Hyundai Staria vs Kia Carnival

The Hyundai Staria starts from $54,300 before on-road costs, while the Kia Carnival opens at $54,560. That makes the Hyundai Staria the more affordable entry point by $260.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $59,730 and $60,016 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Kia Carnival by roughly $5,700 in fuel alone.

Both the Hyundai Staria and Kia Carnival hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 85% for the Hyundai Staria and 90% for the Kia Carnival.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. We can confirm 5 of 10 key ADAS systems on both.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the Hyundai Staria and 7 in the Kia Carnival.

The Hyundai Staria features a 8-inch touchscreen paired with a 4.2-inch digital dash, while the Kia Carnival gets a 12.3-inch display and 4-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Hyundai Staria stands out with Apple CarPlay — features our data doesn't list for the Kia Carnival. The Kia Carnival counters with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and power tailgate. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Hyundai Staria uses a Petrol producing 200kW and 331Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a FWD layout.

The Kia Carnival responds with a Diesel making 148kW and 440Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 9.1 seconds.

The Hyundai Staria has the clear power advantage at 200kW vs 148kW. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Hyundai Staria measures 5,253mm long on a 3,273mm wheelbase, 98mm longer than the Kia Carnival at 5,155mm (3,090mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Hyundai Staria generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 831L in the Hyundai Staria and 627L in the Kia Carnival, giving the Hyundai Staria a 204L advantage.

For towing, the Hyundai Staria leads with a 2,500kg braked capacity vs 2,000kg. That 500kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,993/year for the Hyundai Staria and $1,853/year for the Kia Carnival. That is a $1,140 annual difference in favour of the Kia Carnival.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Hyundai Staria) vs 7 years / 999,999km (Kia Carnival). The Kia Carnival has longer coverage.