Hyundai Venue vs Kia Carnival

The 2024 Kia Carnival made a bold design statement, adopting an SUV-like appearance to attract buyers typically drawn to SUVs. Its prominent grille, slab sides, and pronounced hood gave it a rugged look, although the sliding doors and low ground clearance revealed its minivan roots. The Carnival featured unique styling elements, such as a concave grille with disco-ball-like trim and filament-like taillights. The SX Prestige model's 19-inch wheels complemented its design without appearing overdone. Inside, the Carnival continued the SUV theme with chunky switchgear and a large shifter, appealing to image-conscious buyers. The interior materials were durable, acknowledging the wear and tear expected in a family vehicle, with options ranging from cloth to real leather upholstery.

In contrast, the 2024 Hyundai Venue offered a more compact and affordable design, with trim levels ranging from SE to Limited. The Limited trim, with its Ecotronic Gray paint, gave the Venue a mature appearance. Despite its affordability, the Venue's design was stylish, featuring unexpected details like seat stripes and white dashboard trim. The interior, while containing hard plastics, did not appear cheap. The Venue's digital instrumentation and 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display were well-sized for the vehicle, and the controls exhibited Hyundai's typical quality. Overall, the Venue was thoughtfully designed, offering a high-quality feel for a small SUV.

The 2024 Kia Carnival was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. This setup provided a smooth and refined driving experience, with the transmission shifting seamlessly. The steering was well-calibrated, offering the right balance of effort and precision for easy maneuverability. The Carnival's chassis delivered a comfortable ride, making it suitable for long road trips, while the internal speaker system facilitated communication between front and rear passengers. Despite lacking hybrid options, the Carnival's naturally aspirated V6 and conventional transmission offered a nostalgic reminder of pre-turbocharged and electrified powertrains.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue, on the other hand, featured a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. Weighing just 2,612 pounds in base SE trim, the Venue's continuously variable transmission (CVT) maximized its modest power, making it agile in urban settings. However, the Venue's suspension struggled on rough surfaces, resulting in a less refined ride. On highways, the Venue maintained pace with traffic, but the engine and CVT became noisy under heavy acceleration. The Venue's front-wheel-drive setup and 6.7 inches of ground clearance allowed it to handle light snow, but it lacked all-wheel drive. The Venue achieved an EPA rating of 31 mpg combined, though real-world testing yielded slightly lower results.

The 2024 Kia Carnival offered versatile seating configurations, with the base LX trim accommodating seven passengers and higher trims providing eight-passenger seating. The SX Prestige model featured second-row captain's chairs with footrests, and optional VIP Lounge seats added luxury. Power-sliding rear doors and a power liftgate were standard on higher trims, enhancing convenience. The Carnival's cargo space was impressive, with 40.2 cubic feet behind the third row and 145.1 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. While lacking fold-flat seating, the Carnival's interior was well-organized, with easy-to-use controls and ample storage.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue, despite its compact size, offered decent comfort. The driver's seat had manual height adjustment, and the steering wheel was tilt-and-telescopic. The Venue's back seat was better suited for two passengers, with limited storage and no rear air vents. Cargo space was comparable to a compact car, with 18.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 31.9 cubic feet with the seats folded. The Venue's higher ground clearance made entry and exit easier, but it lacked some features found in larger vehicles.

The 2024 Kia Carnival's base LX trim featured an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims upgraded to a 12.3-inch touchscreen and digital instrument cluster, with wired connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 12-speaker Bose audio system was available, along with Bluetooth voice recognition and a Wi-Fi hotspot. USB ports were accessible in all three rows, and the infotainment system was user-friendly, with clear graphics and intuitive controls. The Carnival also offered a cabin camera system and intercom for rear-seat communication, as well as a Quiet Mode to disconnect rear speakers.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and a six-speaker sound system. The Limited trim added a navigation system, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a wireless smartphone charger. However, the upgraded system required wired connections for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reducing the wireless charger's utility. Despite this, the Venue's infotainment system was sophisticated, with a native voice recognition system and easy music streaming capabilities.

The 2024 Kia Carnival received mixed safety ratings from the IIHS, with top "Good" ratings in some crash tests but lower scores in updated tests. The SX Prestige model's headlights were rated "Good," while other trims received "Poor" ratings. Standard safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency braking. Higher trims added adaptive cruise control, Highway Driving Assist, and a surround-view camera system. The NHTSA had not released safety ratings for the Carnival at the time of publication.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue came equipped with Hyundai SmartSense, offering forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keep assist. The Venue SEL added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the Limited trim included cyclist detection. However, adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist were not available. The Venue received "Good" ratings in three IIHS crash tests and an "Acceptable" rating for its LED headlights. The NHTSA awarded the Venue an overall four-star rating.