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Speaking of which, Kia quotes a much larger figure for its cargo space with the third row up than any of the competition. As we've seen time and time again, things can be a lot different in person. The Carnival’s third-row space is perfectly fine and workable in a vacuum - it’s plenty of space for most adults - but when the competition offers more, it’s going to be noticed. It’s a whole 3 inches less than the Pacifica, which is the clear winner for full-house comfort. Legroom is just 35.6 inches, which is about 2 inches less than the next closest competitor. Both front seat space and second row space is on par with the competition, but the Carnival runs into an issue in its third row. You get the choice between seven-seat or eight-seat configurations like all the others. That said, the Carnival is still shorter than every other van it competes with by an inch or two. Kia made the Carnival a smidge bigger in nearly every exterior dimension over the Sedona, and that translates to an equal amount more space on the interior. Top left: Carnival top right: Sienna bottom left: Odyssey bottom right: Pacifica If hybrid-like efficiency or all-wheel drive are a must for you, the Carnival isn’t the right van. Those previous two paragraphs sum up the Carnival’s two biggest weak points. You don’t lose much in power or capability with the hybrid models either - they’re nearly as powerful as the gas-only minivans, and both can tow, too.
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Kia eked out an extra mpg in the Carnival over the Sedona to 22 mpg combined, but that only brings it up to the same level as the Odyssey and V6-powered Pacifica. The fight for peak efficiency is between the Sienna (hybrid-only) and the Pacifica Hybrid (PHEV). Most folks could easily get away with a good set of winter tires (our Pacifica Hybrid long-term test car performed admirably in the snow with Nokian Hakkapeliittas equipped), but the assurance that all-wheel drive nets you can only be found in the Sienna and Pacifica now. The seat-of-the-pants difference between the Carnival, Pacifica and Odyssey is likely to be negligible, though, as they all offer up similar power figures.Ī lack of available all-wheel drive is quickly becoming a detriment in the minivan class, and it’s especially troubling to see no all-wheel-drive option for the Carnival given Kia’s attempt to sell it more like a crossover or SUV. It’s also the lightest of the bunch at just 4,376 pounds, so in theory, the Carnival should be the quickest. The 2022 Kia Carnival has more power than anything else in its class at 290 horsepower from its 3.5-liter V6. Where we might’ve been able to write the Sedona off as dated previously, that won’t be the case with the Carnival. It’s riding on a new platform, sporting a new engine and features a wildly luxurious interior at the top end. Thankfully for Kia, the Carnival is totally new, as well. Both the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica walked into 2021 with significant refreshes, and the Sienna is completely new from the ground up. Kia is entering the Carnival with a fray of other newly redesigned or refreshed minivans this year, meaning that it won’t exactly be a winner by virtue of freshness or modernity alone. Even though Kia won’t call it a minivan (you won’t find a single reference to it being a “van” or “minivan” in the press release) the Carnival is totally and unequivocally a minivan. The 2022 Kia Carnival has finally made its American debut, officially displacing the Sedona.