Kia Carnival vs Genesis GV70

The 2024 Kia Carnival made a strong design statement, aiming to attract car shoppers who would usually veer towards SUVs. Its prominent grille, slab sides, and pronounced hood were all SUV-like characteristics, although the sliding doors and lack of ground clearance cemented its minivan role. Intricate design details, such as the slightly concave grille and disco-ball-like trim, highlighted its unique look. The taillights with filament-like elements added a touch of sophistication.

The SX Prestige model's 19-inch wheels filled the wheel wells just right, giving the Carnival a balanced look, more distinctive than the restrained Chrysler Pacifica, yet without the overt detailing found in its Japanese competitors. The interior maintained the SUV-like theme, featuring chunky switchgear and a big shifter that would resonate with image-conscious dads. User-friendly large buttons and knobs maintained the rugged aesthetic.

The SX Prestige's materials acknowledged the wear and tear a family vehicle would endure. While base LX models had cloth seats, EX and SX models upgraded to leatherette, and the SX Prestige sported real leather upholstery. Heated and ventilated seats in the first two rows and dual sunroofs enhanced the luxury, although the cabin primarily featured plastic, even in the high-end trims. Unique plastic trim pieces provided a variety of textures, avoiding harder-to-clean materials like wood and leather.

In contrast, the 2024 Genesis GV70 stood out for its sleek and sophisticated styling. While it retained Genesis' signature split headlights and large shield-like grille for brand recognition, its sleeker design distinguished it from the larger GV80 and avoided the GV60's quirks. Notable design elements included a hatchback-like rear window profile, large round exhaust outlets on the Sport Prestige trim, and distinctive 21-inch wheels.

Competing models like the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 failed to match the GV70's balance of SUV presence and luxury-car style. The GV70’s elevated styling definitely aligned with its luxury brand status. Even the Electrified GV70 stayed true to this design ethos, sporting a stylish grille that housed the charge port smartly positioned for easy access.

The GV70's interior was distinctive, featuring quilted Nappa leather upholstery and a panoramic sunroof. The layout was memorable, with climate controls housed in an elliptical pod, a uniquely designed rotary controller for the infotainment system, and a dashboard with an aerodynamic, wing-like cross-section.

Kia simplified the Carnival's powertrain options, offering a sole 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive (FWD). The V6 produced 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, providing a slight edge over the Honda Odyssey, with a similar-sized engine producing 10 hp less but matching torque.

Driving the Carnival was pleasant, thanks to its well-tuned steering offering the perfect balance of feel and effort. The light steering facilitated easy maneuvering, while its precision aided in smooth lane changes and cornering. The softly-sprung chassis ensured a comfortable ride, minimizing fatigue during road trips. Interior noise was low, and the internal speaker system allowed for easy communication between front and rear occupants.

The drivetrain's refinement stood out, with smooth and fast transmission shifts. The V6 operated quietly but delivered a satisfying growl when pushed. While not the most efficient, the naturally-aspirated V6 and conventional automatic transmission combination recalled a time before the rise of turbochargers, CVTs, and electrified powertrains.

The Genesis GV70 continued with its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine standard, producing 300 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque on premium fuel. An optional 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 generated 375 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque. Both engines came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive (AWD).

The Electrified GV70 offered AWD through front and rear electric motors, producing a combined 429 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, with a "Boost Mode" pushing this to 483 hp for short bursts. Despite reputable acceleration in Boost Mode or Sport+, the GV70's chassis didn't match its engine prowess, feeling less agile compared to sporty rivals like the Acura RDX and Porsche Macan.

The GV70's ride was comfortable but firm, with the suspension reacting sharply to bumps. Both gasoline and Electrified variants showcased competent but not overly sporty dynamics. The Electrified GV70 even integrated handy steering-wheel paddles for adjusting regenerative braking, offering a useful one-pedal driving mode and maintaining a comparable driving feel to its gasoline counterpart.

The 2024 Kia Carnival offered impressive versatility with seven-passenger seating standard on the base LX trim, and an eight-passenger configuration available on other grades. The SX Prestige model featured second-row captain’s chairs with footrests, and the VIP Lounge seats provided luxury comparable to a La-Z-Boy. Power-sliding rear doors were standard, with higher trims adding a power liftgate and tri-zone automatic climate control.

