Kia Carnival vs Hyundai Palisade Hybrid

Ahead of a 2025-model-year refresh, the 2024 Kia Carnival carries over unchanged as Kia’s entry into a small, but competitive, minivan segment that also includes the Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey, and Toyota Sienna.

The Carnival offers a great driving experience and affordable starting price, but these upsides are tainted by a lack of all-wheel drive and mixed safety ratings.

Redesigned for 2026, the new Hyundai Palisade brings more than just fresh looks. For the first time, Hyundai is now offering a hybrid powertrain with its big three-row, family SUV. Capable of traveling more than 950 kilometres on a single tank of fuel, the Palisade Hybrid solves one of the only downsides of the market’s best three-row SUV: fuel efficiency. The Palisade Hybrid delivers more than just great fuel economy, though. It’s more powerful than the gas model, and in higher trim levels the Palisade Hybrid feels more luxurious than its competition.

Verdict: Simply put, Hyundai currently sells the best mass-market three-row crossover SUV in North America. The 2026 Hyundai Palisade looks good, drives well, and feels special — and it will keep you away from the gas station, too.