2024 Mazda CX-90 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 front and rear 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 aesthetic. Despite its stylish appearance, the Carnival maintained practicality with its spacious interior and advanced technology.

In contrast, the 2024 Mazda CX-90 exuded elegance and luxury, drawing inspiration from the smaller CX-30 and CX-5 models. Its imposing size, over 200 inches in length, combined with a big grille, wide-set front end, and large wheels, commanded attention. The tasteful chrome trim added to its sophisticated look. Inside, the CX-90 offered a luxurious experience with top-shelf models featuring brown suede upholstery, wood inlays, and matte black plastic bits. The interior design was refined, and the materials used were of high quality, making it a strong contender in the luxury SUV segment.

The 2023 Kia Carnival was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. It featured front-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission, offering a satisfying driving experience. The Carnival's powertrain provided ample power, even with a full load of passengers, and the transmission operated smoothly. However, the lack of all-wheel drive and a hybrid option was a drawback, especially in wet conditions. The Carnival's brakes performed well in most situations, but there was a one-time issue with brake fade during a mountain descent. Overall, the Carnival offered a firm, sporty ride quality, with a softer and smoother experience when fully loaded.

The 2024 Mazda CX-90 introduced two new powertrains, including a plug-in hybrid option and a turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine. The Turbo S trim delivered an impressive 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, providing a thrilling driving experience. All CX-90 models came with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The CX-90 offered three driving modes: Normal, Sport, and Off-Road, with noticeable differences in behavior between them. The PHEV model combined a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a 17.8-kWh battery and a 68-kW electric motor, producing 323 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. Both models demonstrated excellent handling, with the CX-90 feeling agile and composed through corners.

The 2023 Kia Carnival offered a spacious and versatile interior, with seating for up to eight passengers. The SX Prestige trim featured genuine leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The VIP Lounge Seats in the second row provided a luxurious experience but limited cargo space to 86.9 cubic feet. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, with adequate legroom and USB ports. The Carnival's smart power liftgate revealed a deep well with 40.2 cubic feet of cargo space, and the third-row seats could be tumbled into the well to expand cargo capacity.

The 2024 Mazda CX-90 offered various seating configurations, with the ability to seat up to eight passengers. The Turbo S trim featured a two-seat configuration in the third row, providing slightly more cargo space. The CX-90 offered 75.2 cubic feet of total cargo space in models with the two-seater third row. While the CX-90 improved on the CX-9's cargo capacity, it still fell short compared to some competitors. The interior featured clever storage options, comfortable seats, and high-quality materials, creating a comfortable and luxurious environment.

The 2023 Kia Carnival SX Prestige featured 12.3-inch digital instrumentation and infotainment touchscreens, offering a visually impressive experience. The infotainment system included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a one-year subscription to Kia Connect Ultimate connected services. However, the 12-speaker Bose audio system was mediocre, and the native voice recognition system had limitations. 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 but was not widely used by passengers.

The 2024 Mazda CX-90 focused on eliminating distractions with its Mazda Connect infotainment system, which used a rotary control knob and hard buttons instead of a touchscreen. While the intention was to reduce distraction, the system's quirks and idiosyncrasies proved frustrating. However, the CX-90 offered personalization software with facial recognition, allowing for automatic adjustments to seats, mirrors, and other settings. The CX-90 also came standard with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, with touchscreen controls available for these systems.

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 rear-seat reminder system used ultrasonic sensors to detect movement, and the Safe Exit System warned occupants of approaching vehicles. The EX trim added Junction Turning Detection and Highway Driving Assist, while the SX trim included a surround-view camera and Blind-Spot View Monitor. The Carnival received a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS for 2022, but the NHTSA had not performed crash tests at the time of review.

The 2024 Mazda CX-90 featured the i-Activsense suite of advanced driver assistance systems, including blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. The top-spec Turbo S Premium Plus trim included cruising and traffic support, providing hands-on driver support. While the CX-90 had not been crash-tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, it was expected to perform well, given the accolades received by the previous CX-9 model.