Headroom was consistent across all rows, matching rival minivans, and first and second-row legroom compared well. However, its third-row legroom was the least among minivans, though only marginally less than the Chrysler Pacifica. With all seats up, the Carnival boasted 40.2 cubic feet of cargo space, significantly more than competitors due to a deep cargo well. With the third and second rows folded, it offered 145.1 cubic feet of cargo space, slightly edging out the Honda Odyssey and far surpassing the Chrysler Pacifica and Toyota Sienna.

The low step-in height and sliding doors made it user-friendly for rear-seat passenger access, an advantage over the Kia Telluride. However, it lacked special features like the Pacifica’s Stow ’n Go seating. Upfront, the layout was functional, accommodating large control knobs and useful storage spaces, including cupholders and phone chargers, though it didn’t match the configurability of the Toyota Sienna’s storage solutions.

The Carnival's towing capacity was 3,500 pounds, in line with the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, but slightly lower than the Chrysler Pacifica gas models.

The Genesis GV70 offered comparable interior space to its rivals, with slightly less headroom than the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, but its streamlined roofline compensated for this, maintaining a luxurious feel. Front-seat legroom was just a fraction more than the BMW and Mercedes, but slightly less than the Audi. Second-row legroom differences were minimal, with the Genesis offering a bit more than the X3 but slightly less than the Q5 and GLC.

Cargo space in the GV70 was 28.9 cubic feet with the rear seats up, better than the Mercedes but slightly less than the BMW and Audi. With rear seats folded, it provided 56.9 cubic feet, less than any of the German competitors.

For the Electrified GV70, interior space was slightly reduced due to the battery pack, with second-row legroom shrinking by 0.6 inch and headroom down by 1 inch upfront and 0.8 inch in the back. Cargo space differences between gasoline and electric models were negligible.

The GV70's stylish interior sacrificed some small-item storage space, but included convenient features like a dedicated phone storage nook and rear-seat climate controls. Some models even featured automatic side bolsters, enhancing support during spirited driving.

The 2024 Kia Carnival equipped its base LX trim with an 8-inch touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims upgraded to a 12.3-inch touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system, though CarPlay and Android Auto became wired. Bluetooth voice recognition was standard, and higher trims included rear-seat voice recognition.

A Wi-Fi hotspot and USB ports for all three rows were standard, with well-placed ports in the center console, backs of the front seats, and third-row armrests. The infotainment system was intuitive, with readable graphics and useful features like a surround-view camera system. The interior camera displayed the rear rows, and an intercom system allowed for easy communication. An available Quiet Mode disabled the rear speakers for a quieter cabin environment.

The Genesis GV70 featured a 14.5-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across all trims. Lower trims had an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, while higher trims boasted a 12.3-inch unit with a 3D effect, appealing to tech enthusiasts. A 12-inch head-up display and a 16-speaker Lexicon audio system were also available.

The infotainment system was user-friendly, with large tiles and a tactile rotary controller. Genesis included advanced features like a fingerprint scanner for customizing driver profiles and a digital key for keyless entry and driving.

The 2024 Kia Carnival received mixed scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It earned top “Good” ratings in the driver and passenger-side small-overlap front crash tests and in original moderate-overlap front and side tests. However, it got a "Marginal" rating in the updated moderate-overlap front test and a "Poor" rating in the updated side test. Headlights on the SX Prestige trim were rated "Good," but those on lower trims were rated "Poor." The vehicle's front-crash prevention systems performed well in daytime but not nighttime tests.

Standard safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, a driver attention monitor, automatic high beams, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. Higher trims added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, Highway Driving Assist, a surround-view camera system, and a blind-spot camera system.

The Genesis GV70 gasoline models earned the IIHS's highest Top Safety Pick+ award for 2024, with the Electrified GV70 receiving the same accolade as a 2023 model. NHTSA ratings for 2024 gasoline models included four-star frontal and rollover crash-test ratings, with the 2023 GV70 having a five-star overall safety rating. Ratings for the Electrified GV70 were not yet available.

Standard safety features spanned lane-keep assist, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, a driver attention monitor, and parking assist sensors. Higher trims included Highway Driving Assist 2, adding automated lane-change functionality and enhanced lane-centering.

Genesis also offered Safe Exit Assist to prevent exiting into traffic and a radar-based rear occupant alert system, sensitive enough to detect breathing, enhancing child and pet safety.