2022 Kia Sportage vs 2022 Kia Carnival

The 2022 Kia Carnival presented a unique design across its various trims, each offering distinct elements. The LX trim featured a standard black grille and 17-inch silver-painted aluminum wheels, which some found off-putting. The EX trim doubled the available paint colors and added 19-inch machined-finish aluminum wheels, simulated open-pore wood trim, and SynTex simulated leather in three colors. The SX trim replaced the standard grille with a mirrored grid-pattern design and added black wheels. The SX Prestige trim focused on interior upgrades, including real leather and VIP Lounge Seats. The Carnival's SUV styling included simulated 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 in its segment.

Inside, the Carnival continued the SUV theme with a dashboard and center console resembling a crossover. The LX model offered a two-tone black-and-gray interior with cloth seats, while the LX Seat Package introduced synthetic leather options. Higher trims like the EX offered a Tuscan Umber interior, adding a unique and attention-grabbing touch. Overall, the Carnival's design was considered appealing, with a conservative yet stylish approach compared to its competitors.

The 2022 Kia Sportage, on the other hand, featured Kia's tiger-nose grille, which was less successful on this model. The grille, positioned under oversized headlights and above a chrome trim, resembled a fake mustache. Despite this, the Sportage excelled in other design aspects, with a four-dot running light signature reminiscent of the Porsche Macan and a symmetrical rear design. The SX Turbo trim's 19-inch wheels contributed to its planted stance. Inside, the Sportage adopted Germanic design cues, with a black dashboard, metallic accents, and plain white markings on black instrumentation. The SX Turbo trim added metal pedal covers and offered black, gray, and beige interior colors. The Sportage's interior was upscale, with easy-to-use buttons and knobs for various functions, providing a sense of quality.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was equipped with a new 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. It lacked all-wheel drive and electrified powertrain options, but offered a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. The V6 engine provided smooth and steady acceleration, while the automatic transmission operated unobtrusively. The Carnival featured 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, with real-world testing averaging 21.7 mpg. The Carnival's front-wheel-drive setup felt taut and athletic, with a flat cornering stance and minimal tire noise. However, it could feel stiff over broken pavement and bouncy over drainage dips.

The 2022 Kia Sportage offered two engine options. Most models had a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. The Sportage SX Turbo featured a more powerful 240 hp (237 hp with AWD) engine and 260 lb-ft of torque, providing quick acceleration. Both engines used a six-speed automatic transmission, with the option of Kia's Dynamax all-wheel-drive system. The SX Turbo's acceleration was quick, with maximum torque available from 1,450 to 3,500 rpm. The Sportage's suspension included a MacPherson strut front and independent multi-link rear setup, with the SX Turbo receiving upgraded brakes and exclusive 19-inch wheels. The ride was smooth and compliant, with some body roll and lateral rocking. The Sportage felt athletic in turns, though the steering could be sharper.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was a practical minivan with an SUV-style dashboard and center console. The LX trim featured individual captain's chairs in the second row, with an optional middle seat for added flexibility. The EX and SX trims offered an 8-passenger Slide Flex seat configuration, while the SX Prestige included power-adjustable VIP Lounge Seats with an Ottoman-style leg rest. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the Carnival's large cargo area provided ample 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 increased it to 145.1 cubic feet.

The 2022 Kia Sportage, though smaller, offered a roomy passenger compartment. The SX Turbo trim featured perforated leather upholstery with contrast stitching, power-adjustable front seats, and heated and ventilated front seats. Rear passengers enjoyed generous legroom, air conditioning vents, and a USB charging port. The Sportage's interior storage was generous, but maximum cargo volume was limited to 60.1 cubic feet with the second-row seats folded. The 30.7 cubic feet behind the back seat was sufficient for four full-sized suitcases. The Sportage's smart liftgate technology was hands-free, opening when standing near the back for a few seconds.

The 2022 Kia Carnival's LX trim included an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with 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, voice recognition, and UVO Link connected services. The Carnival also featured Passenger View and Passenger Talk for rear-seat communication. 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.

The 2022 Kia Sportage came with a standard 8-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Most trims included UVO Link connected services and satellite radio, while the SX Turbo added wireless smartphone charging and an 8-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with knobs for stereo volume and radio tuning. However, the UVO Link system lacked technological sophistication, with a small screen, no WiFi hotspot, and wired smartphone mirroring.

The 2022 Kia Carnival offered a comprehensive list of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, active blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning, 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 had a Blind View Monitor. Crash-test results were unavailable at the time of review.

The 2022 Kia Sportage included standard safety features such as forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, automatic high-beam headlights, and a driver monitoring system. The SX Turbo trim added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. The Sportage received favorable crash-test ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, with the SX Turbo earning an Acceptable headlight rating for an IIHS Top Safety Pick.