2024 Kia Carnival vs 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser

The 2024 Kia Carnival was designed to stand out in the minivan market by adopting an SUV-like appearance. Its prominent grille, slab sides, and pronounced hood gave it a robust look, although the sliding doors and lack of ground clearance still identified it as a minivan. The Carnival featured unique styling details, such as a concave grille with disco-ball-like trim and filament-like taillights. The SX trim, with its 19-inch wheels, added to its distinctive appearance, offering a more striking look compared to the more restrained Chrysler Pacifica. Inside, the Carnival continued the SUV theme with chunky switchgear and a large shifter, making it appealing to image-conscious buyers. The interior materials were durable, acknowledging the wear and tear expected in a family vehicle. While the base LX model had cloth seats, higher trims offered leatherette or real leather upholstery, with heated and ventilated seats available in the first and second rows.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser, in its second model year, offered two trim levels: the base 1958 and the more upscale Cruiser. The 1958 trim had a retro look with round headlights and basic equipment, while the Cruiser trim featured a modern, upscale appearance with larger screens and additional off-roading hardware. The Cruiser trim also offered a Premium Package with leather and more tech. The Land Cruiser's design maximized off-road clearances and utility, with a traditional two-box SUV design and dark grey cladding. The interior was utilitarian, with traditional switchgear and a Java-coloured leather option. The Cruiser trim's dual 12.3-inch digital screens added a technological edge, and the vehicle's high seating position provided excellent visibility. However, the rear window design and centre console's cool box were seen as drawbacks.

The 2024 Kia Carnival was powered by a 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. While it lacked all-wheel drive and hybrid options, the Carnival's powertrain was similar to the Honda Odyssey's. The V6 engine provided a pleasant driving experience, with smooth and quick gear changes. The steering was well-tuned, offering a balance between ease of maneuvering and precision. The Carnival's chassis provided a comfortable ride, and interior noise levels were low. The V6 engine emitted a satisfying growl at full throttle, and the transmission's smooth shifts contributed to a refined driving experience.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser featured Toyota's i-Force Max hybrid system, combining a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor and an eight-speed automatic transmission. This setup produced 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, with a full-time four-wheel-drive system. The Land Cruiser had a maximum towing capacity of 2,720 kilograms and included features like Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control. However, its real-world fuel efficiency fell short of official ratings, with observed consumption at 15.0 L/100 km. The Land Cruiser excelled as a daily driver and off-road adventurer, but its handling on twisty roads was less impressive due to its suspension tuning. The vehicle's high seating position and off-road capabilities made it suitable for urban and off-road driving.

The 2024 Kia Carnival offered an eight-passenger configuration with a removable second-row bench seat. The SX trim featured VIP Lounge seats with a sliding and recline function. Standard features included power-sliding rear doors, a power liftgate, and tri-zone automatic climate control. The Carnival provided ample cargo space, with 1,138 litres behind the third row and 4,110 litres with the second and third rows folded. While it lacked fold-flat seating like the Pacifica, the Carnival's sliding doors and low step-in height made passenger loading easy. The front cabin was well-organized, with easy-to-find controls and ample storage space. The Carnival could tow up to 1,587 kilograms, matching the Odyssey and Sienna.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's Cruiser trim upgraded to SofTex artificial leather, with ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The Premium Package added real leather and a power sunroof. While the front seats were comfortable, the second-row seats lacked thigh support and had an uncomfortable backrest angle. The Land Cruiser offered 1,062 litres of cargo space, with a high load floor. Maximum cargo space with the rear seats folded was 2,324 litres. The rear window design and centre console's cool box were seen as drawbacks, but the vehicle's high seating position and off-road capabilities were highlights.

The 2024 Kia Carnival's LX, LX+, and EX trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims upgraded to a 12.3-inch touchscreen and digital instrument cluster, with wired connectivity. The SX trim added a 12-speaker Bose audio system. The Carnival's infotainment system was user-friendly, with clear graphics and easy-to-use controls. It also offered a cabin camera system and intercom for rear-seat communication, as well as a Quiet Mode to disconnect rear speakers.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's Cruiser trim upgraded to dual 12.3-inch displays with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Toyota Audio Multimedia system included SiriusXM, Apple Music, and Amazon Music access. Four connected service plans were available, including Drive Connect with cloud-based navigation and a digital assistant. The Premium Package added a 14-speaker JBL audio system, wireless smartphone charger, head-up display, digital rearview mirror, and digital key technology.

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 rated "Poor." Front-crash prevention systems performed well in daytime testing. Standard safety features included lane keep assist, forward collision avoidance, and rear parking sensors. Higher trims added features like blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser included Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, with features like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. The adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist provided semi-autonomous highway driving. Additional safety features included blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The Land Cruiser received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in side-impact testing but a three-star rollover resistance rating.