Kia Carnival vs Lexus TX

The 2024 Kia Carnival distinguished itself from its minivan peers with an SUV-inspired design. The prominent grille, slab sides, and pronounced hood gave it the appearance of an SUV, even though its sliding doors and low ground clearance revealed its true identity. The grille featured a slightly concave shape with disco-ball-like trim, while the taillights boasted cool, filament-like lighting elements. Our SX Prestige test car came with perfectly sized 19-inch wheels that filled out the wheel wells without overreaching, giving the vehicle a cohesive and distinct appearance. Inside, the Carnival continued the SUV-like theme with big, chunky switchgear and a large shifter, ensuring that image-conscious buyers felt comfortable. The well-organized controls were a significant plus, especially compared to the form-over-function design found in competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica.

In contrast, the 2024 Lexus TX, based on the Toyota Grand Highlander, succeeded in crafting a luxurious SUV that stood apart with its upscale look. Our test model, equipped with Luxury trim, featured striking 22-inch wheels in a silver finish, elevating the SUV’s aesthetic appeal. Unlike some other Lexus models, the TX embraced a more conservative design, making it less polarizing and appealing to a broader audience. The TX 350 we tested also featured a dark Peppercorn interior that exuded a high-end feel, despite being a bit too dark, even with a panoramic glass sunroof. Overall, the TX’s refined and luxurious cabin lived up to the Lexus badge.

Kia kept the Carnival's powertrain straightforward, offering only a 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. This V6 produced 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, just edging out the Honda Odyssey's engine by 10 horsepower. The Carnival proved to be a pleasant drive, with near-perfect steering feel, precise handling, and a comfortably smooth ride. The transmission shifted seamlessly, and the V6 engine delivered a satisfying growl at full throttle. Despite the absence of a hybrid option or AWD, the Carnival's powertrain provided a well-rounded and engaging driving experience.

Meanwhile, the Lexus TX 350 came with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that generated 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. Lexus claimed the TX 350 could sprint from 0 to 60 mph in eight seconds (7.8 seconds with AWD), although it felt quicker due to its torque delivery. Despite the CX’s grating engine note and hints of torque steer with FWD, the performance was deemed adequate for typical driving scenarios. Fuel economy for the TX 350 FWD was rated at 23 mpg in combined driving, only a slight improvement over the older Lexus RX L. Our test vehicle averaged 20.4 mpg during our evaluations. The suspension offered a balanced ride, providing both road feel and comfort, while the interior remained quiet on highways. The AWD option, priced at $1,600, provided additional grip in less-than-ideal conditions, reducing torque steer.

The Carnival offered versatile seating configurations, with the base LX model accommodating seven passengers and higher trims fitting eight. The SX Prestige model featured second-row captain’s chairs with footrests, and the VIP Lounge seats took comfort to the next level with one-touch sliding and reclining functions. The power-sliding rear doors and available tri-zone automatic climate control were standout features. The Carnival excelled in cargo space, offering a substantial 40.2 cubic feet with all seats in place, thanks to a deep cargo well. With both the second and third rows folded, the Carnival boasted an impressive 145.1 cubic feet of cargo space, outdoing competitors like the Honda Odyssey. Passenger space in the Carnival was generous, with easy access facilitated by sliding doors and a low step-in height.

Conversely, the 2024 Lexus TX significantly improved over previous Lexus three-row SUVs. Our TX 350 Luxury tester came with all the bells and whistles, including premium leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, and a power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. The second-row seat, though not as welcoming due to its flat lower cushion, provided ample comfort with climate control, USB ports, and manual shades. Most notably, the TX’s third-row seat was genuinely adult-friendly, a stark improvement over its predecessors. Cargo space was also notable: 20.2 cubic feet with all seats in use, expanding to 57.4 cubic feet with the third row folded, and an impressive 97 cubic feet with both the second and third rows down. Although the TX had many useful storage areas, some unlined compartments could contribute to noise.

The base Kia Carnival LX trim came with an 8-inch touchscreen, equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims upgraded to a 12.3-inch touchscreen and added a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, albeit with wired versions of the connectivity options. An available 12-speaker Bose premium audio system, standard Wi-Fi hotspot, and USB ports for all three rows rounded out the tech features. The SX Prestige model we tested featured impressive graphics on the dual-screen setup, a dedicated button for the surround-view camera, and a cabin camera system that displayed a video feed of the rear rows.

The Lexus TX, equipped with the optional Technology Package, included a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel, a head-up display, a digital rearview mirror, and a semi-autonomous parking assist system. However, this package also replaced the standard steering wheel controls with unmarked dual-purpose controls, which were less intuitive. Despite this drawback, the Lexus Interface infotainment system, with its 14-inch touchscreen, proved easy to use. The complimentary three-year Drive Connect subscription added valuable features like a cloud-based navigation system and an advanced digital assistant. The test vehicle also boasted a 21-speaker Mark Levinson PurePlay surround-sound system, delivering outstanding audio quality.

The 2024 Kia Carnival had mixed safety scores from the IIHS. It received top ratings in most crash tests but fared poorly in the updated side test. The SX Prestige model’s headlights earned a “Good” rating, while headlights from other trims were rated “Poor.” The Carnival’s front-crash prevention systems were rated highly in daytime but not in 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. More advanced features, like adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality and Highway Driving Assist, were available on higher trims.

The 2024 Lexus TX featured an extensive array of advanced driving assistance systems under the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 (LSS+ 3.0) umbrella. This included adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping and lane-centering assist, road sign assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. Proactive Drive Assist, also part of LSS+ 3.0, helped maintain a safe following distance and provided steering assistance to avoid obstacles. Additional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and safe exit assist. Optional features like front and rear parking sensors, front cross-traffic alert, and traffic jam assist further enhanced safety. Overall, the LSS+ 3.0 proved effective, though it sometimes slowed the vehicle too dramatically when other motorists cut into gaps.