2024 Kia Carnival vs 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid

The 2024 Kia Carnival made a bold design statement, adopting SUV-like features to attract buyers typically drawn to SUVs. Its prominent grille, slab sides, and pronounced hood gave it a robust appearance, although the sliding doors and lack of ground clearance revealed its minivan roots. The Carnival's styling included unique details like a concave grille with disco-ball-like trim and filament-like taillights. The SX trim, with its 19-inch wheels, provided a distinctive look without appearing overdone. Inside, the SUV theme continued with chunky switchgear and a large shifter, appealing to image-conscious buyers. The interior materials were durable, acknowledging the wear and tear expected in a family vehicle. While the base model lacked some luxury features, higher trims offered leather upholstery and heated seats, though the interior remained largely plastic.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid debuted with a more cohesive design, albeit losing some of its distinctiveness. Its blockier shape and rugged appearance, enhanced by black plastic elements, hinted at off-road potential. The hybrid model closely resembled its non-hybrid sibling, with subtle badges distinguishing it. Inside, the Forester retained some of its previous character with a beveled dashboard centre section, now dominated by a large vertical infotainment touchscreen. The cabin featured a mix of hard plastics and soft-touch materials, with the front seats offering ample comfort and support. The hybrid's ventilation system added to the comfort, and heated rear seats were included. While some felt the Forester lost personality, its broader appeal was undeniable.

The 2024 Kia Carnival featured a straightforward powertrain with a 3.5-litre V6 engine, producing 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. It lacked all-wheel drive and hybrid options, unlike some competitors. The Carnival's steering was well-tuned, offering a balance of lightness for maneuverability and precision for highway driving. The chassis provided a comfortable ride, and the interior was quiet, with an internal speaker system for easy communication between rows. The V6 engine was refined, delivering smooth power and a pleasant growl at full throttle, though it wasn't the most efficient setup.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid was powered by a 2.5-litre flat four-cylinder engine, combined with a parallel hybrid system producing 194 horsepower. The hybrid system included two motor/generators and a 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The Forester's all-wheel drive system, using a traditional driveshaft, offered better traction for off-roading. Acceleration was adequate, though the hybrid transmission made it feel slower than it was. The hybrid system operated smoothly, with seamless transitions between electric and engine power. The ride was firmer than expected, but off-road capabilities were impressive, aided by X-Mode drive programming and hill descent control.

The 2024 Kia Carnival offered an eight-passenger configuration with a removable second-row bench seat, while SX models featured VIP Lounge seats. Standard features included power-sliding rear doors, a power liftgate, and tri-zone automatic climate control. The Carnival provided ample headroom and legroom in the first two rows, though third-row legroom was limited. It boasted substantial cargo space, with 1,138 litres behind the third row and 4,110 litres with the second and third rows folded. The Carnival's sliding doors and low step-in height made passenger loading easy, though it lacked features like fold-flat seating. The front space was well-organized, with easy-to-find controls and ample storage.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid impressed with its unobstructed forward view, thanks to thin roof pillars. The front seats offered ample space, and the cockpit felt open and airy. Rear seats provided generous legroom and headroom, enhanced by a standard panoramic sunroof. Storage included a wireless charging pad, cup holders, and door pockets, though the charging pad's hard surface allowed phones to slide. The Forester Hybrid offered 779 litres of cargo space, with a hands-free power liftgate and power remote seatback releases for easy loading. The upright tail design accommodated bulkier items, and handy hooks kept groceries secure.

The 2024 Kia Carnival's infotainment system varied by trim, with lower trims featuring an 8-inch touchscreen and higher trims upgrading to a 12.3-inch touchscreen and digital instrument cluster. The SX grade added a 12-speaker Bose audio system. The system was user-friendly, with clear graphics and easy-to-navigate menus. A cabin camera system and intercom allowed for monitoring and communication with rear passengers. Quiet Mode disconnected rear speakers for a peaceful ride.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid came with an 11.6-inch vertical infotainment touchscreen, featuring built-in navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Starlink system was praised for its large buttons and intuitive menus. Physical buttons flanked the screen for easy temperature adjustments. The X-Mode off-road menu was accessible with a swipe, and external camera views aided off-roading. The Forester Hybrid also included an 11-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

The 2024 Kia Carnival received mixed safety ratings from the IIHS, with top scores in some crash tests but lower ratings in updated tests. Headlights on higher trims were rated "Good," while others were "Poor." Front-crash prevention systems performed well in daytime tests. Standard safety features included lane keep assist and forward collision avoidance, with additional features available on higher trims.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid earned high safety ratings, with five stars from the NHTSA in most categories. The IIHS awarded the non-hybrid model top scores, earning it a Top Safety Pick award. The Forester Hybrid came standard with Subaru's EyeSight suite, including collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keep assist. Additional features like blind spot monitoring and surround-view monitor were included on top trims.