Used MY16 Honda Odyssey Vs Brand New Kia Carnival – Family of 4, Keen to Hear Real Opinions

LKakabu on 14/12/2025 - 14:16
Last edited 14/12/2025 - 15:13 by 1 other user

Hi everyone, I’m after some honest opinions from the community. My partner and I are choosing a family car and would love to hear from people who’ve been in a similar situation.

We have 2 kids under 5, and we definitely prefer minivans for space, sliding doors, and practicality. We’re currently stuck between these two options:

⸻

Option 1: Used Honda Odyssey (MY16) - completed 100,000km
• Bought from a dealer
• $22,000 drive-away (includes gov fees, RWC, 3 months rego)
• 1-year mechanical warranty
• Interior & exterior in good condition
• Known issues found:
• Rear windows only work from driver control
• Rear heater takes a long time to blow hot air when parked
• Dealer has agreed to fix these under special conditions of sale
• I’ll still get a PPI done if I proceed
• Paying $22k cash, no finance

—————-

Option 2: Brand New Kia Carnival (Diesel)
• Around $70,000
• Plan:
• Pay $22k upfront
• Remainder drawn from home loan (offset/redraw)
• Pros: brand new, warranty, modern safety tech, no surprises (hopefully)
• Cons: big price difference and higher long-term commitment

——————
I’m trying to balance:
• Cost vs peace of mind
• Reliability vs depreciation
• Cash purchase vs increasing home loan
• Real-world practicality for a young family

I’m very open-minded and not emotionally attached to either option yet. Would really appreciate hearing:
• What would you do in this situation?
• Any long-term ownership experience with Odyssey or Carnival?
• Anything I might be overlooking?

Poll Options

  • 45
    Option A: Used MY16 Honda Odyssey – cheaper, cash, some risk
  • 10
    Option B: Brand new Kia Carnival – expensive but peace of mind
  • 14
    Option C: Neither – consider a different minivan/SUV
Automotive Car Honda Kia Van

Comments

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Search through all the comments in this post.
  • Jaduqimon on 14/12/2025 - 15:22
    +13

    Buy a used kia carnival prefacelift thats still in manufactuers 7 year warranty. Can pick one up im the 40ks

    • theHMASfriendship on 14/12/2025 - 15:33
      +7

      Can pick one up

      You must be very strong!

    • Shoocat on 14/12/2025 - 20:38
      +1

      This needs to be added to the poll

  • pegaxs on 14/12/2025 - 16:32
    +11

    Who cross shops a $22k, 9yo car with 100k with a brand new 2025 $70k vehicle with 0km??? And who buys a Kia Carnival for a family of 4 when almost any small to medium sized SUV would work and cost about half as much…

    Get a BYD Sealion 7 and pocket the $15k in spare change and enjoy much cheaper motoring.

    • brad1-8tsi on 14/12/2025 - 16:38
      +6

      When we had the people movers we were a family of 4 but the extra seats came in handy when the grandparents came to town or the kids were bringing friends with them.
      Far more practical than a 3 row SUV.

    • djones145 on 14/12/2025 - 16:56
      +3

      i would consider a bus as well, which i can also afford, but it doesnt have sliding doors

    • zonra on 14/12/2025 - 22:56
      +1

      OP be like, hey guys, should I get a used G-shock or new Rolex?
      Also, Carnival is a nice people mover but way overkill for a family of 4. It's also an absolute b!tch to park, with 360 camera only coming in top trim.
      Carnival vs Sorento is a better comparison if OP is going non-EV, between which Sorento is better if you don't need that third row often.
      If EV, Sealion 7 is a great contender.

  • kerfuffle on 14/12/2025 - 14:33
    +7

    Obligatory Reddit post

    • pegaxs on 14/12/2025 - 16:36
      +3

      Gotta cross swap for that confirmation bias… :D

      • SetTheFaqUp on 15/12/2025 - 23:00
        +2

        Nothing on WP?

