While many Americans have decided to buy 3-row SUVs to transport their families in recent years, the reality is that minivans have the most versatile family hauling abilities. That’s why brands like Honda and Kia are extensively updating their minivan choices for 2025 to make them even better for those looking to take maximum people and things places. So, wins in a 2025 Kia Carnival vs. 2025 Honda Odyssey battle? Let’s go ahead and find out!
Pricing and Equipment
So, like always, the first thing to cover is the pricing and equipment to get things established.
Let’s start with the Kia, which, as always, delivers plenty of bang for the buck. For today’s comparison, we’ve chosen the top trims for both, which in the case of the Kia is SX Prestige. It rings in at $52,700.
SX Prestige MSRP: $50,600 | Options: $760 | Destination: $1,395 | Total: $52,755
Now moving to the Odyssey, the equivalent trim level is the fully loaded Elite. Surprisingly, the pricing is less than the Kia…but only by $25. It rings in at $52,730.
Elite MSRP: $50,880 | Options: $455 | Destination: $1,395 | Total: $52,730
By the way, if you want to get the best price from local dealerships and access to invoice pricing info for these two models or any vehicle, we have a tool on our website to do just that. Click here for more information!
Exterior Design
Starting with the exteriors, while minivans aren’t typically known for being stylish, both have certainly upped their game recently. The Honda gets a small refresh this year, giving it additional sporty black accents on the Elite. However, that extra aggression doesn’t even come close to the bold face of the refreshed Kia which received an entirely new grille. We don’t award points based on style preference, but the Kia does have an advantage in lighting.
While both have LED lighting and fog lamps, the Kia has more-premium projector-style LED headlights and LED turn signal indicators.
Moving around to the sides, both vans are significantly longer than even their 3-row SUV counterparts, at over 200-inches long, and as far as the wheels, both come with nice-looking 19-inch alloys with new designs this year.
Length: 203-in (Carnival) | 205.2-in (Odyssey)
At the rears you’ll continue to see the big differences in their design choices. The exhaust pipes are hidden on both, but the rear wiper is only hidden on the Kia, which helps it have a sleeker look and keeps it from being as weathered as much.
It’s also only the Kia that gives you LED lighting with an LED brake light and turn signal combo.
For towing, both are rated for up to 3,500 pounds as equipped in today’s comparison.
Towing: Carnival: 3,500 lbs. (as equipped; V6) | Odyssey: 3,500 lbs.
Additional Features
Now moving to some of the other features, both models have loaded mirrors with heating, blind spot monitoring, power folding and even auto-dimming in the case of the Honda.
And in addition to those blind spot monitoring systems, both Kia and Honda give you their entire suites of safety systems as standard equipment. That means they have all your expected systems and even Highway Drive Assist 2.0 with automatic lane change on the Kia.
However, the warranties diverge quite a lot. Honda offers the typical 3- and 5-year warranties, but the Carnival includes 5yr/60k mi basic and 10yr/100k mi powertrain warranties. Honda, however, fights back with 1 year of complimentary maintenance.
Alright, enough about the exteriors, let’s dive into the practical and luxurious cabins.
Interior Design
Walking up to the vans, both will come with Smart Entry systems, as expected, and they have remote start built into the fobs as well. Only the Kia has a digital key system.
But, looking inside the cabins you’ll see very nice appointments for these loaded models. Visually, they look quite different since the Kia has an exclusive Tuscan Umber color option for its real leather seating. The Honda goes for a more subdued look with black real leather, though other options are available.
The seats themselves feature 12 ways of power adjustment, multi-person memory, heating and ventilation.
After getting in, we can look around at the broad category of material quality. The Carnival used to have an advantage here, but now the tides have turned. Both have extensive use of soft touch plastics and leatherette details, but it’s now only the Odyssey with realistic faux wood trim. That was previously on the Carnival before its refresh and now is replaced with gray plastic, so that’ll award the Honda a half point.
