2022 Kia Carnival vs 2021 Kia Sorento

The 2021 Kia Sorento marked a significant departure from its predecessor's design, adopting a more athletic and muscular silhouette. The SX Prestige trim with the X-Line package added roof rails and a shark fin antenna, enhancing its sporty appearance. The front featured an expanded tiger-nose grille with a noticeable curve, complemented by squinting headlights and running lights. A silver accent between the front fender and door added visual interest. Despite the large D-pillar, the Sorento maintained excellent exterior visibility, aided by its big windows and panoramic sunroof. Inside, the Sorento offered high-value features like heated outside mirrors, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and keyless entry. The seating options varied across trims, with the SX Prestige offering the most comfort with 10-way adjustable seats and real perforated leather upholstery.

The 2022 Kia Carnival, on the other hand, showcased unique design elements across its trims. The LX trim featured a standard black grille and 17-inch aluminum wheels, while the EX trim offered more paint colors, 19-inch machined-finish wheels, and SynTex simulated leather. The SX trim introduced a mirrored grid-pattern grille and black wheels. The SX Prestige focused on interior upgrades, including VIP Lounge Seats and real leather. The Carnival's SUV styling included simulated skid plates, a floating roof design, and a robust roof-rack on higher trims. Despite the visible sliding door tracks, the Carnival's design was appealing, with sharp angles and a conservative yet tasteful approach. Inside, the Carnival continued the SUV theme with a crossover-like dashboard and center console, offering upscale features even in base trim.

The 2021 Kia Sorento offered a range of powertrains, with the most common being a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque. However, the tested model featured a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission to all-wheel drive. This setup provided ample power for merging, cruising, and passing. The Sorento also offered a hybrid version with a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine and electric motor. The AWD system included torque vectoring and a center-locking differential, enhancing traction and off-road capability. The suspension, consisting of McPherson struts and a multi-link setup, ensured a smooth ride despite the large 20-inch wheels. Various drive modes, including Eco, Normal, and Sport, allowed for tailored driving experiences.

In contrast, the 2022 Kia Carnival was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, driving the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Carnival lacked all-wheel drive and electrified powertrain options but offered a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. The V6 engine provided smooth and effortless acceleration, while the automatic transmission operated unobtrusively. The Carnival featured Normal, Eco, Sport, and Smart driving modes, with Smart mode being the most used. However, delayed downshift responses were noted, particularly when cornering or climbing hills. The Carnival's front-wheel-drive setup felt taut and athletic, with a flat cornering stance. However, it occasionally felt stiff over broken pavement and bouncy over speed humps.

The 2021 Kia Sorento, as a three-row SUV, was best suited as a four-seater in its top trims due to the tight third row. The second-row captain's chairs provided comfort, with ample legroom in both front and rear seats. Cargo space behind the third row was limited to 12.6 cubic feet, necessitating folding the seats for more room. Total cargo volume reached 75.5 cubic feet, comparable to compact crossovers. The Sorento offered practical storage solutions, including a phone spot, cupholders, and a center console bucket.

The 2022 Kia Carnival, being a minivan, excelled in practicality. The LX trim featured second-row captain's chairs with a wide pass-through, while the LX Seat Package added a middle seat for flexible configurations. The EX and SX trims offered an 8-passenger Slide Flex seat configuration, while the SX Prestige boasted VIP Lounge Seats with power adjustments and leg rests. The third-row seat provided comfort for adults, and the rear cargo area offered 40.2 cubic feet of space. Folding the third-row seats created 86.9 cubic feet of cargo space, and removing the second-row seats expanded it to 145.1 cubic feet. The Carnival's smart hands-free power-sliding doors and liftgate added convenience, though they could open unintentionally.

The 2021 Kia Sorento featured an 8-inch touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on lower trims, while the SX and SX Prestige trims had a 10.25-inch screen with wired connectivity. The infotainment system was user-friendly but lacked a dedicated home button. The Sorento offered ample USB ports but no USB-C options. The optional Bose stereo provided decent audio quality, though not exceptional. The navigation system required improvement, particularly in voice search and point-of-interest functions.

The 2022 Kia Carnival's LX trim included analog gauges, an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and six speakers. The EX trim introduced a 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment system with wired connectivity, HD Radio, SiriusXM, and navigation. Features like Passenger View and Passenger Talk enhanced communication within the vehicle. The SX trim added a dual-screen rear entertainment system with streaming capabilities, while the SX Prestige offered a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. The Carnival's technology was intuitive, but a comprehensive guide was recommended for setup.

The 2021 Kia Sorento came equipped with a comprehensive array of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. The surround-view camera system provided helpful parking assistance. The Sorento received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS, with varying headlight ratings across trims.

The 2022 Kia Carnival offered an extensive list of advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assistance. The EX trim added front parking sensors and Highway Driving Assist. The Carnival 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.