2024 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2023 Kia Carnival

The 2023 Kia Carnival presented a unique blend of style and functionality, setting itself apart from the typical minivan. It featured a distinctive design with high-tech lighting, an intricate grille, and decorative roof pillar trim, which contributed to its upscale image. The SX Prestige trim, in particular, offered a sophisticated interior with dual instrumentation and infotainment screens, dual power sunroofs, and quality materials that enhanced the overall feel of the vehicle. Despite its stylish appearance, the Carnival maintained practicality with features like smart sliding doors and a spacious cargo area.

In contrast, the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus debuted with a more sophisticated and streamlined exterior design, highlighted by a stunning grille with LED lighting that illuminated the Lincoln star logo. The rear featured a full-width animated LED light bar and dual exhaust ports, while the profile incorporated high door handles into the beltline. Inside, the Nautilus boasted a luxurious interior with high-quality materials, ambient lighting, and a massive 48-inch curved display that served as the crown jewel of its technology offerings. The Black Label trim offered the utmost comfort with 24-way Perfect Position front seats, complete with massage and extended heating functions.

The 2023 Kia Carnival was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered a satisfying driving experience with multiple driving modes, although it lacked all-wheel drive and hybrid options. The Carnival's V6 engine provided ample power, even with a full load of passengers, but its brakes showed signs of fading during a mountain descent. Despite this, the Carnival maintained a firm, sporty ride quality, with a softer ride when fully loaded.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus came standard with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. For those seeking more power, a hybrid setup was available, offering 310 horsepower, 295 lb-ft of torque, and an impressive 30 mpg in combined driving. The Nautilus featured all-wheel drive and five drive modes, with an adaptive suspension available for enhanced performance. The hybrid's CVT was well-tuned, avoiding the typical droning associated with such transmissions, and provided a smooth driving experience.

The 2023 Kia Carnival offered a unique driving experience, with a lower driving position and SUV-like center console. It featured three types of upholstery, with the SX Prestige trim offering genuine leather, although it felt stiff. The Carnival's interior was equipped with a three-zone automatic climate control system, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The VIP Lounge Seats in the second row provided comfort but limited cargo space to 86.9 cubic feet. Without these seats, the Carnival offered a maximum cargo space of 145.1 cubic feet, rivaling large SUVs like the Chevrolet Suburban.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus provided power-adjustable, heated, and cooled front seats across all trims, with the Black Label model offering 24-way Perfect Position seats for ultimate comfort. The rear seats offered 43 inches of legroom, accommodating taller passengers with ease. The Nautilus featured the Rejuvenate feature, combining massage, lighting, and screen images to create different moods. Cargo space measured 36 cubic feet behind the second row and 71 cubic feet with the seats folded down, although the Nautilus was limited to seating for five.

The 2023 Kia Carnival SX Prestige featured 12.3-inch digital instrumentation and infotainment touchscreens, offering a visually appealing and functional interface. The infotainment system included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Kia Connect Ultimate connected services. Additional tech features included Quiet Mode, Passenger Talk, and Passenger View with Night Vision. The optional dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system offered streaming capabilities, although it failed to capture the interest of teenage passengers.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus boasted a massive 48-inch curved display, with a digital dash for the driver and customizable sections for various information. An 11.1-inch touchscreen handled basic infotainment duties, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The Nautilus included Google maps, Alexa Built-in, and over-the-air updates, along with wireless charging and USB ports throughout the cabin. However, the unlabelled steering wheel controls and menu-driven vent adjustments proved distracting.

The 2023 Kia Carnival came equipped with a comprehensive suite of driver assistance and collision avoidance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. The Carnival's rear-seat reminder system and Safe Exit System added unique safety features. The Highway Driving Assist technology provided semi-autonomous driving assistance, proving accurate and trustworthy. The IIHS named the 2023 Carnival a Top Safety Pick, although the NHTSA had not yet performed crash tests.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus featured the Lincoln CoPilot 360 suite of ADAS features, including lane-keeping assist, park assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and emergency braking. The hands-free Blue Cruise 1.2 technology was available, offering advanced lane-keeping and automatic lane-change assist. The 2023 Nautilus received high safety ratings from the NHTSA, and the 2024 model earned a "Good" rating from the IIHS for crashworthiness.