2022 Kia Carnival vs 2023 Toyota Sienna

The 2022 Kia Carnival, a fresh addition to the minivan market, distinguished itself with unique design elements across its various trims. The LX and LX+ trims featured a standard black grille and 17-inch aluminum wheels, while the EX trim offered a more sophisticated look with a mirrored grid-pattern grille, 19-inch machined-finish wheels, and SynTex simulated leather. The SX trim added black wheels, textured metal dashboard trim, and real leather, with VIP Lounge Seats as a standout feature. The Carnival's SUV-inspired styling included simulated skid plates, a floating roof design, and roof rails, giving it a more rugged appearance. Despite the visible sliding door tracks, Kia cleverly integrated them into the vehicle's character lines, making the Carnival a visually appealing option in the minivan segment.

Inside, the Carnival continued the SUV theme with a dashboard and centre console reminiscent of a crossover. This design approach, combined with Kia's attention to style, gave the Carnival an upscale feel even in its base trim. The interior was practical, with seating for up to eight passengers and versatile configurations. The Carnival's design was angular and conservative, setting it apart from competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey, and it was praised for its tasteful and taut design compared to the more bloated appearance of the Toyota Sienna.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna, on the other hand, aimed to shed its minivan image with a design that resembled a Japanese bullet train. While most trims featured 17-inch or 18-inch wheels, the XSE trim level offered 20-inch wheels for a sportier look. The Sienna came in various trims, including the base LE, XLE, sporty XSE, and upper-class Limited, with the 25th Anniversary Special Edition trim introduced for 2023. The Sienna's design was a departure from traditional minivan aesthetics, and it offered a spacious and functional interior with creative storage solutions. The Platinum trim, although not available in Canada, featured high-quality brown leather upholstery and wood-grain accents, adding a touch of luxury to the Sienna's interior.

The Sienna's interior was designed with practicality in mind, offering seating for seven or eight passengers, depending on the trim. The middle-row seats could accommodate three-across car seats, making it a family-friendly choice. The Sienna's design and features made it a smart choice for families seeking a minivan with a modern and stylish appearance.

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 steady acceleration. The Carnival offered a towing capacity of 1,587.5 kilograms (3,500 pounds), making it a practical choice for those needing to tow. The V6 engine was praised for its performance, and the automatic transmission operated seamlessly, enhancing the overall driving experience.

The Carnival featured multiple driving modes, including Normal, Eco, Sport, and Smart. While Smart mode was generally effective, it occasionally exhibited delayed downshift responses, particularly when accelerating after rounding corners or curves. Switching to Sport mode helped address this issue. The Carnival's fuel efficiency was commendable, with an average consumption of 10.8 litres per 100 kilometres during testing, slightly above the expected 10.6 L/100 km.

Dynamically, the Carnival felt taut and athletic, with a flat cornering stance and minimal tire noise. However, it could feel stiff over rough surfaces and bouncy over drainage dips and speed humps. When loaded with passengers and cargo, the ride quality improved, making it a versatile option for families.

In contrast, the 2023 Toyota Sienna featured a hybrid powertrain, combining a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with two front-mounted electric motors and an additional rear-mounted motor for all-wheel drive (AWD) trims. This setup produced a total of 245 horsepower, which was less impressive compared to some competitors. The Sienna's powertrain, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), struggled to provide sufficient power for its size and weight, resulting in lackluster acceleration.

Despite the powertrain's shortcomings, the Sienna's chassis and steering were praised for their nimbleness and ease of handling. It was easy to drive around town and cruised comfortably on the highway. The Sienna's light steering feel and tidy turning radius made it a practical choice for city driving. The Sienna offered various drive modes, including EV, Normal, Eco, and Sport, but Normal mode was recommended for the best balance of performance and efficiency.

The 2022 Kia Carnival excelled in practicality, offering a spacious interior with versatile seating configurations. Most trims in Canada featured eight-passenger seating, with a second-row bench seat that could slide forward or backward for added flexibility. The SX trim boasted power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated VIP Lounge Seats with Ottoman-style leg rests, providing a luxurious experience for rear passengers. However, these seats couldn't be removed or folded flat, limiting maximum cargo volume.

The Carnival's third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the rear cargo area offered ample space, with 1,139 litres of volume behind the third-row seat. Folding the third-row seats created 2,460 litres of cargo space, and removing the second-row seats increased capacity to 4,110 litres. The Carnival's smart hands-free power-sliding side doors and liftgate added convenience, although they could occasionally open unintentionally.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna, known for its clever interior storage solutions, featured a spacious cabin with ample cubbies, nooks, and bins. The open cubby below the centre console provided space for a large bag or purse, while a long shelf extended across the dashboard, offering a convenient spot for a phone. The Sienna's centre console included a large bin and numerous cupholders, ensuring everyone had space for their drinks.

The Sienna's three-zone climate control was standard, with four-zone climate control available on higher trims. The minivan's platform made excellent use of space, offering 949 litres of cargo space behind the third row and 2,129 litres with the third row folded. Total cargo space reached 2,860 litres, although the middle-row seats couldn't be removed or folded into the floor, limiting maximum capacity compared to some competitors.

The Sienna's second-row captain's chairs were functional and comfortable, with extending ottomans for added support. The middle-row seats could slide forward and backward, providing ample legroom for third-row passengers. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel were standard, with ventilated front seats and heated second-row seats available on higher trims.

The 2022 Kia Carnival offered a range of technology features, starting with the LX trim, which included traditional analog gauges, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto connectivity. The EX+ trim introduced a 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment system with HD Radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, voice recognition, and an embedded modem for UVO Link connected services. The Carnival also featured a Passenger View camera, allowing the driver and front passenger to monitor the rear seats.

The EX+ and SX trims included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and the SX trim featured a 12-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system. While the technology was generally intuitive, the Carnival's quick reference guide was extensive, requiring time to fully understand and set up the features.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna, while lacking the latest technology found in other Toyota models, offered a reliable infotainment system with core features like SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Sienna's interface, though functional, felt outdated and required a wired connection for smartphone integration. The 9-inch touchscreen, while not impressive on paper, fit well within the cabin, and the 12-speaker JBL premium audio system provided good sound quality.

Despite its older design, the Sienna's technology was dependable, with physical buttons offering a practical advantage over touchscreen controls. However, accessing Android Auto required navigating through the menu, and the interface could be clunky at times.

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 with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure and keeping assistance, and rear parking sensors. The Carnival also featured a driver monitoring system and a reversing camera with dynamic parking guidance lines.

The EX trim added front parking sensors, active blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning with collision avoidance, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. The Carnival's ultrasonic rear occupant alert system monitored the cabin for movement, ensuring no child or pet was left behind. Safe Exit Assist, available on EX and higher trims, used blind-spot warning sensors to prevent occupants from exiting the vehicle when traffic was approaching.

The EX+ trim introduced a surround-view camera system with remarkable clarity and a camera-based Blind View Monitor. The 2022 Kia Carnival received a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had not rated it at the time of review.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna impressed with its standard safety technology, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. These features, part of the Toyota Safety Sense package, were crucial for a family vehicle.

The Sienna received a 5-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). While competitors like Honda and Chrysler also received Top Safety Pick+ awards, Toyota focused on essential safety features without adding gimmicky extras.