Compare the2023 Kia CarnivalVS 2023 Toyota Sienna

Both the Carnival and the Sienna 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.

The Carnival comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire van and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Sienna’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Carnival 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Sienna. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Sienna ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 14th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked fifth.

The Carnival’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 45 more horsepower (290 vs. 245) than the Sienna’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Kia Carnival is faster than the Toyota Sienna:

The Carnival has a gallon more fuel capacity than the Sienna (19 vs. 18 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Carnival stops much shorter than the Sienna:

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Carnival’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Sienna (121.7 inches vs. 120.5 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Carnival’s turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the Sienna’s (38 feet vs. 38.3 feet). The Carnival’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Sienna XSE/Limited/Platinum FWD’s (38 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

The Kia Carnival may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 250 pounds less than the Toyota Sienna.

The Carnival has 5.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Sienna (168.2 vs. 162.5).

The Carnival has .8 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more front hip room, 1.8 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear legroom, .2 inches more rear hip room, .5 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.2 inches more third row headroom, 1.6 inches more third row hip room and 1 inch more third row shoulder room than the Sienna.

The Carnival’s cargo area provides more volume than the Sienna.

The Sienna’s spare tire is stored in the cargo area, where it diminishes the useable cargo capacity and interferes with loading and unloading. The Carnival’s spare is out of the way underneath.

The Carnival has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Sienna doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Carnival SX/Prestige has standard front air conditioned seats and the Carnival Prestige also has them in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Sienna doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Kia Carnival as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its August 2021 issue and they ranked the Kia Carnival Prestige first. They ranked the Toyota Sienna Platinum AWD fourth.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Carnival first among minivans in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Sienna was rated second.