Kia Carnival vs Lexus TX

The 2024 Kia Carnival made a bold design statement, adopting an SUV-like appearance to attract buyers typically interested in SUVs. Its prominent grille, slab sides, and pronounced hood gave it a rugged look, 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, 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, appealing to image-conscious buyers. The interior materials were durable, acknowledging the wear and tear expected in a family vehicle. While the SX trim featured real leather upholstery and available heated and ventilated seats, the rest of the interior was predominantly plastic. The Carnival offered a variety of plastic trim pieces, providing a practical alternative to harder-to-clean materials like wood or leather.

The 2024 Lexus TX, based on the Toyota Grand Highlander, presented a luxury SUV with a distinct upscale appearance. The TX featured 22-inch wheels in a silver finish, enhancing its presence. Its styling was more conservative compared to other Lexus models, appealing to those who found previous designs too bold. The TX came in three model series: TX 350, TX 500h F Sport Performance, and TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid, with prices ranging from $72,036 to $87,486. The TX 350, likely the volume-selling version, featured a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and standard all-wheel drive. The Ultra Luxury package added premium interior features, while the Executive packages offered a dark Peppercorn interior. Despite its luxurious feel, the TX's interior was criticized for being too dark, even with a panoramic sunroof. Overall, the TX provided a luxurious experience, fitting for a Lexus badge.

The 2024 Kia Carnival was powered by a 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, with no all-wheel drive or hybrid options available. The Carnival's V6 offered 10 more horsepower than the Honda Odyssey's similar-sized engine, providing a pleasant driving experience. The steering was well-balanced, making it easy to maneuver in parking lots while maintaining precision at higher speeds. The Carnival's chassis provided a comfortable ride, ideal for long road trips, with low interior noise levels. The transmission shifted smoothly, and the V6 emitted a satisfying growl at full throttle. While not the most efficient powertrain, the Carnival's naturally aspirated V6 and conventional transmission offered a reminder of the popularity of such combinations before the rise of turbocharging and electrification.

The 2024 Lexus TX 350 featured a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. Lexus claimed it could accelerate to 100 km/h in about eight seconds, though it felt quicker due to its torque delivery. The TX 350's performance was adequate, with a fuel economy rating of 10.3 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. During testing, it averaged 13.8 L/100 km, with the test unit being a U.S. specification with front-wheel drive. The TX 350's suspension provided a comfortable ride, with commendable body motion control and accurate steering. The interior remained quiet on the highway, though the brake pedal felt too soft. Overall, the TX 350 offered a balanced ride and handling experience, suitable for a luxury SUV.

The 2024 Kia Carnival offered an eight-passenger configuration with a removable second-row bench seat, while SX models featured VIP Lounge seats with a one-touch sliding and recline function. 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 and second rows, though it had the least third-row legroom among minivans. 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 increased cargo capacity to 4,110 litres, surpassing competitors like the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica. The Carnival's sliding doors and low step-in height made loading passengers easy, though it lacked features like fold-flat seating. The front space was well-organized, with easy-to-find controls and ample storage, though it lacked a storage nook found in the Toyota Sienna. The Carnival could tow up to 1,587 kilograms, matching the Odyssey and Sienna.

The 2024 Lexus TX addressed previous shortcomings in Lexus's three-row SUVs. It offered a comfortable and spacious interior, with premium semi-aniline leather and artificial suede upholstery. Heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, and a heated steering wheel were standard. The TX provided a habitable third-row seat, accommodating adults comfortably. The second-row seat, while not as welcoming, offered triple-zone climate control and USB charging ports for all rows. The TX's third-row seat was elevated, providing leg support and a good view. Cargo space measured 572 litres behind the third row, with power-folding seats increasing capacity to 1,625 litres. Folding the second row expanded cargo space to 2,746 litres, surpassing other Lexus SUVs. The TX featured numerous storage options, though some lacked lining, potentially causing noise. Overall, the TX offered a practical and comfortable interior for passengers and cargo.

The 2024 Kia Carnival featured an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on lower trims, while higher trims upgraded to a 12.3-inch touchscreen and digital instrument cluster with wired connectivity. The SX grade added a 12-speaker Bose premium 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 easy-to-use controls. It included a dedicated button for the surround-view camera system and an optional cabin camera system to monitor rear passengers. An intercom system allowed communication with rear-seat occupants, and a Quiet Mode disconnected rear speakers.

The 2024 Lexus TX offered a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a digital rearview mirror on all but the base package. The Executive packages included a head-up display, surround-view camera, and semi-autonomous parking assist. The head-up display, however, had issues with polarized sunglasses and unmarked steering wheel controls. The Lexus Interface infotainment system featured a 14-inch touchscreen, with a Drive Connect subscription providing cloud-based navigation and a digital assistant. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included, with easy connectivity. The TX offered free 10-year subscriptions to Service Connect and Safety Connect, and a three-year Remote Connect subscription. The optional 21-speaker Mark Levinson premium audio system provided impressive sound quality.

The 2024 Kia Carnival received mixed safety ratings from the IIHS. It earned "Good" ratings in driver and passenger-side small-overlap front crash tests and original moderate-overlap front and side tests. However, it received "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 testing but not at night. The Carnival was rated "Acceptable" for child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA had not released safety ratings at the time of publication. Standard safety features included lane keep assist, forward collision avoidance, and rear parking sensors, with additional features available on higher trims.

The 2024 Lexus TX came equipped with Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and more. Proactive Drive Assist offered braking and steering assistance, though it was not always smooth. Additional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and safe exit assist. The Executive packages added parking sensors, front cross-traffic alert, and traffic jam assist. The traffic jam assist provided hands-free driving at low speeds on approved highways. Overall, LSS+ 3.0 was effective, though it slowed too dramatically when other vehicles cut in, causing frustration.