Kia Carnival vs Toyota Grand Highlander

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.

If you have more than a couple of kids, chances are good that a regular Toyota Highlander won’t be big enough for all your needs. For many shoppers like you, the Kia Telluride and its corporate cousin, the Hyundai Palisade, have become the obvious choices. Those three-row crossovers are newer, bigger, and incredibly nice to drive.

But now there’s a new Highlander. A bigger Highlander. A Grand Highlander. This all-new midsize SUV takes a popular nameplate (which, don't worry, isn’t going anywhere) and adds a little extra space. But what separates the Grand Highlander from the field is the availability of not one, but two different hybrid powertrains. This all-new model offers plenty of space, good fuel efficiency, and the automaker’s sterling reputation for reliability. So, is the 2024 Grand Highlander an immediate three-row SUV threat to the hot-selling Kia Telluride?