Kia Carnival vs Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe

In Canada, the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe lineup consisted of five trim levels: the base model, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve. Prices began at $72,395, excluding options and destination charges, with the Summit Reserve reaching $91,490 before upgrades. The Trailhawk trim, which was tested, featured a panoramic sunroof, Luxury Tech Group III, and Advanced ProTech Group II, bringing the MSRP to approximately $85,000, including destination. Despite its high cost, the Grand Cherokee 4xe did not qualify for Canada's EV sales incentives. The Trailhawk was distinguishable by its sky blue exterior detailing and matte-black hood decal, designed to reduce glare. It also boasted unique wheels with all-terrain tires and the Trail Rated badge, signifying its off-road prowess. However, the interior fell short of luxury expectations, with excessive plastic and gloss black surfaces that attracted dust and fingerprints. While the leather and artificial suede upholstery were commendable, the overall interior leaned more towards style than substance. The glossy surfaces made controls difficult to read, and some were poorly positioned. The steering wheel controls, however, were user-friendly, and the vehicle offered excellent radio tuning and stereo volume controls on the back of the steering wheel spokes.

The 2024 Kia Carnival adopted an SUV-like design to attract buyers, featuring a prominent grille, slab sides, and a pronounced hood, while retaining minivan characteristics like sliding doors and low ground clearance. The grille had a concave shape with disco-ball-like trim, and the taillights featured filament-like lighting elements. The SX trim, tested, had 19-inch wheels that complemented its distinctive look. Inside, the SUV theme continued with chunky switchgear and a large shifter, making it appealing to image-conscious buyers. The interior was solidly constructed, with materials designed to withstand family use. The Carnival offered cloth seats in base models, leatherette in mid-range trims, and real leather in the SX trim. Heated and ventilated seats, along with dual sunroofs, were available, but the interior was predominantly plastic. The Carnival's variety of plastic trim pieces, including piano black and metallic finishes, was preferred over harder-to-clean materials.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe featured a plug-in hybrid powertrain, combining a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with a 17.3-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack and an 8-speed automatic transmission with a 100-kilowatt electric motor. This setup produced 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, with a towing capacity of 2,720 kilograms. The Trailhawk had a standard 4WD system with a two-speed transfer case, capable of delivering power to a single rear wheel if needed. It offered Selec-Terrain technology with various driving modes and off-road cruise control. The Trailhawk also had a front-axle sway bar disconnect system and height-adjustable air suspension, providing 27.6 centimetres of ground clearance. Despite impressive specs, the Grand Cherokee 4xe's real-world performance fell short. It had an estimated 42 kilometres of all-electric range and 11.7 litres per 100 kilometres in hybrid mode. However, during testing, it only achieved 34 kilometres of electric range. The vehicle averaged 14.6 L/100 km after the battery was depleted. The Trailhawk excelled off-road but had drawbacks in daily driving, including an unrefined gas engine, uneven power delivery, and noticeable body lean. Nevertheless, it offered quick acceleration, impressive ride quality, and confidence in adverse weather conditions.

The 2024 Kia Carnival was equipped with a 3.5-litre V6 engine, producing 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. Unlike some competitors, it lacked all-wheel drive and hybrid options. The Carnival's steering was well-suited for its size, providing ease of maneuverability in parking lots and precise handling at higher speeds. The chassis delivered a comfortable ride, ideal for long road trips, with low interior noise levels. The drivetrain was refined, with smooth and quick transmission shifts and a pleasant V6 growl at full throttle. While not the most efficient, the Carnival's powertrain reminded drivers of the appeal of naturally aspirated V6 engines and conventional transmissions before the rise of turbocharging and electrification.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe struggled with practical storage and cargo space due to its off-roading hardware and upscale interior design. The Trailhawk featured artificial suede and leather seats with eight-way power adjustment, available only in black. The front seats were firm and flat, while the second-row seats lacked support and rear legroom was tight. The cargo area offered 1,067 litres of space behind the rear seats, expandable to 2,004 litres with the seats folded, which was small for a midsize SUV.

The 2024 Kia Carnival, available in an eight-passenger configuration, offered VIP Lounge seats in the SX trim with one-touch sliding and recline functions. It featured power-sliding rear doors, a power liftgate, and tri-zone automatic climate control. The Carnival provided ample headroom and legroom in the first and second rows, but third-row legroom was limited. With all seats in place, it offered 1,138 litres of cargo space, thanks to a deep cargo well. Folding the third and second rows expanded cargo capacity to 4,110 litres, surpassing competitors. The Carnival's sliding doors and low step-in height facilitated passenger loading, though it lacked features like fold-flat seating. The front space was well-organized, with easy-to-find controls, cupholders, and a phone charger. The Carnival could tow up to 1,587 kilograms, comparable to other minivans.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe boasted up to six screens, including an optional head-up display and dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system. The Trailhawk trim featured a 10.3-inch digital instrumentation panel, a 10.3-inch front passenger infotainment screen, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Uconnect 5 technology. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, navigation, and Jeep Connect services. The Alpine premium sound system was standard, with a 19-speaker McIntosh audio system available on higher trims. Uconnect 5 had a simple interface, but the graphics could be hard to read. The system allowed customization of the Apps screen and digital instrumentation. The Trailhawk also had a 10.3-inch infotainment screen for the front passenger, supporting Bluetooth, USB, and HDMI connectivity. Optional tech features included wireless smartphone charging and a camera-based digital rearview mirror.

The 2024 Kia Carnival's LX, LX+, and EX trims had an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims upgraded to a 12.3-inch touchscreen and digital instrument cluster, but with wired connectivity. The SX trim featured a 12-speaker Bose audio system. Bluetooth voice recognition was standard, with rear-seat voice recognition on higher trims. The Carnival's infotainment system was user-friendly, with clear graphics and a dark background for readability. It included a dedicated button for the surround-view camera system. The Carnival also offered a cabin camera system to monitor rear passengers and an intercom for communication. An available Quiet Mode disconnected rear speakers.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe came with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, rain-sensing wipers, and a reversing camera with rear parking sensors. The Advanced ProTech Group II added intersection collision assist, a surround-view camera, front parking sensors, and a Night Vision system. Jeep Active Drive, a semi-autonomous driving assistance system, was available on some trims but not the Trailhawk. The Grand Cherokee 4xe received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with a four-star rating for driver protection in frontal impacts. The IIHS awarded it a Top Safety Pick+ rating, but the Poor rating in the updated moderate overlap frontal-impact test was concerning.

The 2024 Kia Carnival received mixed IIHS ratings, with "Good" scores in some crash tests but "Marginal" and "Poor" ratings in updated tests. Headlights on EX+ and SX trims were rated "Good," while others were "Poor." Front-crash prevention systems performed well in daytime tests but not at night. The Carnival was rated "Acceptable" for child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA had not released safety ratings for the Carnival. In Canada, only some safety features were standard, with others available on higher trims. The SX grade offered the most comprehensive safety features, including a surround-view camera system and reserve parking collision avoidance assist.