Minivans · 3 model years, 2022 to 2026
Toyota Sienna vs Kia Carnival: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Sienna looks better on 2 and the Carnival on 0, with 5 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 23, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2022 to 2026 | Sienna | Carnival |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 1.7% | 12% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 10,000 | 6,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 1 | 1 |
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 Sienna owners complain about most is seats; for the Carnival it is electrical. Complaints citing seats make up 54% of all Sienna complaints, against 3.2% on the Carnival. The Carnival leans the other way on electrical: 39% of its complaints, against 4.3% for the Sienna.
Toyota SiennaKia Carnival
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 Sienna is seat belt problems (54% of its complaints). On the Carnival it is dead battery (21% of its complaints), against 1.7% on the Sienna.
| Problem | Sienna | Carnival |
|---|---|---|
| Seat belt or seat problems | 54% 228most in 2025 | 2.1% 6 |
| Battery dies or the car will not start | 1.7% 7 | 21% 61most in 2025 |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 16% 66most in 2022 | 0 |
| Check engine light or misfire | 0 | 8.4% 24 |
| Windshield cracks or distorts | 2.4% 10 | 6.0% 17 |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 2.6% 11 | 5.3% 15 |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 0 | 6.3% 18 |
| Multiple warning lights come on at once | 0 | 2.5% 7 |
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 Sienna the halfway point is 10,000. 92% of Sienna reports and 89% of Carnival 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.
Toyota SiennaKia Carnival
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 38 for the Sienna and 38 for the Carnival.
Worst and best years
The 2021 Sienna draws 2.3 times the complaints of a typical Sienna year for its age. No Carnival model year stands out from the rest.
Toyota SiennaKia Carnival
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 two draw recalls at about the same rate: 2.3 campaigns per model year for the Sienna and 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.
Toyota Sienna
7 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: seats (2), equipment adaptive/mobility (2) and seat belts (1).
- 25V-086 (seats) covers 2 model years
- 25V-877 (equipment adaptive/mobility) covers 2 model years
Investigations
- DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds (closed, led to a recall)
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)
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 1.7% for the Sienna. Complaints on file report 1 death in the Sienna and 0 in the Carnival for these model years.
Toyota SiennaKia Carnival
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 Toyota Sienna or the Kia Carnival more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Sienna looks better on 2 and the Carnival on 0, with 5 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Sienna has 419 complaints and the Carnival 285 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 Sienna or the Carnival?
The Sienna has 7 recall campaigns and the Carnival 7 across the 3 model years from 2022 to 2026 that both have on file. The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 2.3 campaigns per model year for the Sienna and 2.3 for the Carnival.
What are the most common problems on the Sienna and the Carnival?
The most reported problem on the Sienna is seat belt problems (54% of its complaints). On the Carnival it is dead battery (21% of its complaints), against 1.7% on the Sienna.
More comparisons
- Toyota Sienna vs Honda Odyssey2014 to 2026
- Toyota Sienna vs Chrysler Pacifica2017 to 2026
- Kia Carnival vs Honda Odyssey2022 to 2026
- Dodge Grand Caravan vs Toyota Sienna2014 to 2017