2025 Kia Carnival vs. Chrysler Pacifica: A Minivan Showdown
New doesn’t always equate to better, of course, but when a newcomer directly challenges a long-standing champion, both vehicles are forced to improve. This is the situation with the updated 2025 Kia Carnival and the refined 2025 Chrysler Pacifica. When Kia redesigned its minivan and, in 2022, altered its name from Sedona to Carnival, it earned our Best Minivan To Buy award. This big win overshadowed the Chrysler Pacifica, which held the award since its last full redesign in 2017.
The Carnival’s SUV-inspired styling, versatile interior, and value-packed features continue to impress for 2025, especially with the addition of a hybrid powertrain for the first time. However, it’s still offered only with front-wheel drive—the same configuration found on the 2025 Honda Odyssey, the sole minivan without a hybrid powertrain among the four available for 2025.
Speaking of hybrids, the 2025 Toyota Sienna holds the title of the only minivan with a standard hybrid powertrain and an EPA rating of 36 mpg combined. The 2025 Chrysler Pacifica distinguishes itself further with its second-row Stow ‘N Go seats, which conveniently fold into the floor. It’s also the only minivan available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain and near-luxury features, with a slight refresh for its ninth year on the market, featuring fewer trims and more standard convenience features. We can skip the Chrysler Voyager, which has been resurrected as a budget-friendly Pacifica for 2025.
While both minivans earn top marks, they achieve their status in different ways. Here’s a detailed comparison of their strengths and weaknesses, along with recommendations for buyers.
Pacifica vs. Carnival: Prices, Features, and Trims
The Pacifica ranges from $44,000 for the base Select to $61,500 for the Hybrid Pinnacle. The Carnival LX starts at $37,895 and reaches $53,995 for the Hybrid SX Prestige.
Our Picks: Kia Carnival Hybrid LXS, Pacifica Select, or Pacifica Hybrid Select.
Which Kia Carnival Should I Buy?
The base Carnival LX, at $37,895 (including a mandatory $1,395 destination fee), is more than $6,000 less than the base Pacifica Select and includes modern conveniences: power sliding doors, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, six USB ports, and a suite of driver-assist technologies. We’d recommend stepping up to the 2025 Carnival Hybrid LXS for $41,895, which is the base Carnival Hybrid. This trim provides heated front seats with synthetic leather upholstery, a power driver’s seat, seating for eight, and a comprehensive set of driver-assist features. It also comes with a 5-year/60,000-mile warranty.
The SX Prestige Hybrid has 19-inch wheels and a power driver’s seat. Fully loaded, a Carnival SX Prestige with leather upholstery, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, and a surround-view camera system tops the lineup at $53,995.
Which Chrysler Pacifica Should I Buy?
Chrysler revived the Voyager name for 2025, but it’s just a budget version of the old Pacifica. At $41,690, the 2025 Voyager costs about as much as the Carnival Hybrid.
At $44,000, the Pacifica Touring L features 17-inch wheels, heated front seats with synthetic leather, a heated steering wheel, Stow ‘n Go second-row seats, a power tailgate, power sliding side doors, adaptive cruise control, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A steep $1,695 destination fee doesn’t help its affordability. Adding all-wheel drive costs $2,995. It’s also available in Limited and Pinnacle trims.
The Pacifica plug-in hybrid starts at $52,750 in the new Select trim. Government rebates could eventually make it more competitive with its non-hybrid counterpart. With premium nappa leather, a suede headliner, an interior camera system, and automatic parking, the Hybrid Pinnacle is one of the most luxurious minivans on the U.S. market, with a luxury price of $61,500. Every Pacifica has a basic 3-year/36,000-mile warranty. The plug-in hybrid powertrain gets a 5-year/60,000-mile warranty.
Advantage: The Carnival offers a sizable value advantage.
Pacifica vs. Carnival: Size, Comfort, and Cargo Space
No minivan can match the Pacifica’s second-row stowable seats.
The Carnival has more cargo space, and doesn’t sacrifice space for its hybrid battery pack. Both seat up to eight passengers comfortably.
Minivans excel at maximizing interior space for both cargo and passengers, including a recessed area that can accommodate either the collapsed third row or additional cargo space, doubling the space found in many three-row SUVs. The power-sliding side doors highlight the minivan’s practicality for family needs.
The Chrysler Pacifica’s famed Stow ‘n Go second-row seats, which fold into the floor, transforming the minivan into a cargo hauler, are truly unique.
How Big is the Chrysler Pacifica?
By the numbers, the Pacifica is slightly smaller than the Carnival, offering 140.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats folded into the floor. With the seats up, it provides over 32 cubic feet.
The front seats are very comfortable with standard heaters and power adjustments. The Pacifica seats eight, although the middle second-row seat must be removed instead of stowed when optimizing interior space. The captain’s chairs aren’t as plush as those of the Carnival, but kids will still nap just fine with the available rear-seat entertainment center.
Note: Stow ‘n Go seats are not available on the Hybrid or the top Pinnacle trim, although all-wheel drive is still available.
How Big is the Kia Carnival?
While the Carnival can’t match the Stow ‘n Go feature, it is roomier, and the SX Prestige offers optional second-row captain’s chairs with a collapsible leg rest. It is a bit of a trick to slide the seat all the way back and move the front seats up.
The second row provides a track that lets you move the seats inboard for easy access to the back or away from each other to widen the aisle. Most Carnivals come with a second-row bench seat with a sliding middle seat that folds down to serve as a console, or stays up to grant eight-passenger seating. These seats can be removed except on SX Prestige, but do not fold into the floor.
