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2025 Buick Enclave vs Honda PilotHead-to-Head: 2024 Honda Odyssey vs 2024 Kia Carnival
We test two of the very best people movers in the automotive world, the Kia Carnival and the Honda Odyssey to find out which is best.
Minivan Showdown
SUVs might be all the rage but in reality, they offer far less value per dollar to the average driver. Minivans or MPVs however, are about as practical and value-oriented as possible. Two excellent examples of this are the Kia Carnival and the Honda Odyssey. One has a long trend-setting history while the other is a bright and bold newcomer. Which is the best of the two? To find out we’re testing everything from specs to driving performance to interior comfort and more. Let’s find out which of these two people movers is really on top.
Specs
The Honda Odyssey might have been the very first “cool” minivan and today, it’s one of the most well-regarded in the field. For 2024, it starts at $39,215 and can cost north of $51,345 depending on trim and options. The only available powertrain is a 280 hp engine, a 10-speed automatic gearbox, and front-wheel drive. That combination achieves up to 19 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway. It seats seven or eight and comes in five different trim levels. Honda offers a three-year or 36,000 miles, 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, and 2 years of complimentary maintenance.
The Kia Carnival is only available in four trim levels but starts at a much more intriguing $34,565. Pricing only climbs to $47,665 for the top trim which is also a significant savings over the Odyssey. It also makes 290 hp and has an eight-speed automatic but it is also only available with front-wheel drive. According to the EPA, it’ll get up to 19 mpg in the city and just 26 on the highway. We expect that the extra gears in the Honda will enable that additional highway mileage. Where Kia outclasses the Honda on paper is in the warranty department. There, the Carnival comes with a five-year or 60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a 10-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. It doesn’t offer complimentary maintenance which is a major letdown in our eyes.
Driving and Performance
Honda set a high bar in the late 1990s when it introduced the most sporty-looking Minivan to date. Today, the Odyssey is far more mature but hasn’t lost its athletic nature. Of the four minivans on sale today, it feels the best from behind the wheel. It’s most eager to change direction, it corners better than the rest, and it delivers power smoothly and quickly. At the same time, it provides a breezy and comfortable ride on most road types and insulates the cabin from road noise quite nicely.
The Kia Carnival follows in the footsteps of the Odyssey by offering even more power and nearly equal driving dynamics. If anything, the Kia is just a bit softer. It’s not as quick to turn and it’s more prone to body roll and a feeling of floatiness on the highway. Similarly to the Honda, it’s sedate on most roads and offers a quiet interior space.
Comfort and Interior
Minivans in general lean on their interior design and space to make their case for buyers and the Odyssey proves that in spades. It’s spacious, offers top-notch build quality, and includes clever touches all over the place.
Storage is a major feature of the Honda Odyssey as it includes what Honda calls “Magic Seats” in the second row that are highly configurable to accommodate various types of cargo. The third-row seating folds completely flat to allow buyers to store 4×8 sheets of building materials.
Every Odyssey comes with tri-zone climate control and heated seats. Leather upholstery is standard in every trim aside from the base EX. Buyers can also add fun features like a 10.2-inch rear-seat infotainment system and an 11-speaker sound system.
The Kia Carnival aims to be, as the name might suggest, a little more fun. The cabin features a bit more cheap-feeling plastic than in the Honda but it looks gorgeous and pairs well with other bits of trim that leapfrog the Odyssey. For example, the main infotainment system and gauge cluster are far better than in the Honda.
The infotainment system is bigger, brighter, and easier to use. Kia doesn’t offer anything as configurable or practical as the Magic Seats but it does provide lounge seats for buyers who select the top trim level. They fully recline and provide the type of experience that one would expect in a limousine thanks to heating and cooling features. Dual sunroofs, a heated steering wheel, and a dual-screen rear-seat infotainment system are all available too.
Trims and Features
Honda kicks off the Odyssey lineup with the EX. It has 18-inch wheels, cloth upholstery, power-sliding rear doors, heated power-adjustable front seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, dual USB ports, an 8-inch infotainment system, and seven speakers.
Next is the EX-L with a sunroof, a powered rear liftgate, leather upholstery, a sound-deadening windshield, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, two second-row USB ports, and driver’s seat memory settings.
The Sport includes 19-inch wheels, black leather upholstery, red upholstery stitching, red ambient interior lighting, and a black grille.
The Touring adds 19-inch wheels, third-row sunshades, parking sensors, an in-cabin intercom system, integrated navigation, and a second-row infotainment system with a 10.2-inch screen.
Finally, the Elite trim includes rain-sensing wipers, a hands-free power liftgate, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, a wireless device charger, and 11 speakers.
Kia’s base Carnival, the LX, features 17-inch wheels, power-sliding rear doors, LED headlights, cloth upholstery, reclining third-row seats, an 8-inch infotainment system, USB power ports in all three rows, and six speakers.
The EX adds 19-inch wheels, a hands-free liftgate, tri-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch infotainment system, satellite radio, integrated navigation, and eight speakers.
The SX includes unique 19-inch wheels, LED fog lights, a 12.3-inch driver information display, roof rails, ventilated front seats, a surround-view camera system, and a blind-spot camera system.
Finally, the SX Prestige adds dual power sunroofs, upgraded LED headlights, LED interior lighting, leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel, and a 12-speaker Bose sound system.
The Verdict
These minivans are both excellent but for the money, the Kia Carnival edges out the Honda Odyssey ever so slightly. It offers the same or better features for less money and offers far superior warranty coverage. Sure, the Honda drives better and offers free maintenance for a little bit but we’d rather save the cash up front and spend it on maintenance after the fact. We also happen to think that the Kia looks better both inside and out.