After startup, you’ll notice the gauge clusters, which is a new 7-inch setup on the Honda and a full-12.3-inch display on the Kia in its fully loaded trim. Not only does that allow for more impressive graphics and customizability, but it also allows for unique features such as the blind spot camera system.
Additionally, it’s also exclusive to Carnival to have a premium head up display.
Coming back to the steering wheels, both are leather wrapped, heated and manual adjusting. They also both have rain sensing wipers as equipped.
Storage and Technology
Alright, but now let’s get into the very important aspect of interior storage. While the Carnival does have plenty of storage areas, the Odyssey fully embraces the minivan functionality. It includes large open areas, and super spacious bins and even hidden storage cubbies. The parent needing maximum storage will definitely be better suited in the Honda than the Kia which goes for an SUV-like configuration.
When we shift into reverse, the Carnival has a premium 360-degree camera system with 3D spin. Even despite the refresh, the Honda still has not added this feature.
In regard to climate controls, both have 3-zone automatic setups and physical temperature controls for adjustment. The thing to keep in mind about the Carnival is that the same knob is also used as the volume control, since the virtual buttons can change. This requires quite a bit more involvement when driving than the Odyssey.
Speaking of audio systems, both also have the upgraded sound systems for their top trims, at 11 and 12-speakers respectively. They have good enough sound quality to fill their big cabins and there isn’t enough of a meaningful difference here to score a point.
Odyssey: 550-watt 11-speaker Premium audio system
Carnival: 12-speaker Bose Premium Audio
And now that brings us to the main infotainment systems. Both have been massively upgraded tech wise for their refreshes, but not to the same degree. In the Honda, that means you’ll find a new 9-inch screen standard. Comparatively, the Kia has a larger 12.3-inch setup which is a 31% advantage in real estate.
Both also get upgraded this year to have wireless CarPlay and Android Auto – a feature seemingly everyone is looking for these days. Additionally, they both have family-friendly cameras to monitor the back seats and passenger talk systems so everyone can be heard as well.
Moving beyond the screens, they both have auto-dimming mirrors with HomeLink remotes, but only the Kia has the rear camera system.
Also, strangely missing from the Honda is a dual pane moonroof. The Kia includes a front panel like the Odyssey, but additionally includes a 2nd rear moonroof, which even opens as well.
Rear Seats and Cargo
Alright, so now let’s head out to the rear areas, that are even more critical in a van. As expected, both have power doors, and the Kia also has hands-free opening.
Once inside, space is equally cavernous in both, and both seats slide and recline.
- Odyssey: 9-inches of Legroom and 39.5-inches of Headroom
- Carnival: 5-inches of Legroom and 39.5-inches of Headroom
Speaking of sliding, on the Honda, the seats slide side-to-side, giving you options about spacing of children or access to the third row for example.
But let’s talk about rear amenities. We’ve got rear climate controls, vents, sunshades, and charging USB ports. Only the Kia has a household style outlet, and only the Honda has a rear seat entertainment system as equipped.
I do want to point out the Kia can also option on a no-cost VIP seating package to SX Prestige that will add fully power adjusting, heated and ventilated second row seats. That’s a super fancy and cool option for families who are okay with losing a seat.
Moving on to the 3rd row of seats, both vans have convenient folding and sliding seats to give you a huge path to the back.
And once in the third row, the Honda will give occupants a greater than 5% advantage in legroom, but the headroom measures are very similar. Features wise, they have USBs, third row sunshades, and vents. Both seats are comfortable and have good thy support even for adults.
Odyssey: Leg: 38.1-inches | Head: 38.1-inches
Carnival: Legroom: Leg: 35.6-inches | Head: 38.6-inches
Now moving around to the cargo space, let’s talk about another very important area. Firstly, both have smart opening tailgates, and once they open up, you’ll find massive cargo holds. The Carnival does have a 20% advantage when all the seats are in place, but that evaporates as the seats fold since the max capacities are nearly identical.
