While today's minivans are much better-looking than their predecessors, they continue to emphasize versatility and usefulness rather than style. The Chrysler Pacifica and Kia Carnival are excellent options for those seeking to transport people and cargo safely, comfortably, and efficiently.
Top contenders in a segment with few entrants, Chrysler and Kia fill their minivans with innovative comfort and convenience items like intercom systems, entertainment arrays, and versatile seating that slides away and folds. Safety is a top priority in these family vehicles, so they include advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that utilize sophisticated cameras and sensors. Technologies like automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic warning, and reversing cameras help ensure the safety of all occupants.
In their long history, minivans haven’t been very innovative in the powertrain department, but this pair of minivans breaks the mold. The Chrysler Pacifica features a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain as an alternative to its conventional V6, and the Kia Carnival now offers hybrid versions to supplement its conventional V6-powered vans. The Pacifica also offers all-wheel drive (AWD) as an option, while all Carnivals are front-wheel drive (FWD).
Base minivan models are typically plain and practical, built to provide maximum versatility at the lowest cost. But as you climb the Pacifica and Carnival trim level ladders, their interiors get plusher, and the convenience features are more numerous. At the top of each line, the Chrysler and Kia minivans resemble luxury-brand SUVs with rich leather upholstery and high-powered, multi-speaker audio systems.
As leading contenders in the minivan market, the Pacifica and Carnival share many features designed to meet the needs of American families. At the same time, each minivan has its strengths and weaknesses. This 2025 Chrysler Pacifica vs. 2025 Kia Carnival comparison aims to help you decide which minivan is better suited for your family.
2025 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid Pinnacle
Chrysler offers the 2025 Pacifica in three trims: Select, Limited, and Pinnacle. The Select and Pinnacle trims include a plug-in hybrid option, but the mid-grade Limited does not. The base Select trim with FWD starts at $42,450. The premium Pinnacle Hybrid—available only in FWD—has a base price of around $60,000 and is the most expensive variant in the lineup. Prices do not include the $1,695 destination charge. The Pacifica Hybrid is eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit.
For 2025, the entry-level Chrysler Voyager joins the brand’s minivan lineup. It’s a value-oriented, FWD-only model aimed at budget-minded shoppers. However, the Pacifica is the focus of this comparison versus the Kia Carnival.
Chrysler provides 2025 Pacifica owners with complimentary roadside assistance for five years or 60,000 miles but does not include free scheduled maintenance. Buyers can subscribe to various connected services. The Safety & Security package, free for 10 years, includes emergency calls and vehicle theft alerts.
The 2025 Kia Carnival lineup consists of five trims: LX, LXS, EX, SX, and SX Prestige. The base engine is a conventional 3.5-liter V6, and all but the LX trim offer the availability of a hybrid powertrain. Unlike the Pacifica, all 2025 Carnival minivans are FWD. The LX is the least expensive 2025 Carnival, with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $36,500. The luxuriously equipped SX Prestige tops the current lineup with a suggested starting price of $50,600. Prices do not include the $1,395 destination charge.
Kia covers Carnival owners with roadside assistance coverage for five years or 60,000 miles, but the brand does not offer complimentary scheduled maintenance for the Carnival. Kia provides a one-year free trial of Kia Connect services.
Advantage: Kia Carnival
Why? The Carnival’s base price is significantly less than that of the Pacifica. However, the Pacifica Hybrid’s price is much more palatable if you factor in the federal income tax credit.
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid
The Chrysler Pacifica does not rank among the top three models in the Minivan segment in the JD Power 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), which assesses owner-reported problems during the third year of ownership.
The Pacifica also does not rank among the top three models in its segment in the JD Power 2024 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS), which tracks problems experienced by owners during the first 90 days.
The 2025 Chrysler Pacifica offers a standard three-year or 36,000-mile warranty and a powertrain warranty of five years or 60,000 miles. Hybrid systems carry a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty.
The Kia Carnival’s predecessor, the Sedona, ranks highest in the Minivan segment in the 2024 VDS. Likewise, the Carnival ranks highest in its segment in the 2024 IQS. Its limited warranty covers the minivan for five years or 60,000 miles, and its powertrain warranty offers coverage for 10 years or 100,000 miles.
