The Popular Minivan That's More Reliable Than A Toyota Sienna

For decades, Toyota has remained one of the go-to brands for practicality and reliability. Seeing the brand's logo on a car can encourage even the most shrewd of car shoppers to fork out thousands. So, it's no surprise then that the brand's minivan offering — the Toyota Sienna — is one of the most popular in its category. In 2025, 101,486 Sienna units were sold in the U.S., making it the No. 2 minivan in America that year, behind only the Chrysler Pacifica, according to Good Car Bad Car. The Sienna was also named one of the best new cars by Kelley Blue Book. 

However, despite sales records and dependability, another minivan model outperforms Toyota Sienna in reliability — the Kia Carnival. With over 86,000 units sold in 2025, it's not too far behind the Sienna in popularity. And while there isn't a definitive review with a final verdict on reliability, Carnival's scores from JD Power and Sienna's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall alerts show Kia Carnival as the more reliable minivan choice. Since recalls can end up being expensive — especially if you decide to repair the problem before a notice is issued — Kia Carnival may had an edge over the Sienna financially, too. 

The first point Kia Carnival scores over Toyota Sienna is that the 2025 model, as of April 2026, has had no NHTSA recalls. Meanwhile, the Sienna from the same model year has been recalled five times. Those recalls included seat-related safety issues, including third-row seat back bolts that have not been fastened properly during assembly. 

Also, according to J.D. Power, Kia Carnival somewhat outperforms the Sienna in terms of reliability, with a score of 76 versus 71 out of 100. Kia also cushions the risk with a 5-year or 60,000-mile basic warranty and a 10-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. In contrast, Toyota's basic warranty is 3 years or 36,000 miles, and its powertrain coverage is 5 years or 60,000 miles.

This doesn't mean that the Carnival is automatically the better car. In fact, resale value is where Toyota Sienna has an edge on Kia's minivan. Although it's one of the Toyota cars with a low resale value, according to an iSeeCars estimate, Sienna depreciates by 38.6% over five years; during the same time period, Carnival's depreciation rate hits 50.1% — a gap of 11.5% in Toyota's favor. So, while the cleaner recall sheet, a higher reliability score, and a longer warranty all help Kia Carnival's case, Toyota Sienna could be the better option if your plan is to buy once and cash out later.