Chrysler Pacifica vs Kia Carnival: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Kia Carnival burns about $1,850 of fuel annually against $1,900 for the Chrysler Pacifica. That $50 yearly gap compounds to roughly $250 over five years and $400 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Kia Carnival is the stronger commuter at 34 mpg city, while the Chrysler Pacifica pulls ahead on the interstate at 33 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Chrysler Pacifica is recorded with 3 distinct engine configurations (3.6, PHEV, Stop-Start), the Kia Carnival with 2 (SIDI; Hybrid, SIDI & PFI). Across 31 recorded Chrysler Pacifica configurations and 9 for the Kia Carnival, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Chrysler Pacifica is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive, the Kia Carnival with Front-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Minivan - 2WD and Minivan - 2WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Chrysler Pacifica emits 106 g/mile of CO2 versus 274 g/mile for the Kia Carnival. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.