2022 Kia Carnival vs 2023 Subaru Outback

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 options. 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 upscale materials and color options like Tuscan Umber adding to its appeal.

In contrast, the 2023 Subaru Outback received a facelift with a redesigned front end, including new LED headlights, a restyled grille, and a revised bumper with dark gray cladding. The Outback's aggressive appearance was enhanced by a simulated skid plate, fog lights, and asymmetrical wheel arch trim. The Onyx Edition offered black wheels and trim, complementing the bold design. The Outback was available in six trims, with the Onyx Edition now accessible with the base powertrain. The Touring trim featured premium Nappa leather and a cohesive interior design. While the Outback's styling changes were subjective, its interior comfort and practicality were undeniable, with features like a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat and a spacious cargo area. The Outback's design prioritized utility, with a robust roof rack and easy entry and exit, making it a practical choice for families.

The 2022 Kia Carnival was powered by a 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 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 commonly used. However, delayed downshift responses were noted, particularly when cornering or climbing hills. The Carnival achieved an average fuel economy of 21.7 mpg, slightly below the EPA's estimate of 22 mpg. The front-wheel-drive Carnival felt athletic, with a flat cornering stance and responsive handling. However, it could feel stiff over uneven surfaces, suggesting it might perform better when loaded with passengers and cargo.

The 2023 Subaru Outback featured a standard 2.5-liter flat-four engine producing 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque. While the CVT made good use of the engine at lower speeds, passing and climbing power was limited. The Outback's towing capacity was 3,500 pounds, but it struggled with fuel efficiency, achieving 25.6 mpg compared to the EPA's estimate of 28 mpg. For more power, the Outback XT models offered a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine with 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. The XT models were less fuel-efficient, with ratings of 25 mpg combined, and the Wilderness trim rated at 23 mpg. The Outback's CVT mimicked an eight-speed automatic, and all models featured an Active Torque Split AWD system. The Outback excelled off-road, with X-Mode traction and hill descent control enhancing its capabilities. However, the standard engine felt underpowered, especially at elevation, and the CVT struggled to deliver responsive acceleration.

The 2022 Kia Carnival offered practicality with its minivan design, though the SUV-style dashboard and center console limited storage space. The LX trim featured captain's chairs with a center pass-through, while the LX Seat Package added a middle second-row seat for flexibility. The EX and SX trims shared the 8-passenger Slide Flex seat configuration, while the SX Prestige offered power-adjustable VIP Lounge Seats with an Ottoman-style leg rest. The Carnival's third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the rear 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 cargo space. Folding the third-row seats created 86.9 cubic feet of space, and removing the second-row seats expanded it to 145.1 cubic feet, surpassing the cargo capacity of a Chevy Suburban.

The 2023 Subaru Outback prioritized utility with features like a purposeful roof rack and flat door sill trim. The Touring trim offered a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat and an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger's seat, both with heating and ventilation. The Outback's interior was comfortable, with premium Nappa leather and heated rear outboard seats. The Outback's cargo space measured 32.6 cubic feet behind the back seat and 75.6 cubic feet with the back seat folded down. The flat, textured plastic door sills served as steps for accessing the roof rack. While the Outback's interior was practical, it could benefit from more storage space. The dashboard storage shelf helped, but redesigning the transmission shifter could create additional storage options.

The 2022 Kia Carnival's technology varied by trim. The LX trim featured analog gauges, 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, and voice recognition. The Carnival also offered features like Passenger View and Passenger Talk for communication with rear passengers. 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, emphasizing the need to familiarize oneself with the features.

The 2023 Subaru Outback, except for the Base trim, featured a Starlink 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with physical controls for volume, tuning, and climate settings. The base model had a 7-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, wired Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Premium trim and above offered wireless connectivity for Apple and Android platforms, along with access to Starlink connected services. The Outback's infotainment system was improved for 2023, but the voice recognition system was lacking. Additional technologies included a camera-based digital rearview mirror and a 180-degree front-view camera. However, a surround-view camera was not available.

The 2022 Kia Carnival came equipped with a comprehensive suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). Standard features included 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, and navigation-based adaptive cruise control with Highway Driving Assist (HDA). The HDA technology, a Level 2 driving aid, paired adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assistance. 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 and a Blind View Monitor exclusive to the SX Prestige. Crash-test results were unavailable at the time of review.

The 2023 Subaru Outback prioritized safety with new EyeSight cameras and an electronic brake booster. The Outback earned top marks from the IIHS, including in the new side-impact crash test. The Base model included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available on higher trims. EyeSight added Automatic Emergency Steering, which could steer within a lane to avoid obstacles. The Outback Limited and Touring offered a Wide-Angle Mono Camera for better pedestrian and cyclist detection. The adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist systems were accurate but felt artificial. The rear automatic braking system was incompatible with some driveways, requiring manual deactivation.