      • ReaperX22 on 16/12/2025 - 12:54
        +1

        It's faster to swap forums than it is to reload…

        Something something joke. Lol

  • Mainline Photo on 14/12/2025 - 17:00
    +7

    Here you Redriven review of the Odyessy :)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB34TT0yZ_g

    • Rockets84 on 15/12/2025 - 11:39
      +2

      ReDriven is such a good channel. Highly recommend that people check it out before they a used car.

      • Mainline Photo on 17/12/2025 - 18:30
        +1

        Adam and team are excellent folks… We meet up with them anytime they are doing a review on the Upper North Shore… Here is a photo of Marley the Groodle signing his deal with Adam to get a fast car ride for cute photos lol
        https://imgur.com/a/l4VJ06K

  • Bignudge on 14/12/2025 - 14:54
    +5

    The kids will be spilling and spewing in the car. I would rather spend $20K and park it wherever you want without as much fear as with a brand new car.

    • skillet on 15/12/2025 - 15:40
      +1

      Spoken by a man(father) with experience.

  • MS Paint on 14/12/2025 - 14:38
    +4

    I personally believe that the new Kia Carnival is an excellent car and very easy to drive. It also looks alright.

    With that being said, if we want to apply logic to this, it is almost always wiser to buy a car up front with cash than borrowing tens of thousands of dollars just to buy a car.

    • Dr Phil on 15/12/2025 - 10:33

      Well said MS Paint.

      Add the fact OP is considering a 9 year old car with no warranty vs a new car with full warranty

      Putting cost and borrowing aside, the choice is a no brainer.

      But after taking cost into account, as MS Paint said…
      "it is almost always wiser to buy a car up front with cash than borrowing"

      In fact….
      RULE#1 is:
      Never buy a depreciating asset with borrowed money!
      If OP wants to borrow so much money its far better to invest it in a Gold ETF and Silver ETF which will boom into 2026 (over 50%).
      Even shares could boom by a similar amount into 2026!
      So OP's borrowed $50K could be worth $75K+ in the next 6-12 months.

      RULE#2 is
      Minimise your biggest car expense which depreciation!
      Which OP has NOT taken into account in thier costs (HUGE MISTAKE!)

      The Honda has already seen significant depreciation.
      So over the next 5 years it might depreciate by another $10K
      Whilst the Kia Carnival could see around $35K depreciation in the same time frame
      Add the interest expense on the loan and OP is looking at a very expensive choice!

      NB: Im sure OP could find a much better deal on a 2016 Honda Odessy or other people mover so enforcing that choice

      • MS Paint on 15/12/2025 - 11:28
        +1

        It was literally a cut and paste of the first reply on reddit purely for shits and giggles.

      • Euphemistic on 15/12/2025 - 19:28
        +1

        Putting cost and borrowing aside, the choice is a no brainer.

        Thats a pretty big item to just dismiss. We arent talking about a couple of thousand difference here.

      • johnno07 on 16/12/2025 - 15:14
        +1

        RULE#1 is: If OP wants to borrow so much money its far better to invest it in a Gold ETF and Silver ETF which will boom into 2026 (over 50%).

        I'll think you'll find Rule #1 is treat GUARANTEED financial advice as the opposite of advice.

  • chickenchipsgravy on 14/12/2025 - 16:13
    +3

    theoretically, a newer car is better than the older car but the decision here is deeper. you're not emotionally attached, cool but realistically what earning effort/capacity is required to make up the $50K difference? if you're on 280k, new car no hesitation. if youre piecing together 70k/pa, clearly the used vehicle for cash is the clear winner.

  • Euphemistic on 14/12/2025 - 17:23
    +3

    Get the oldest, cheapest car your ego can afford. Buying new will cost thousands in depreciation in the first couple of years. Used car depreciation is significanlty less and you also get to keep the money in the offset account.

  • RandomNinja on 15/12/2025 - 10:36
    +3

    If you'll mostly be using it as a short distance runaround car, I'd suggest leaning away from Diesel. I have a MY2015 Carnival Diesel and use it very similarly to how you will be (3 kids for school, local shops, occasionally other kids/grandparents) and fuel efficiency isn't great aside from when we do a road trip. I've been eyeing the new Hybrid version as an upgrade when it's time, have a look and see if it might suit your needs better.