Advantage: Kia Carnival
Why? Kia’s minivan ranks highest in its segment in vehicle dependability and initial quality. It also offers significantly longer warranty coverage than the Pacifica.
2025 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid Pinnacle
The 2025 Chrysler Pacifica provides buyers with both conventional and plug-in hybrid powertrain options. The conventional powertrain consists of a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, with an AWD option available. Chrysler equips the Pacifica PHEV with an Atkinson-cycle 3.6-liter V6 engine, augmented by two electric motors, for a total system output of 260 hp. All Pacifica plug-in hybrids are FWD exclusively.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the FWD conventional V6-powered 2025 Pacifica at 22 mpg in combined driving and the AWD version at 20 mpg. At the time of writing, the EPA hasn’t rated the fuel economy of the 2025 Pacifica PHEV. Still, the mechanically identical 2024 model received an 82-MPGe combined rating and an estimated all-electric range of 32 miles.
The 2025 Kia Carnival offers the choice of two powertrains, with the hybrid option available in the fall of 2024. The standard engine is a 3.5-liter V6 teamed with an eight-speed automatic transmission, sending torque to the front wheels. The conventional powertrain delivers 287 hp and 260 pound-feet of torque. The new hybrid powertrain pairs a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors. The system provides a total of 242 hp and 271 pound-feet of torque.
The EPA rates the conventionally powered 2025 Kia Carnival at 21 mpg in combined driving and the hybrid at 33 mpg combined.
Advantage: Chrysler Pacifica
Why? The base powertrains offer similar horsepower, torque, and performance, but the Pacifica’s PHEV version trumps the Carnival’s conventional hybrid in terms of fuel economy.
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid
At this point, it is reasonable for any consumer to expect a brand-new vehicle to include the following safety features:
So, how do the Pacifica and Carnival stack up? Let's take a look.
The 2025 Chrysler Pacifica offers its buyers an impressive array of standard ADAS. Beyond the high-tech safety features mentioned earlier, the Pacifica includes adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality and rear parking assistance with automatic braking. Optional features include a surround-view camera, front parking assistance with automatic braking, and parallel and perpendicular parking assistance.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2025 Chrysler Pacifica its highest five-star overall safety rating. As of this writing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not rated the crashworthiness of the 2025 Pacifica. However, the Institute named the structurally similar 2024 Pacifica a Top Safety Pick for the 2023 calendar year. Note, however, that at publication time, the group has not extended the award to 2024.
The 2025 Kia Carnival offers the ADAS features listed at the beginning of this section as standard across the lineup. Further, it has an impressive roster of additional standard and available ADAS. For example, its standard equipment includes active blind-spot warning, navigation-based adaptive cruise control, active forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, and intersection turn assistance. Front and rear parking assistance are also standard.
The SX and SX Prestige trims include a dashboard-mounted blind-spot monitor, a surround-view camera system, and an active forward-collision warning system that includes junction turning, junction crossing, oncoming traffic, and lane-change coverage with automatic emergency steering.
As of this writing, neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS has rated the crashworthiness of the 2025 Kia Carnival. However, the IIHS did not name the structurally similar 2024 Carnival a Top Safety Pick for the 2024 calendar year.
Advantage: Neither
Why? The Pacifica has a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA, but the Carnival offers a richer ADAS array.
2025 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid Pinnacle
The 2025 Chrysler Pacifica includes Uconnect 5 with a comprehensive feature set: a 10.1-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, AM/FM/HD Radio, voice command and text reply, Amazon Alexa compatibility, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio with Pandora, and dual phone connectivity. The Limited and Pinnacle trims upgrade to Uconnect 5 Nav, which adds TomTom navigation, Chrysler Connect, SiriusXM Traffic, SiriusXM Travel Link, and enhanced over-the-air update capabilities. Buyers can choose premium audio systems from Alpine and Harman Kardon.
Most 2025 Pacifica trims offer Chrysler Connect, a suite of subscription-based connected services. The Safety & Security package—complimentary for 10 years—includes emergency calls, automatic emergency calls, and vehicle theft alerts. The available 4G Wi-Fi hotspot requires a subscription.
