2022 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2022 Kia Carnival

The 2022 Kia Carnival stood out with its unique design elements across different trims. The LX trim featured a standard black grille and 17-inch aluminum wheels, while the EX trim offered a more sophisticated look with 19-inch machined-finish wheels and simulated leather. The SX trim introduced a mirrored grid-pattern grille and black wheels, appealing to modern tastes. The SX Prestige trim focused on interior luxury with real leather and VIP Lounge Seats. The Carnival's SUV-like styling included skid plates, a floating roof design, and a robust roof-rack on higher trims. Despite visible sliding door tracks, the Carnival's design was sharp and angular, setting it apart from competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey. Inside, the Carnival's dashboard and seating arrangements resembled a crossover, with a stylish and upscale appearance even in the base trim. The interior offered various color schemes and materials, with the EX trim introducing a bold Tuscan Umber option.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse, while a crossover SUV, was often seen as a minivan alternative due to its practicality. It featured a light restyle for 2022, with new headlights, taillights, and grille designs. The RS trim, tested here, showcased blacked-out trim and dark gray 20-inch wheels, maintaining a stylish yet restrained appearance. The Traverse's design was characterized by crisp lines and tasteful details, making it one of the more appealing vehicles in its segment. Inside, the RS trim offered black leather upholstery with contrast stitching, a black headliner, and gloss black trim. While hard plastic surfaces were prevalent, the interior layout was logical and user-friendly. The Traverse's switchgear was designed to minimize glare, and the stereo controls were intuitive. Overall, the Traverse's design and interior features made it a practical choice for families seeking a stylish yet functional SUV.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was equipped with a new 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. This engine powered the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission, with no all-wheel drive or electrified options available. The Carnival's towing capacity was 3,500 pounds. The V6 engine provided smooth and steady acceleration, and the automatic transmission operated seamlessly. The Carnival offered four driving modes: Normal, Eco, Sport, and Smart. Smart mode was generally effective, though it occasionally delayed downshifts, particularly on inclines. The Carnival achieved an EPA-rated 22 mpg in combined driving, with a tested average of 21.7 mpg. The front-wheel-drive Carnival felt athletic, with a flat cornering stance and responsive handling. However, it could feel stiff over rough surfaces and bouncy over speed humps, potentially improving with a full load.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 310 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Traverse's towing capacity was 5,000 pounds when properly equipped, with Tow/Haul, Snow, and Off-Road driving modes available. The V6 engine provided adequate power for the Traverse's size, though it emitted a slight whine under acceleration. The Traverse achieved an EPA-rated 20 mpg in combined driving, with a tested average of 20.9 mpg. The Traverse offered a firm yet compliant ride, absorbing smaller road imperfections. However, it required caution over larger bumps to avoid scraping the front air dam. On the highway, the Traverse excelled, though road and wind noise were noticeable. In mountainous terrain, the Traverse felt athletic, with responsive steering and brakes. However, the RS trim's tires and suspension could feel disconnected on undulating roads.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was a practical minivan with SUV-style design elements. The LX trim featured captain's chairs with a center pass-through, while the LX Seat Package added a middle seat for increased flexibility. The EX and SX trims offered an 8-passenger Slide Flex seat configuration, and the SX Prestige trim included VIP Lounge Seats with power adjustments and leg rests. The Carnival's third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the rear cargo area provided ample space. The smart hands-free power-sliding doors and liftgate were convenient, though they could open unintentionally. The Carnival offered 40.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 86.9 cubic feet with the seats folded. Removing the second-row seats created a maximum cargo volume of 145.1 cubic feet, though reinstallation required care.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse offered a spacious interior with seating for up to seven passengers in RS, Premier, and High Country trims. The RS trim featured power-adjustable and heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and triple-zone climate control. The second-row captain's chairs provided a wide pass-through for easy access to the third row. The Smart Slide function allowed the second-row seats to tilt and slide forward, even with a child safety seat installed. The Traverse's third-row seat accommodated adults, though it was less comfortable than some competitors. The Traverse offered ample storage space, including a hidden compartment behind the infotainment screen and another under the cargo floor. Cargo space measured 23 cubic feet behind the third row, expandable to 57.8 cubic feet with the seats folded. The maximum cargo volume was 98.2 cubic feet, making the Traverse one of the roomiest SUVs in its segment.

The 2022 Kia Carnival's LX trim featured analog gauges, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The EX trim upgraded to a 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD Radio, SiriusXM, and navigation. The Carnival offered features like Passenger View and Passenger Talk for rear-seat communication. The SX trim added a dual-screen rear entertainment system with streaming apps and voice control. The SX Prestige trim included a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. Kia provided a comprehensive quick reference guide for the Carnival's technology.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse offered a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in LS and LT Cloth trims, while other versions featured an 8-inch high-definition display. The Traverse supported Bluetooth connectivity for two smartphones, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Premier and High Country trims included an 8-inch digital instrumentation panel. The Traverse's infotainment system offered navigation, SiriusXM 360L, and Alexa Built-in. A Bose premium sound system was standard in RS trim. The Traverse's voice recognition system was responsive, and the digital rearview mirror improved visibility. The RS trim included a surround-view camera and rear cross-traffic alert.

The 2022 Kia Carnival came equipped with a comprehensive suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). Standard features included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning with collision avoidance, lane-departure, -keeping, and -centering 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.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse featured Chevy Safety Assist as standard equipment, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a following-distance indicator. The Traverse LS offered an optional Safety Package with rear parking assist sensors, blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert. The RS, Premier, and High Country trims included adaptive cruise control and a rear pedestrian alert system. The Premier and High Country trims also featured a vibrating Safety Alert Seat. The Traverse received top "Good" ratings in most IIHS collision tests, with an "Acceptable" rating in a new side-impact test. NHTSA crash-test ratings were unavailable at the time of review.