    Also, go for an ex-demo if you can find it, can get a decent discount for a relatively small tradeoff in km's.

    • JimB on 15/12/2025 - 10:44
      +1

      I was going to say this about Diesels.

  • JimB on 15/12/2025 - 11:33
    +3

    If you're going to spend $70k on a family car that does all city driving, it makes sense to also look at electric cars for the tax benefits.

  • freefall101 on 14/12/2025 - 16:14
    +2

    How much are you planning on driving it? And what's the long term plan?

    If you're doing a lot of long journeys the Carnival makes more sense, peace of mind, diesel starts making sense, if you're doing 20,000 km a year it's not going to need to be replaced shortly. If it's just to do school runs and trips to the shops, save your money and get something cheaper.

    That Honda sounds like a pile of red flags to me though.

  • Rockets84 on 15/12/2025 - 12:13
    +2

    Get a 2 year old low km's Carnival. Don't wear that new car depreciation yourself. A quick search on CarSales and I found a 2023 diesel with 16,00km for $45K. Carnival's are pretty popular as corporate lease vehicles for running around staff etc so there's typically a healthy supply of ex lease cars on the market.

    We've had two Carnival's,both petrol, the first one was when they were still called Grand Carnival. Our current one is a 2019. We do 8 hour country driving with three teenagers, my son being 6"1' and he's comfortable in the third row. With the third row up there's heaps of boot space, we can fit 5 suitcases in there no issues. With the third row folded down plenty of space for moving stuff. We've had no issues mechanically with both our Carnival's, just regular servicing. They are hard wearing on tyres so make sure you check your pressures regularly and get them rotated, balanced and aligned etc. Only issue we've had is my wife giving them them odd scrape as they are big cars and in small car parks they can be a pain to park, but no more than any other large vehicle.

  • darshu on 15/12/2025 - 12:16
    +2

    Test drive both and check what you like. Honda Odyssey has a 2.4L engine and can feel underpowered under full load (going uphill when full of people or luggage). Honda Odysseys are not sold in Australia; therefore, the price is inflated. I drove one and didn't like the front seats. The rear seats are ok, but the seat height is not great. It's a simple vehicle; therefore, only a few things can break (stop working).

    With a brand-new Kia, you will need to chew the high depreciation.

  • Valview on 15/12/2025 - 19:11
    +2

    We are a family of 4 (kids age 5 & 8) and have a MY14 Odyssey. Love my odyssey because inside space is large compared to external dimensions and if we had to replace it now, it would be with a MY21 Odyssey because that model scored Apple CarPlay / Android Auto, although a MY21 is a lot more expensive than a MY20.
    Our MY14 VTi (base model) didnt come with universal child seat anchor points, which my wife had professionally installed, although I believe it can be DIY with a readily available aftermarket bracket.
    The only problem we have encountered is the side mirrors sometimes play up on folding in.
    We do use ULP95 and get it serviced 6 monthly.
    I've never driven a Carnival but it looks much bigger and I imagine harder to park. Parking around schools and shopping centres is often tight.
    Do buy 2nd hand, your kids wont keep your car clean.
    Our kids are taller than average and by the time they become teenagers the 2nd row wont have enough leg room so we'll upgrade to something bigger then.

  • SetTheFaqUp on 15/12/2025 - 23:03
    +2

    Get an EV for the daily usage and hire a Carnivale for when it is needed.

    • vtml on 16/12/2025 - 13:44
      +1

      Agree. It's 2025. Getting a Tesla Model Y (add FSD) is never the wrong choice for a family of 4.

      • SetTheFaqUp on 16/12/2025 - 15:16
        +1

        Er… No… A byd at half the price is perfect as a local runabout. The savings will go towards the 7-8 seater hire.

        • vtml on 18/12/2025 - 11:58
          +2

          Notice that I did not say it is the right choice, I just said it is not a wrong choice.

          • Euphemistic on 22/12/2025 - 17:36
            +1

            @vtml: But surely it is the wrong choice when plenty of other options around.