The Pinnacle trim includes the Uconnect Theater group, featuring 10.1-inch passenger touchscreens, Amazon Fire TV, and a Blu-ray/DVD player. Optionally available on other trims, this entertainment package includes games, wireless headphones, video remote controls, HDMI inputs, a third-row USB charging port, and a 115-volt auxiliary power outlet. Additionally, an in-vehicle intercom and closed-circuit TV system is available.
Kia fits the 2025 Carnival with an impressive 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system that offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth connectivity with multi-device capability, voice recognition, and SiriusXM. The SX and SX Prestige trims add a 12.3-inch curved digital instrument display, and the SX Prestige adds a standard head-up display and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system. A wireless charger is standard on EX, SX, and SX Prestige trims.
All 2025 Carnival trims give owners access to Kia Connect and Wi-Fi hotspot capability. The one-year Kia Connect trial provides access to remote features like lock/unlock, climate control, vehicle locator, stolen-vehicle recovery, and service reminders.
The SX and SX Prestige trims offer an optional rear-seat entertainment system with dual displays, wireless capability, and device mirroring. The EX, SX, and SX Prestige trims include a standard in-car intercom and camera system, plus rear-seat voice-recognition capability. The SX and SX Prestige trims feature 115-volt power outlets in the console and rear cargo area.
Advantage: Neither
Why? Both minivans have stellar infotainment, connected services, and rear-seat entertainment.
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid SX Prestige
Most 2025 Chrysler Pacifica vans seat seven passengers, with the Select trim able to accommodate eight. A standout feature of the Pacifica is its Stow 'n Go seating for the second and third rows, which folds into the floor. The third row in the higher trims is power-folding. Plug-in hybrid models substitute second-row captain's chairs. The base Select trim has synthetic leather seats, while the Limited and Pinnacle trims feature Nappa leather.
The Pacifica has a standard eight-way power-adjustable driver seat with power lumbar support, and an eight-way front passenger seat is widely available. Heated front seats are standard on all trims, with optional heated second-row seats on some. Ventilated front seats are standard on top trims and available on the PHEV Select. Three-zone automatic climate control is standard, and an integrated vacuum cleaner is standard on the Pinnacle trim and optional on others.
The Pacifica provides 32.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, which expands to 87.5 cubic feet with the third-row seats stowed and a generous 140.5 cubic feet with both the second- and third-row seats folded away. Power-operated sliding side doors and a power liftgate make life easier.
The 2025 Kia Carnival seats eight occupants in all but the base LX trim, which seats seven. Its second-row heated and ventilated power lounge seats with leg extensions provide a wow factor, but they are only available optionally on the top SX Prestige trim. The standard second-row seats are removable and have a slide feature. You can move the sliding second-row center seat closer to the front seats for easier access to someone in a child safety seat. The third-row seats are 60/40 split-folding.
The LX trim features cloth upholstery, the mid-level trims have synthetic leather seats, and the SX Prestige provides genuine leather upholstery. Heated front seats and eight-way power-adjustable driver's seats are standard on all but the LX. The EX, SX, and SX Prestige feature eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seats, and the SX and SX Prestige include ventilated front seats.
The Carnival provides 40.2 cubic feet of luggage space behind the third-row seats. With the second- and third-row seats out of the way, it can accommodate 145.1 cubic feet of cargo. Power-sliding rear doors are standard across the lineup, and a power-operated liftgate with automatic closing feature is standard on EX, SX, and (you guessed it) SX Prestige.
Advantage: Chrysler Pacifica
Why? The Stow ’n Go seats are exceptionally convenient.
If you’d like to learn more about these minivans, be sure to read our expert reviews of the Chrysler Pacifica, Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Kia Carnival, and the Kia Carnival Hybrid. To find out how people like you rate models in this segment, check out our ratings from verified vehicle owners.
Also, please remember that while the information in this article was accurate and valid on October 10, 2024, it may have changed since that date. Always confirm product details and availability with the automaker’s website or your local dealership.
Jack R. Nerad has reviewed cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs for over three decades. He also managed the editorial efforts of MotorTrend, JD Power, and Kelley Blue Book. Jack currently hosts the Sports Byline Network program "America on the Road," available on Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Audacy, Amazon Music, and other outlets.
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