Kia Carnival vs Mazda CX-80

The Kia Carnival starts from $54,560 before on-road costs, while the Mazda CX-80 opens at $56,100. That makes the Kia Carnival the more affordable entry point by $1,540.

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 $60,016 and $61,710 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Mazda CX-80 by roughly $1,855 in fuel alone.

Both the Kia Carnival and Mazda CX-80 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 90% for the Kia Carnival and 92% for the Mazda CX-80.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. We can confirm 6 of 10 key ADAS systems on the Mazda CX-80, against 5 on the Kia Carnival.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the Kia Carnival and 6 in the Mazda CX-80.

The Kia Carnival features a 12.3-inch touchscreen paired with a 4-inch digital dash, while the Mazda CX-80 gets a 10.3-inch display and 7-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Kia Carnival stands out with power tailgate — features our data doesn't list for the Mazda CX-80. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Kia Carnival uses a Diesel producing 148kW and 440Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 9.1 seconds.

The Mazda CX-80 responds with a Diesel making 187kW and 550Nm, paired to a automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 9 seconds.

The Mazda CX-80 has the clear power advantage at 187kW vs 148kW. In the 0-100 sprint (manufacturer-claimed), the Mazda CX-80 is 0.1s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Kia Carnival measures 5,155mm long on a 3,090mm wheelbase, 165mm longer than the Mazda CX-80 at 4,990mm (3,120mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mazda CX-80 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 627L in the Kia Carnival and 258L in the Mazda CX-80, giving the Kia Carnival a 369L advantage. The Kia Carnival seats 8 vs 7.

For towing, the Mazda CX-80 leads with a 2,000kg braked capacity vs 2,000kg. That 0kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $1,853/year for the Kia Carnival and $1,482/year for the Mazda CX-80. That is a $371 annual difference in favour of the Mazda CX-80.

Warranty: 7 years / 999,999km (Kia Carnival) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Mazda CX-80). The Kia Carnival has longer coverage.