Compare the2025 Toyota Grand HighlanderVS 2025 Kia Carnival

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Grand Highlander have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Carnival doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

With its standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, the Toyota Grand Highlander is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Kia Carnival, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

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

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Grand Highlander XLE AWD/Limited AWD/Nightshade/Platinum’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Carnival doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

Both the Grand Highlander and the Carnival have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Grand Highlander is safer than the Carnival:

The Grand Highlander’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 Grand Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Carnival.

There are over 56 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Grand Highlander’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 40 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 8th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 10th.

The Grand Highlander has more powerful engines than the Carnival:

As tested in Motor Trend the Grand Highlander Hybrid 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Kia Carnival:

On the EPA test cycle the Grand Highlander gets better mileage than the Carnival:

The Grand Highlander offers an available 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.

For better stopping power the Grand Highlander’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Carnival:

The Grand Highlander stops shorter than the Carnival:

For better traction, the Grand Highlander has larger tires than the Carnival (255/65R18 vs. 235/65R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Grand Highlander LE/XLE has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Carnival LX/LXS. The Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Carnival EX/SX/Prestige.

The Toyota Grand Highlander may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 50 to 250 pounds less than the Kia Carnival.

The Grand Highlander has .6 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front legroom and .7 inches more rear headroom than the Carnival.

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

The Grand Highlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Carnival’s (5000 vs. 3500 pounds).

The Grand Highlander’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 Grand Highlander 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.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Grand Highlander Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Carnival doesn’t offer cornering lights.

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

The Grand Highlander was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024. The Carnival has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Toyota Grand Highlander outsold the Kia Carnival by 10% during 2023.