2022 Kia Carnival vs 2022 Ford Expedition

The 2022 Kia Carnival presented a unique design across its various trims, each offering distinct elements that set them apart. The LX trim featured a standard black grille and 17-inch aluminum wheels, while the EX trim doubled the available paint colors and added 19-inch machined-finish wheels, simulated wood trim, and SynTex simulated leather. The SX trim introduced a mirrored grid-pattern grille and black wheels, and the SX Prestige focused on interior upgrades with real leather and VIP Lounge Seats. The Carnival's SUV 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, standing out against competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey. Inside, the Carnival's dashboard and seating arrangements resembled a crossover, offering an upscale feel even in the base trim. The interior color options varied, with the LX offering a two-tone scheme and higher trims introducing bold choices like Tuscan Umber.

The 2022 Ford Expedition underwent several updates, including exterior styling revisions and enhanced infotainment technology. The front of the vehicle featured a new grille, headlights, and bumper, while the rear received updated taillights and tailgate trim. The Expedition was available in multiple trims, including the new Timberline trim for off-road enthusiasts, which added features like 4WD and all-terrain tires. The Stealth Edition packages, available with Limited trim, included black 22-inch wheels and distinctive exterior trim. Inside, the Expedition boasted a redesigned dashboard with the new Sync 4 and Sync 4A infotainment systems, offering a 15.5-inch touchscreen in the latter. The Limited Stealth Edition test vehicle featured leather seats, a 12.4-inch digital instrumentation display, and a range of options, resulting in an MSRP of $80,155. Despite its high price, the Expedition impressed with its spacious cabin and advanced technology, though it retained some F-150 pickup-grade plastic trim.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was equipped with a new 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, driving the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. It lacked all-wheel drive and electrified powertrain options, with a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. The V6 engine provided smooth and steady acceleration, and the automatic transmission operated unobtrusively. The Carnival offered Normal, Eco, Sport, and Smart driving modes, with Smart mode being the most used despite some delayed downshift responses. The EPA estimated a combined fuel economy of 22 mpg, and during testing, the Carnival averaged 21.7 mpg. The front-wheel-drive Carnival felt taut and athletic, with a flat cornering stance and good grip from its all-season tires. However, it could feel stiff over broken pavement and bouncy over speed humps, potentially settling down when loaded with passengers and cargo.

The 2022 Ford Expedition featured a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, producing 380 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, with higher output available in certain trims. The engine drove the rear wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission, with 4WD as an option. Fuel economy ranged from 17 to 19 mpg in combined driving, and the Expedition's powertrain could tow between 9,000 and 9,300 pounds. The twin-turbo V6 provided addictive power, and the engine and exhaust were tuned for a pleasing sound. However, the Expedition's fuel economy was observed at 16.2 mpg, lower than the EPA rating. The Stealth Edition's sport-tuned suspension contributed to a harsh ride quality, and the 22-inch wheels and tires added to the impact harshness. Despite its size, the Expedition was easy to park, with excellent visibility and parking aids. It excelled on the highway, offering a comfortable and quiet ride, though some tire slap was noticeable on certain pavements.

The 2022 Kia Carnival offered practicality typical of a minivan, though its SUV-style dashboard and center console limited storage space compared to competitors. The LX trim featured individual captain's chairs with a wide center pass-through, while the LX Seat Package added a middle second-row seat that could slide forward or back, fold flat, or be removed. The EX and SX trims shared the 8-passenger Slide Flex seat configuration, and the SX Prestige offered power-adjustable VIP Lounge Seats with leather upholstery. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the Carnival's large cargo area provided ample collision crush space. The smart hands-free power-sliding side doors and liftgate had pros and cons, with the liftgate offering a deep storage well and 40.2 cubic feet of volume behind the third-row seat. Folding the third-row seats created 86.9 cubic feet of cargo space, and removing the second-row seats in certain trims increased cargo volume to 145.1 cubic feet.

The 2022 Ford Expedition excelled in comfort, with easy access provided by available power running boards. The spacious interior offered plenty of room for passengers, with power-adjustable, leather-wrapped, heated, and ventilated front seats. The wide console housed a large storage bin, cupholders, and a wireless charging pad. Second-row captain's chairs provided ample legroom, with climate controls and cupholders for added comfort. The third-row seat was easy to access and offered good leg support, though headroom could be tight for taller passengers. Cargo space behind the third row measured 19.3 cubic feet, with the Expedition Max offering a larger 34.3 cubic-foot cargo hold. Folding the third-row seats created 57.5 cubic feet of space, and with both rear rows folded, the Expedition offered 104.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

The 2022 Kia Carnival's LX trim featured traditional analog gauges, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and six speakers. The EX trim upgraded to 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 Quiet Mode available in EX trim. The SX trim added a dual-screen rear entertainment system with streaming capabilities, while the SX Prestige included a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. Kia provided a quick reference guide for the technology, which was mostly intuitive to use.

The 2022 Ford Expedition introduced the Sync 4 and Sync 4A infotainment systems, with the standard Sync 4 featuring a 12-inch touchscreen and physical controls. Sync 4A offered a larger 15.5-inch touchscreen with a single volume dial. Both systems included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, FordPass Connect, and a connected navigation system. Higher trims added features like SiriusXM, HD Radio, and wireless charging, with Sync 4A offering an upgraded voice-recognition system. The Expedition's technology had some quirks, such as issues with Apple CarPlay and voice recognition. The available dual-touchscreen rear-seat entertainment system featured Amazon Fire TV, and the Expedition offered Pro Trailer Backup Assist 2.0 for easier trailer reversing.

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

The 2022 Ford Expedition's safety features were grouped into Ford Co-Pilot360 collections. The standard package included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and a driver monitoring system. The Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assist, intersection assist, and evasive steering assist. The Co-Pilot Assist 2.0 package, standard on higher trims, included a surround-view camera system and rear automatic emergency braking. The Expedition also offered BlueCruise hands-free driving technology. The adaptive cruise control performed well, but the lane-centering assist had some issues, particularly in heavier traffic.