The front seats offer great support and adjustability, especially in the mid and higher-level trims. Storage is plentiful in the door pockets and console. Cargo space totals 145.1 cubic feet with the third and second-row seats folded; with all seats in use, it provides 40.2 cubic feet—ideal for trips to the hardware store or long road trips with plenty of luggage.
Advantage: Pacifica for Stow ‘n Go; the Carnival, however, offers generous space.
Carnival vs. Pacifica: Safety
Both have standard automatic emergency braking w/ pedestrian detection.
The Pacifica earned a Top Safety Pick+.
Surround-view camera systems can be equipped on either.
Both the Carnival and the Pacifica feature standard automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitors, and active lane control, but Chrysler adds adaptive cruise control as standard. It’s better equipped and carries more comprehensive crash-test results.
How Safe is the Kia Carnival?
The NHTSA has not yet tested the Carnival, and the IIHS gave the 2024 model a Top Safety Pick, as long as it’s equipped with the SX Prestige’s LED projector headlights. Other versions get “Poor” headlights but maintain excellent crash-test scores. Driver-assist options include blind-spot cameras, adaptive cruise control, high-speed automatic emergency braking, and a surround-view camera system.
How Safe is the Chrysler Pacifica?
The Pacifica has a five-star rating from the NHTSA, and the IIHS awards a Top Safety Pick+ designation, thanks to stronger headlights throughout. Standard features include adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, active lane control, a rear-seat reminder, and blind-spot monitors. A surround-view camera system and parking sensors are widely available and worthwhile.
Advantage: Chrysler Pacifica
Kia Carnival vs. Chrysler Pacifica: Powertrains and Performance
Pacifica offers all-wheel-drive, standard or plug-in hybrid. The Carnival offers a hybrid powertrain and improved fuel efficiency with a single engine option.
The Carnival offers a comfortable ride, but the Pacifica has more driving “aplomb.”
The Carnival Hybrid is rated at 33 mpg combined.
Is the Kia Carnival AWD?
No, unlike the Pacifica or the Toyota Sienna, the Carnival isn’t offered with all-wheel drive. Its performance hinges on a comfortable ride with a front strut and multi-link rear suspension. The steering is numb, and the tuning is practical. It’s relentlessly a minivan in the way it smoothes out bumps—both on bad roads and good ones.
The base powertrain features a 287-hp V-6 paired with a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic. Highway passing is sufficient, but the acceleration won’t surprise you. It tows up to 3,500 pounds.
How About the Carnival Hybrid?
This model combines a 1.6-liter turbo-4 engine with a 54-kw electric motor for a total output of 242 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. It’s more responsive off the line than the gasoline Carnival and rides more quietly. Sport mode holds the gears longer in the 6-speed automatic, so it gets louder when you push the throttle, but drivers can override the automatic shifts with paddle shifters. This feature proves particularly useful for uphill passing maneuvers. In Eco and Smart modes, the paddle shifters become regenerative braking paddles, offering three settings to recover power and recharge the 1.5-kwh battery pack during coasting or braking. It tows up to 2,500 pounds and has active grille shutters and 17-inch wheels for improved aerodynamics.
How Fast is the Chrysler Pacifica?
The 3.6-liter V-6 delivers 287 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque through a 9-speed automatic.
Is the Chrysler Pacifica 4WD?
Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is a $2,995 option for non-hybrid models. Good steering heft makes the Pacifica feel confident on winding roads, and it settles into a great highway cruise. A well-controlled ride with standard 18-inch wheels becomes slightly firmer with the optional 20s, so a test drive is recommended.
What About the Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid?
The Pacifica Hybrid mates two electric motors and a 16-kwh battery pack to a detuned version of the V-6, forming a 260-hp system. At lower speeds, it operates on electric power for up to 32 miles.
Overall, it’s clean, quiet, and recharges overnight in a standard 120-volt garage outlet. Take it on an extended road trip and fill it with gas, and it’s still more efficient and quieter than other minivans.
Advantage: Either with the hybrid powertrain.
Pacifica vs. Carnival: Gas Mileage
The Pacifica gets 22 mpg combined or 30 mpg as a hybrid.
The Pacifica plug-in hybrid has an all-electric range of 32 miles.
The Carnival gets 21 mpg combined; the Hybrid is rated at 33 mpg.
Is the Kia Carnival Good on Gas?
The Carnival Hybrid’s combined 33 mpg falls short of the segment-leading Toyota Sienna’s 36 mpg, but it’s still much more efficient than the V-6. The EPA rates the V-6 at 18 mpg city, 26 highway, and 21 combined.
Is the Chrysler Pacifica Good on Gas?
Yes, it’s better. The V-6 is rated at 19/28/22 mpg, with AWD models dropping to 17/25/20 mpg. The plug-in hybrid exceeds even the Toyota Sienna hybrid and its 36 mpg with 32 miles of all-electric range. When the battery drains it becomes a hybrid rated at 30 mpg combined.
Advantage: The Chrysler Pacifica offers greater value, especially regarding fuel economy and hybrid options.
Kia Carnival vs. Chrysler Pacifica: Which Minivan is Better?
It’s difficult to surpass the interior flexibility or the plug-in hybrid option of the Chrysler Pacifica, earning a TCC Rating of 6.7 out of 10. However, it’s more expensive, and the Carnival has a styling advantage, offering better value. The 2025 Carnival earns a 6.8 out of 10.
Stow ’n Go can still be the deciding factor, even two decades after its introduction, but the Carnival Hybrid provides value throughout the ownership experience.
