2022 Kia Carnival vs 2021 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse was a nod to the past, with its exterior design relying heavily on styling details to distinguish between trim levels. This approach was reminiscent of how Chevy once used different wheels or chrome accents to differentiate models like the Impala and Caprice. The Traverse's exterior was a classic SUV design, featuring a tall roof, chunky wheel arches, and a prominent grille. While it offered a cleaner and more handsome look compared to competitors like the Toyota Highlander or Hyundai Palisade, it lacked the personality of the Ford Explorer and Kia Telluride. The restrained styling allowed for cosmetic elements to shine, with options like blacked-out trim on the RS model and chrome accents on the High Country model. The interior mirrored the exterior's simplicity, with the standout feature being the optional Dual SkyScape sunroof. Materials in the RS model were decent, though not quite justifying the $50,000 price tag.

The 2022 Kia Carnival, on the other hand, was a standout in its segment with unique design elements across its trims. The LX trim featured a standard grille and silver-painted 17-inch wheels, while the EX trim offered more paint options, 19-inch wheels, and simulated leather. The SX trim introduced a mirrored grid-pattern grille and black wheels, while the SX Prestige focused on interior upgrades like VIP Lounge Seats and real leather. The Carnival's SUV styling included skid plates, a floating roof design, and a robust roof rack on higher trims. Despite the visible sliding door tracks, Kia integrated them with character lines, maintaining a sleek look. The Carnival's design was angular and tasteful, setting it apart from competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey. Inside, the SUV theme continued with a dashboard and console resembling a crossover, and the interior felt upscale even in base trim.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine, producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. While the engine specs suggested power, the Traverse felt less potent off the line, though it provided ample power for highway merging and overtaking. The nine-speed automatic generally performed well, with occasional rough shifts. The Traverse excelled in highway driving, offering a quiet cabin and comfortable ride, but it lacked agility on twisty roads. Its AWD system required manual activation and could send torque to individual wheels, but this capability wasn't noticeable during driving. The Traverse had off-road and tow/haul modes, with a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, which was average for the segment.

The 2022 Kia Carnival featured a new 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Carnival was front-wheel drive only, with no all-wheel drive or electrified options. It had a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. The V6 engine provided smooth and steady acceleration, and the transmission operated seamlessly. The Carnival offered Normal, Eco, Sport, and Smart driving modes, with Smart mode being the most used, despite some delayed downshift responses. The Carnival's fuel economy was rated at 22 mpg combined, with a tested average of 21.7 mpg. The front-wheel-drive Carnival felt athletic, with a flat cornering stance, though it could feel stiff over rough surfaces. It was expected to settle down when loaded with passengers and cargo.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse offered seating for seven or eight, with above-average headroom and legroom in all rows. Heated front seats were standard on the RS trim, with ventilated front seats and heated rear seats available on higher trims. The Traverse excelled in cargo space, offering 23.0 cubic feet with all seats up, 57.8 cubic feet with the third row stowed, and 98.2 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. A power liftgate was optional on lower trims and standard on higher ones. Despite its size, the Traverse had limited interior storage options, typical of midsize crossovers.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was highly practical, with an SUV-style dashboard and center console that limited storage space compared to competitors. The LX trim featured captain's chairs with a center pass-through, while the LX Seat Package added a middle seat that could slide or fold flat. The EX and SX trims had an 8-passenger Slide Flex seat configuration, while the SX Prestige offered VIP Lounge Seats with power adjustments and a rear sunroof. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the Carnival's cargo area was spacious, with 40.2 cubic feet behind the third row. Folding the third-row seats created 86.9 cubic feet of space, and removing the second-row seats in lower trims expanded cargo volume to 145.1 cubic feet. The Carnival's smart hands-free power-sliding doors and liftgate had pros and cons, with the liftgate offering a deep storage well.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth. Higher trims offered an 8-inch touchscreen, navigation, a 4G-LTE WiFi hotspot, and a Bose 10-speaker audio system. The Traverse retained analog controls for audio and climate, and its analog instruments were supplemented by a small LCD screen. A rearview camera mirror and an optional HD surround-view camera system enhanced visibility and maneuverability. Each row had 2 USB ports, but wireless phone charging was only standard on the Premier and High Country trims.

The 2022 Kia Carnival's LX trim featured analog gauges with a digital driver information center and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The EX trim introduced a 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD Radio, SiriusXM, voice recognition, and UVO Link connected services. It also included navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and eight speakers. The Carnival offered Passenger View and Passenger Talk features, with the latter broadcasting the driver's voice through rear speakers. The SX trim added a dual-screen rear entertainment system, while the SX Prestige included a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. Kia provided a comprehensive quick reference guide for the technology.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse received top "Good" scores from the IIHS in all crash tests and a "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention. However, it had "Acceptable" and "Poor" headlight ratings and an "Acceptable" rating for LATCH ease of use. The NHTSA awarded the Traverse a five-star overall safety rating, with four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests and five stars in side-impact tests. The Traverse offered less standard driver-assist tech than competitors, with features like adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking available as options.

The 2022 Kia Carnival boasted a comprehensive list of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). Standard features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure and lane-keeping assistance, and rear parking sensors. The EX trim added front parking sensors, cyclist detection, navigation-based adaptive cruise control, and Highway Driving Assist (HDA). The Carnival also featured an ultrasonic rear occupant alert system and Safe Exit Assist. The SX trim included a surround-view camera system, while the SX Prestige offered a Blind View Monitor. Crash-test results were unavailable at the time of review.