Volkswagen Crafter vs Kia Carnival

The Volkswagen Crafter starts from $70,990 before on-road costs, while the Kia Carnival opens at $50,570. That makes the Kia Carnival the more affordable entry point by $20,420.

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 $78,089 and $55,627 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Volkswagen Crafter by roughly $1,565 in fuel alone.

ANCAP safety ratings have not been published for both models yet. We will update this section when crash test results are available.

The Volkswagen Crafter features a 10.4-inch touchscreen paired with a 10.3-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 Volkswagen Crafter stands out with Apple CarPlay that you will not find on the Kia Carnival. The Kia Carnival counters with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charging and power tailgate. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Volkswagen Crafter uses a Diesel I4 Bi-Turbo TDI producing 130kW and 410Nm of torque, sent through a 8-speed automatic w/ torque converter to a FWD layout.

The Kia Carnival responds with a Petrol making 216kW and 355Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 9.1 seconds.

The Kia Carnival has the clear power advantage at 216kW vs 130kW. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Volkswagen Crafter measures 5,986mm long on a 3,640mm wheelbase, 831mm longer than the Kia Carnival at 5,155mm (3,090mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Volkswagen Crafter generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 2530L in the Volkswagen Crafter and 627L in the Kia Carnival, giving the Volkswagen Crafter a 1903L advantage. The Volkswagen Crafter seats 12 vs 8.

For towing, the Volkswagen Crafter 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 $2,423/year for the Volkswagen Crafter and $2,736/year for the Kia Carnival. That is a $313 annual difference in favour of the Volkswagen Crafter.

Estimated annual total: $2,423 (Volkswagen Crafter) vs $2,736 (Kia Carnival). The Volkswagen Crafter saves you roughly $313 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

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