2022 Hyundai Palisade vs 2022 Kia Carnival

The 2022 Kia Carnival presented a unique design across its various trims, each offering distinct elements that set them apart. The LX trim featured a standard black grille and 17-inch aluminum wheels, while the EX trim doubled the available paint colors and added 19-inch machined-finish wheels, simulated wood trim, and SynTex simulated leather. The SX trim introduced a mirrored grid-pattern grille and black wheels, and the SX Prestige focused on interior upgrades with real leather and VIP Lounge Seats. The Carnival's SUV styling included skid plates, a floating roof design, and a robust roof-rack on higher trims. Despite visible sliding door tracks, the Carnival's design was sharp and angular, offering a more upscale look compared to its competitors. Inside, the SUV theme continued with a crossover-like dashboard and center console, and the interior color options added a touch of uniqueness to the vehicle's personality.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade stood out with its elegant and striking exterior design, shedding any past criticisms of being derivative. It featured distinctive lines, a prominent grille, and sculpted wheel arches, creating visual interest. The continuous strip of glass surfaces around the tailgate gave the impression of a floating rear roof. LED headlights, running lights, and taillights added to its signature look. Inside, the Palisade offered a polished and elegant cabin with a horizontally arrayed screen, high-quality materials, and spacious seating arrangements. The second row provided options for a bench or captain's chairs, and the third row was roomy enough for adults on short rides. The fit and finish were near-luxury levels, making the Palisade a worthy flagship for Hyundai.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was equipped with a new 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, driving the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. It lacked all-wheel drive and electrified powertrain options, but offered a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. The V6 engine provided smooth and effortless acceleration, and the automatic transmission operated unobtrusively. The Carnival featured Normal, Eco, Sport, and Smart driving modes, with Smart mode being the most used despite some delayed downshift responses. The EPA estimated a combined fuel economy of 22 mpg, and during testing, it averaged 21.7 mpg. The Carnival felt taut and athletic, with a flat cornering stance, though it could feel stiff over certain road surfaces.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade came with a naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V6 engine, producing 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. It featured gasoline direct injection and dual variable valve timing, enhancing power and efficiency. The Palisade's EPA estimates were 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway/22 mpg combined for FWD models and 19 mpg city/24 mpg highway/21 mpg combined for AWD models. The V6 engine provided a baritone rumble and quick acceleration without turbo lag. Weighing between 4,127 and 4,387 pounds, the Palisade handled nicely with its four-wheel independent suspension and stabilizer bars. It could tow up to 5,000 pounds with trailer brakes.

The 2022 Kia Carnival offered practicality with its minivan design, though the SUV-style dashboard and center console limited storage space. The LX trim featured captain's chairs with a wide center pass-through, and the LX Seat Package added a middle second-row seat. The EX and SX trims had an 8-passenger Slide Flex seat configuration, while the SX Prestige offered power-adjustable VIP Lounge Seats. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the Carnival provided a large cargo area with 40.2 cubic feet of volume behind the third row. Folding the third-row seats created 86.9 cubic feet of cargo space, and removing the second-row seats increased it to 145.1 cubic feet.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade provided comfortable seating throughout the cabin, with easy access to the third row and ample legroom in the second row. The front row offered extensive storage options, including compartments in the center console and door panel bottle holders. Luggage space measured 18.0 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 45.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 86.4 cubic feet with both rows down. An underfloor storage compartment added extra space. The Palisade featured a compact shift-by-wire setup and intuitive controls. A dual-panel sunroof improved the ambiance in the upper trims, and luxury features like Nappa leather upholstery and power-folding third-row seats were available.

The 2022 Kia Carnival's LX trim included analog gauges, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and six speakers. The EX trim upgraded to a 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD Radio, SiriusXM, and eight speakers. Features like Passenger View and Passenger Talk enhanced communication within the vehicle. 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.

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade showcased advanced technology with a standard display audio system on S and SEL models, and a 1920 x 720 color touchscreen with Harman Kardon audio on Limited and Calligraphy models. The infotainment system included wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, HD Radio, and satellite radio. Multiple USB ports and power outlets were available throughout the cabin. The Palisade featured Hyundai's Blue Link connected car system, a digital instrument cluster, and a head-up display on higher trims. The surround view monitor and parking guidance added convenience and safety.

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

The 2022 Hyundai Palisade boasted a strong safety reputation with seven airbags, three-point seat belts, LATCH anchors, and active head restraints. Standard active safety features included anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, blind-spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance, and adaptive cruise control. The Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA.