, Sport, and Smart, with Smart mode being the most commonly used. However, the transmission's delayed downshift response in Smart mode was noticeable, particularly when navigating curves or hills. Sport mode helped alleviate this issue, providing a more responsive driving experience. The Carnival's fuel efficiency was rated at 10.6 litres per 100 kilometres, and during testing, it averaged 10.8 L/100 km, which was commendable given the circumstances.

The Carnival's dynamic performance was impressive, with a taut and athletic feel from behind the steering wheel. It maintained a remarkably flat cornering stance, and the tires provided excellent grip. However, the ride could feel stiff over rough surfaces, and the vehicle exhibited some bounce over drainage dips and speed humps. Despite these minor drawbacks, the Carnival's performance was well-suited for families seeking a versatile and capable vehicle.

The 2022 Acura RDX, on the other hand, featured a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder VTEC engine, producing 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. This engine, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, offered a spirited driving experience. The RDX's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system was standard in Canada, providing excellent traction and torque vectoring capabilities. The SUV's Integrated Dynamics System (IDS) offered distinct driving modes, enhancing the RDX's adaptability to various driving conditions. The adaptive-damping suspension, standard on the A-Spec Platinum Elite trim, provided a smoother ride in Comfort mode and increased responsiveness in Sport mode.

The RDX's fuel efficiency was rated at 10.3 litres per 100 kilometres, but during testing, it averaged 11.4 L/100 km. The SUV's quiet cabin, thanks to sound-deadening measures, added to the overall comfort and appeal. The RDX's driving dynamics were a highlight, with comfortable seats, a thick steering wheel, and a torquey engine contributing to an enjoyable driving experience. However, the RDX did not qualify for Acura's Type S performance badge, and driving enthusiasts might prefer German alternatives for a more thrilling ride.

The 2022 Kia Carnival excelled in practicality, offering a spacious and versatile interior. The SUV-style dashboard and centre console design limited storage space compared to some competitors, but the Carnival's seating configurations made up for it. Most trims featured eight-passenger seating, with a second-row bench seat that could be adjusted for various needs. The SX trim offered luxurious VIP Lounge Seats with power adjustments, heating, ventilation, and Ottoman-style leg rests. These seats were a standout feature, providing comfort and style for rear passengers. However, the VIP Lounge Seats could not be removed or folded flat, limiting maximum cargo volume.

The Carnival's third-row seat was comfortable for adults and offered ample space for children. The vehicle's rearmost cargo area was generous, providing plenty of collision crush space behind the third-row seat. The smart hands-free power-sliding side doors and liftgate added convenience, although they could open unintentionally in certain situations. The Carnival's cargo capacity was impressive, with 1,139 litres of space behind the third-row seat and up to 4,110 litres with the second-row seats removed. This made the Carnival a practical choice for families needing ample storage space.

In contrast, the 2022 Acura RDX offered a spacious interior for a compact SUV, accommodating four adults comfortably. The standard panoramic sunroof added to the sense of space, while the sporty driving position and dramatic IDS knob placement emphasized the RDX's performance-oriented design. The interior featured a unique control layout, with transmission buttons and the True Touchpad Interface infotainment system requiring a learning curve. The A-Spec trims included metallic gauge faces with red markings, which could be challenging to read in low-light conditions.

The RDX's front seats were comfortable and supportive, with available ventilation and a heated steering wheel. However, the rear seats lacked support, prioritizing a flat cargo load floor when folded. The RDX's cargo space was generous, with 835 litres available and hidden storage compartments beneath the load floor. Folding the back seat down expanded the cargo area to 1,668 litres, making the RDX a practical choice for those needing additional storage.

The 2022 Kia Carnival offered a range of technology features, starting with the LX trim's 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. This setup included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and six speakers. The EX+ trim introduced a 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment system with HD Radio, SiriusXM, voice recognition, and an embedded modem for UVO Link connected services. The Carnival also featured a Passenger View camera, allowing the driver to monitor the rear seats. The SX trim included a 12-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system, although it lacked the depth and clarity of previous Harman Kardon systems.

The Carnival's technology was generally intuitive, but a quick reference guide was provided to help users navigate the features. The vehicle's tech offerings added significant value, making it a strong contender in the minivan market.

The 2022 Acura RDX featured the True Touchpad Interface (TTI) infotainment system, which paired a 10.2-inch display screen with a touchpad controller. The TTI required users to match finger location on the touchpad with the cursor location on the screen, which could be distracting. However, the RDX included Amazon Alexa Built-in, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a wireless charging pad, reducing the need to use the TTI frequently.

The RDX offered three premium sound systems, with the base model featuring a nine-speaker setup. The Technology package included a 12-speaker ELS Studio system, while higher trims boasted a 16-speaker ELS Studio 3D surround-sound audio system. The A-Spec Platinum Elite trim also included a 10.5-inch head-up display, enhancing the RDX's technological appeal.

The 2022 Kia Carnival came equipped with a comprehensive suite 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 also featured an ultrasonic rear occupant alert system and Safe Exit Assist, enhancing passenger safety.

The EX+ trim introduced a surround-view camera system and a Blind View Monitor, providing additional safety and convenience. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the 2022 Kia Carnival a Top Safety Pick rating, although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had not yet rated it.

The 2022 Acura RDX received structural upgrades to improve side-impact safety, maintaining its Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. New safety features included a rear seatbelt reminder system and enhancements to the standard AcuraWatch collection of driver-assist systems. The Technology package and higher trims added front and rear parking sensors with low-speed automatic braking.

AcuraWatch's adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist systems were generally accurate, although they occasionally issued false warnings in challenging conditions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the 2022 RDX a five-star overall crash-test rating, with four-star frontal-impact and rollover resistance ratings and five-star side-impact ratings.