A minivan and an SUV are not the same for a variety of reasons. Looking at the 2022 Kia Telluride and the Kia Carnival are prime examples of that. But don’t call the Carnival a minivan, it is a multi-purpose vehicle.
The 2022 Kia Telluride and the Kia Carnival are formidable opponents
The Kia Telluride is one of the most popular and “most satisfying” SUVs on the market right now. It has three rows, room for tons of people, and plenty of active safety and driver assistance features to keep everyone safe. Buyers couldn’t get ahold of this sport utility vehicle fast enough.
Looking at the 2022 Kia Carnival for the first time might bring more questions than answers. Kia says the Carnival isn’t a minivan; it is a Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV). However, it does replace the minivan in Kia’s lineup. Forbes actually called it “a state-of-the-art minivan in SUV clothing.” Regardless of what the Carnival identities as, it gets the job done.
While the Kia Telluride has the third row, it isn’t a comfortable option for regular-sized humans. Small children might be comfortable enough, but adults might not fit very well. That’s where the Kia Carnival MVP shines, though. With the sliding door that helps identify most minivans, the Carnival embraces the extra room and moves on.
The Kia Telluride sport utility vehicle vs. the Kia Carnival multi-purpose vehicle
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What consumers loved in the Kia Telluride is also present in the Kia Carnival. The room as mentioned above for eight passengers is a big reason. There are also all of the technology and driver assistance features that Kia included on all trim levels.
Forward collision warning (FCW), automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, and blind-spot warning (BSW) are all standard on the Kia Telluride. Rear cross-traffic warning (RCTW), lane-keeping assist (LKA), and lane-centering assist (LCA) are also included by Kia. The Carnival gets all of the same collision intervention and driver assistance features.
Buyers can choose to configure the Telluride and the Carnival in a few ways. Captain’s chairs remove one seat in the Telluride but make it easier to get in the third row. The Carnival has a “baby-minding” seat that allows the middle seat in the second row to flip around. It can be a regular seat, a cup holding seat, or just extra space. Drivers can also put the third row down all the way for extra cargo room.
Whatever you want to call it, the Kia SUV and MPV are solid options
The 2022 Carnival MPV starts at $32,300, while the 2022 Kia Telluride starts at $33,090. If you aren’t sold on the multi-purpose vehicle thing, perhaps a test drive is in order. One major benefit of the Kia Carnival is going to be availability. The Telluride is marked up at dealerships all over the place. Back in 2021, one dealership marked up the Kia Telluride SUV $25,000 thanks to its popularity and scarcity.
The Kia Carnival is every bit as good as the Telluride and is probably less drama. Plus, you won’t be driving a minivan. It’s a multi-purpose vehicle, you know?
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