Carnival: Behind 3rd row: 40.2 cubic feet | Behind 2nd row: 86.9 cubic feet | Max: 145.1 cu.ft
Odyssey: 32.8 cu.ft behind 3rd row | 88.8 cu. ft. behind 2nd row | 144.9 cu. ft. maximum
Alright, so that’s the interiors, but now we still must take them out on the road to see which one is better there!
Powertrains
So, you’ve seen that these two minivans certainly have many differences, but one of those isn’t under the hood. Both have naturally aspirated 3.5L V-6 engines, coming in 280 and 290 horsepower respectively. Acceleration is smooth, refined and very similar between the two of them.
Odyssey: 3.5L V-6: 280 hp | 262 lb.ft
Carnival: 3.5L V-6: 290 hp | 262 lb.ft
As far as the transmissions are concerned, the Carnival comes with an 8-speed automatic and the Honda with a 10-speed automatic. While the Odyssey does have more gears, in the real world, they feel about the same, both delivering smooth shifts and quick power delivery when needed.
Test Drive and Fuel Economy
Critically, both of them are also FWD, and do NOT have available AWD systems like some of the other competition offer.
Of course, comfort is the real name of the game for these two, and behind the wheel they handle rough roads amazingly, with little to no impacts penetrating the cabin.
They also are very hushed at highway speeds, as to not wake up the little ones. Here at Car Confections we take a sound level reading for all the vehicles we test on the channel so that we can compare them, and when tested on our local Kentucky roads, both are nearly identical. One dB of noise difference is considered discernible by the average adult, so that’s not enough to score a point.
Carnival: 54.2 dB @ 55 MPH (*EX trim in KY)
Odyssey: 54.6 dB @ 55 MPH
And finally, finishing up this part, fuel economies are pretty much identical. The only caveat is that the Carnival does now have a Hybrid engine option. For $2,000 extra it can be had on almost any trim level and gets you 33 MPG combined for those wanting more efficiency.
Carnival: 18/26/22 MPG
Odyssey: 19/28/22 mpg
Resale and Reliability
In our reviews and comparisons, we are also adding in reliability and resale information to give you a better picture of the overall value beyond just the original MSRP.
Beginning with reliability, we developed the Combined Reliability Index, which takes into account several studies from trustworthy sources, and combines them in a way that gives a more realistic picture. In this respect, these two are pretty good: Kia slots 4 spots above industry average, but Honda one-ups it being 14 slots above average.
We also put Mason’s economics degree to work to develop a detailed Predicted Resale Value tool. After 5 years and 60,000 miles, the same thing plays out with the Kia coming in a bit lower, retaining an estimated 49.0% of original MSRP and the Honda being the highest of any brand at 64.8%. That’s a 15.8% difference.
I want to emphasize that if money, reliability or resale value matter less to you personally, feel free to disregard these points. And if you’d like to check out all our data about reliability and resale values, as well as learn about our methodology, make sure to head to www.carconfections.com/resale and www.carconfections.com/reliability. Buying a car is a big decision, and this is a great place to compare all the makes you might be cross-shopping.
2025 Kia Carnival vs. 2025 Honda Odyssey Winner!
So that’s it for another exciting hard-fought comparison, between two family winners! Let’s quickly recap here and discuss who should be “your” personal winner.
Carnival:
- More features for the money (HUD, pano roof, 360 camera)
- Hybrid option available
- Better exterior lighting
Odyssey:
- Superior resale and reliability
- Best storage solutions in front
- Rear seat advantages (magic slide seat, removable middle seat, entertainment screens)
Now we want to know your opinions, so make sure to head to the comment section and let us know which one you would pick!
Thanks for joining us for another Car Confections Comparison! We’ll catch you next time as we sample the latest automotive delicacies!
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