2022 Kia Carnival vs 2022 Subaru Outback

The 2022 Kia Carnival, a fresh addition to the market, showcased a distinct 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 19-inch machined-finish wheels, simulated wood trim, and SynTex leather, while the SX trim added black wheels and real leather. 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 design was praised for its sharp, angular lines, 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 interior an upscale feel, even in the base trim. The Carnival's design was noted for its conservative yet tasteful approach, contrasting with the more rounded or bloated appearances of its competitors. Overall, the Carnival's design was well-received, earning accolades for its sharp and sophisticated look.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness pushed the boundaries of the traditional station wagon, offering a design closer to a Jeep. It featured a higher ride height with 23 centimetres of ground clearance, aggressive all-terrain tires, and restyled bumpers for improved approach and departure angles. The Wilderness stood out with its unique grille, black 17-inch wheels, and Anodized Copper accents. The roof rack system was robust, supporting a 700-pound static load, ideal for rooftop camping. Inside, the cabin was dominated by dark gray and black tones, with StarTex water-repellant upholstery and Anodized Copper accents. While the interior lacked ventilated seats, it offered heated ones, along with a black headliner and brushed aluminum pedals. The Wilderness package added personality to the Outback's styling, appealing to those seeking a rugged and adventurous look.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was equipped with a new 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, offering a towing capacity of 1,587.5 kilograms. The V6 provided smooth and steady acceleration, with the automatic transmission operating unobtrusively. The Carnival offered four driving modes: Normal, Eco, Sport, and Smart, with Smart mode being the most commonly used. However, there was a noticeable delay in downshifting when accelerating out of corners or on inclines. The Carnival's fuel efficiency was rated at 10.6 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving, with real-world testing averaging 10.8 L/100 km. The front-wheel-drive Carnival felt athletic, with a flat cornering stance, though it could be stiff over uneven surfaces.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured a turbocharged 2.4-litre 4-cylinder engine, producing 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. This engine, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), offered a towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. The Wilderness achieved a fuel efficiency of 10.9 litres per 100 kilometres in city driving and 8.9 on the highway, with real-world testing averaging 11.0 L/100 km on a mountainous route. While the engine was strong, the CVT's droning and simulated gear changes detracted from the driving experience. The Wilderness came standard with all-wheel drive, featuring a lifted stance and all-terrain tires for off-road capability. It offered improved approach, breakover, and departure angles, along with a dual function X-Mode traction system. On pavement, the Wilderness felt quick but limited by its tires, while off-road, it excelled in challenging terrain.

The 2022 Kia Carnival, despite its minivan roots, offered practicality with an SUV-style design. Most trims featured eight-passenger seating, with a versatile second-row bench seat. The SX trim boasted VIP Lounge Seats with power adjustments, heating, ventilation, and an Ottoman-style leg rest. However, these seats couldn't be removed or folded flat, limiting cargo space. The third-row seat provided comfort for adults, and the Carnival's rear cargo area was spacious, offering 1,139 litres of volume behind the third-row seat. The Carnival's smart hands-free power-sliding doors and liftgate added convenience, though they could open unintentionally. Folding the third-row seats created 2,460 litres of cargo space, and removing the second-row seats expanded it to 4,110 litres.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured dark gray StarTex upholstery, which was water-repellant but could be uncomfortable in hot weather. The front seats offered heating and power adjustments, while the rear seats provided ample head and legroom. The cargo area measured 920 litres behind the rear seat and 2,144 litres with the rear seat folded flat. The Outback Wilderness included a waterproof cargo tray and LED lighting for the cargo area. The roof rack supported a 220-pound dynamic load and a 700-pound static load, suitable for rooftop camping.

The 2022 Kia Carnival's technology varied by trim level. The LX trim featured analog gauges, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Starting with EX+ trim, the Carnival offered a 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment system with HD Radio, SiriusXM, voice recognition, and UVO Link connected services. It also included navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a Passenger View camera. The SX trim added a 12-speaker Bose audio system. The technology was generally intuitive, but a quick reference guide was recommended for setup.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness came with an 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, integrated with climate control. While physical knobs and buttons were provided for basic functions, most controls required the touchscreen. The voice recognition technology was limited, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto offered better voice assistant functionality. The Outback Wilderness lacked a premium sound system, which was available on other Outback trims.

The 2022 Kia Carnival offered a comprehensive 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. The Carnival featured an ultrasonic rear occupant alert system and Safe Exit Assist. The EX+ trim included a surround-view camera system and a Blind View Monitor. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the Carnival a Top Safety Pick rating.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured the EyeSight suite of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance. The Wilderness also had steering-responsive LED headlights, a blind-spot warning system, and rear cross-traffic warning. The EyeSight technology was effective and unobtrusive. The Outback Wilderness had not been crash-tested, but the standard Outback received a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS.