2022 Kia Carnival vs 2022 Volvo XC60

The 2022 Kia Carnival, a fresh addition to the market, showcased a distinctive design that set it apart from its competitors. The LX and LX+ trims featured a standard black grille and 17-inch aluminum wheels, while the EX trim offered a more refined look with a mirrored grid-pattern grille, 19-inch machined-finish wheels, and simulated leather. The SX trim added black wheels, textured metal dashboard trim, and luxurious VIP Lounge Seats. The Carnival's SUV-inspired styling included simulated skid plates, a floating roof design, and roof rails, giving it a robust appearance. Despite the visible sliding door tracks, Kia cleverly integrated them with character lines, maintaining the vehicle's sleek look. The Carnival's design was praised for its sharp angles and conservative taste, making it a standout in its segment.

Inside, the Carnival continued the SUV theme with a dashboard and centre console reminiscent of a crossover. The upscale interior, even in base trim, was a testament to Kia's commitment to style. The front-seat area was designed with a focus on comfort and functionality, offering a more crossover-like experience than a traditional minivan. The Carnival's interior design was well-received, providing a sense of luxury and sophistication.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 underwent subtle styling changes, enhancing its sporty appearance with a new front fascia featuring "air blades" and a reworked grille. The rear bumper was redesigned to hide the tailpipes, and new wheel designs were introduced. The XC60 shared its Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform with other Volvo models, ensuring a consistent design language. The interior remained largely unchanged, maintaining its clean design with a portrait-oriented touchscreen and minimal clutter. The B6 R-Design model added flair with aluminum mesh speaker grilles and textured seats, though the overall interior was more subdued compared to other Volvo models. The Inscription trim offered Nappa leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, adding a touch of luxury.

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, with no all-wheel drive or electrified powertrain options available. The Carnival's towing capacity was 1,587.5 kilograms (3,500 pounds). The V6 engine provided smooth and steady acceleration, and the automatic transmission operated seamlessly. The Carnival offered Normal, Eco, Sport, and Smart driving modes, with Smart mode being the most commonly used. However, there was a noticeable delay in downshifting when accelerating out of corners or curves, particularly uphill. Sport mode helped mitigate this issue. The Carnival's fuel consumption was rated at 10.6 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving, and during testing, it averaged 10.8 L/100 km. The front-wheel-drive Carnival felt agile and athletic, with a flat cornering stance and minimal tire noise. However, it could feel stiff over rough surfaces and bouncy over speed humps, suggesting it might perform better when loaded with passengers and cargo.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 introduced new B5 and B6 mild-hybrid powertrains, replacing the previous T5 and T6 options. Both powertrains combined a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 48-volt electrical system and integrated starter generator, providing an additional 13 horsepower in short bursts. The B6 powertrain also featured an electric supercharger. The B5 produced 258 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, while the B6 offered 295 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Both used an eight-speed automatic transmission, with all-wheel drive standard in Canada. The B5 accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, and the B6 in 5.9 seconds. The B6 XC60 R-Design impressed with its smooth power delivery and calm driving experience. The XC60's quiet cabin and comfortable ride were enhanced by optional air suspension, emphasizing luxury over performance. The XC60 Recharge plug-in hybrid offered 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, achieving zero to 60 mph in 5 seconds. The Polestar Engineered version increased output to 415 hp and 494 lb-ft, with a 4.9-second zero to 60 mph time, featuring Öhlins adjustable dampers, Akebono brakes, and a front strut bar.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was a practical minivan with an SUV-style design that limited storage space compared to competitors. Most trims in Canada offered eight-passenger seating with a versatile second-row bench seat. The SX trim featured power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated VIP Lounge Seats with Ottoman-style leg rests, providing a luxurious experience. However, these seats couldn't be removed or folded flat, limiting cargo space. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the large rear cargo area provided ample collision crush space. The Carnival's smart hands-free power-sliding side doors and liftgate had pros and cons, with the liftgate opening automatically when standing nearby. The Carnival offered 1,139 litres of cargo space behind the third-row seat, expandable to 2,460 litres with the seats folded. Removing the second-row seats increased cargo volume to 4,110 litres, surpassing a Chevy Suburban. However, the seats were heavy and required careful reinstallation.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 maintained its competitive passenger space, with above-average front-seat headroom but limited rear-seat headroom. Legroom was average for the segment. The mild-hybrid models offered 611 litres of cargo space with the rear seats up and 1,410 litres with them folded. Plug-in hybrid models had slightly less capacity, at 597 litres and 1,396 litres, respectively. The XC60 provided a commanding driving position with good visibility, despite the pinched roofline. Large exterior mirrors aided driving without relying on driver aids.

The 2022 Kia Carnival's LX trim featured traditional analog gauges, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and six speakers. The EX+ trim upgraded to 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 eight speakers. The EX+ and SX trims offered a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, with the SX adding a 12-speaker Bose surround-sound system. The Carnival's technology was intuitive, but a quick reference guide was recommended for setup.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 received a tech overhaul with a 9-inch touchscreen running Android Automotive, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Bluetooth, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The system included Google Assistant voice control, Google Maps navigation, and access to third-party apps via the Google Play Store. Over-the-air software updates were enabled. The system was compatible with iPhones, but Android users could sync their profiles for added functionality. The digital instrument cluster displayed a map or a "Calm" setting to minimize distraction.

The 2022 Kia Carnival offered a comprehensive list of safety features, including 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 Blind View Monitor. The IIHS awarded the Carnival a Top Safety Pick rating.

The 2022 Volvo XC60's safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert. An optional driver assistance system combined adaptive cruise control and automated lane centring. The 2021 XC60 received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.