Minivans · 3 model years, 2022 to 2026
Kia Carnival vs Honda Odyssey: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Carnival and the Odyssey split evenly (2 each, the rest too close to call).
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2022 to 2026 | Carnival | Odyssey |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 2.5% | 1.3% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 12% | 4.0% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 6,000 | 17,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 2.3 | 3.0 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 1 | 2 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Carnival owners complain about most is electrical, and it is the same for the Odyssey. Complaints citing structure make up 14% of all Carnival complaints, against 1.8% on the Odyssey. The Odyssey leans the other way on engine: 41% of its complaints, against 11% for the Carnival.
Kia CarnivalHonda Odyssey
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Carnival is dead battery (21% of its complaints). On the Odyssey it is stalling (32% of its complaints), against 6.3% on the Carnival.
| Problem | Carnival | Odyssey |
|---|---|---|
| Battery dies or the car will not start | 21% 61most in 2025 | 16% 91most in 2025 · 19k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 6.3% 18 | 32% 174most in 2025 · 18k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 5.3% 15 | 6.9% 38most in 2025 · 20k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 8.4% 24 | 1.1% 6 |
| Auto start-stop will not restart the engine | 0 | 9.2% 51most in 2025 · 16k mi |
| Multiple warning lights come on at once | 2.5% 7 | 5.6% 31most in 2025 |
| Windshield cracks or distorts | 6.0% 17 | 1.1% 6 |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 0 | 5.3% 29 |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Carnival owners report problems earlier. Half the Carnival complaints that give a mileage come before 6,000 miles; for the Odyssey the halfway point is 17,000. 89% of Carnival reports and 89% of Odyssey reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Kia CarnivalHonda Odyssey
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 38 for the Carnival and 96 for the Odyssey.
Worst and best years
No Carnival model year stands out from the rest. The 2019 Odyssey draws 4.9 times the complaints of a typical Odyssey year for its age.
Kia CarnivalHonda Odyssey
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Odyssey draws more recalls: 3.0 campaigns per model year against 2.3 for the Carnival. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Kia Carnival
7 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (2), structure (2) and latches/locks/linkages (1).
- 26V-232 (fuel system) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- PE22004: Power sliding door auto reverse failure (closed, led to a recall)
Honda Odyssey
9 recall campaigns and 2 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: airbags (3), tires (1) and seats (1).
- 25V-877 (equipment adaptive/mobility) covers 3 model years
- 26V-332 (airbags) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- PE25018: Inadvertent deployment of side air bags (closed, led to a recall)
- EA25004: No restart after auto start/stop engages (open)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Carnival complaints report a crash: 2.5%, against 1.3% for the Odyssey. Fires are rare on both.
Kia CarnivalHonda Odyssey
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Kia Carnival or the Honda Odyssey more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Carnival and the Odyssey split evenly (2 each, the rest too close to call). NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Carnival has 285 complaints and the Odyssey 552 for the 3 model years from 2022 to 2026 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Carnival or the Odyssey?
The Carnival has 7 recall campaigns and the Odyssey 9 across the 3 model years from 2022 to 2026 that both have on file. The Odyssey draws more recalls: 3.0 campaigns per model year against 2.3 for the Carnival.
What are the most common problems on the Carnival and the Odyssey?
The most reported problem on the Carnival is dead battery (21% of its complaints). On the Odyssey it is stalling (32% of its complaints), against 6.3% on the Carnival.
More comparisons
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