Compare the2023 Toyota SiennaVS 2023 Kia Carnival

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Sienna are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Kia Carnival doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

The Sienna has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Carnival doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Sienna offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Carnival doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Sienna has standard Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Carnival doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Sienna and the Carnival have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Sienna its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Carnival was last a “Top Safety Pick Plus” in 2019 but no longer qualifies.

The Sienna’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Carnival runs out after 100,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Sienna for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Carnival.

There are over 59 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sienna’s warranty.

The battery on the Sienna is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Sienna’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Carnival’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 9th.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota Sienna is faster than the Kia Carnival:

On the EPA test cycle the Sienna gets better mileage than the Carnival:

Regenerative brakes improve the Sienna’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Carnival doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Sienna’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The Carnival doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Sienna higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia Carnival (5). This means the Sienna produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Carnival every 15,000 miles.

The Sienna has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Carnival doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Sienna’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Carnival are solid, not vented.

The Sienna stops shorter than the Carnival:

The Sienna XSE/FWD Platinum/25th Anniversary Edition’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Carnival EX/SX/Prestige’s 55 series tires.

For better load carrying, ride, handling and brake cooling the Sienna XSE/FWD Platinum/25th Anniversary Edition has standard 20-inch wheels. The Carnival’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Sienna has standard flush composite headlights. The Carnival has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The Sienna has .4 inches more rear headroom and 3.1 inches more third row legroom than the Carnival.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Sienna. The Carnival doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Sienna Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Carnival doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Sienna’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Carnival’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Sienna the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Carnival can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Sienna Platinum’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Carnival’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the Sienna’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Carnival’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Sienna’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Carnival offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Sienna has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Carnival EX/SX/Prestige.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Sienna and the Kia Carnival, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Sienna outsold the Kia Carnival/Sedona by almost four to one during 2022.