  • brad1-8tsi on 14/12/2025 - 16:36
    +1

    We had a 2015 Odyssey (the top of the range) and it was a good car and handled really well with some Michelin tyres.

    You did have to drive it hard to feel like you were making progress. The 2.4 was a bit pedestrian but the 3.0 wasn't an option (IIRC).

    Our Accord Euro 2.4 was still going strong with 220k km on it so 100k km shouldn't be an issue.

    Keep in mind the Odyssey is almost 10 years old and they weren't super expensive brand new.

    • MS Paint on 14/12/2025 - 16:41
      +1

      (the top of the range)

      All the bells and whistles?

      • brad1-8tsi on 14/12/2025 - 16:48
        +2

        All the bells and whistles?

        Yeah, them doodads and fancy stuff that you use when it's new and then forget it's there after a month.

        I can't remember what Honda called it. Like many family trucksters it wasn't a car to be passionate about. Just another form of transport.

        • 87percent on 14/12/2025 - 17:37
          +1

          The VTiL model

          Has the 2 seats in the 2nd row, and both doors are automatic

          • brad1-8tsi on 16/12/2025 - 07:05
            +1

            @87percent: That's the one.

            Maybe LED headlights? It was almost 10 years ago - can't remember.

  • Wiadro on 15/12/2025 - 12:26
    +1

    always the Kia Carnival

  • apple2016 on 15/12/2025 - 15:16
    +1

    Option 2: Brand New Kia Carnival (Diesel)

    Although high upfront cost but you will get warranty and after 5 yrs your car will still be worth $35k

    Also minivan is over kill for 4 person household.

    • 87percent on 15/12/2025 - 17:45
      +1

      Wouldn’t agree with the “mini is overkill for 4 person”

      We’re a family of 4, with a mini van, and the extra space is good. Not to mention sliding doors

  • obiwanmy on 15/12/2025 - 15:51
    +1

    What is your current car model OP ?

  • LFO on 15/12/2025 - 17:43
    +1

    Option 1: Used Honda Odyssey (MY16) - completed 100,000km

    That is a 9 (nine) years old vehicle.
    100,000km for 9 years might idicate lots fo very short trips (engine and oils not too happy)

    From the outside, isn't the Carnival a lot bigger than the Honda? As in roomier?

    May be used only once but the Carnival can become a van … and then back to minivan.

    Voted for Carnival.

  • HCBargain on 16/12/2025 - 13:18
    +1

    Go for a PHEV. I have a Sealion and it's great. Full EV mode for 90% of the driving - school drop off, commute, kid's sport etc. Then massive range if needed for the trips away.

  • tsk2 on 16/12/2025 - 15:27
    +1

    2 or 3 year carnival?

    Avoid Starias, they are a disappointment (have a highlander) with a litany of issues and design fails. Partner refused to be seen in a Carnival because it looked like an SUV (fair call imo, shame the alternative was a let down)

  • gezza90 on 16/12/2025 - 15:40
    +1

    When buying a car, I go by the following:
    1. Aim for 5-9yrs old as it would have suffered most of its depreciation
    2. 10-15% my Gross annual income. If you don't do international travel much or don't have expensive hobbies, sure, spend up to 25% your gross annual income.
    3. Have sufficient cash to pay for the car. No finance.
    4. Service history, condition of paintwork and how many previous owners will tell you how the car was treated during its life. My wife bought a 2012 Suzuki Swift with 300,000klm. It drove much better than some of the 100,000km cars… Don't let the klms deceive you.

    Logical / rational decision - likely to be the Honda Odyssey
    Emotional decision - New Kia Carnival (which you will probably regret financially at a later stage when you come to sell it or trade it in).

  • Kakabu on 22/12/2025 - 17:28
    +1

    Thanks everyone for taking the time to comment and share your experiences and opinions. I genuinely appreciate all the advice. I learnt a lot from every single comment, from the tech concerns to the financial perspective and alternative options.

    After weighing everything up and doing a few test drives, we’ve decided to go with a 2021 Kia Carnival SLi for $44k with 80k kms, which feels like a good balance between value, features, space, and peace of mind. We’ll be picking it up this week.

    Really grateful for the insights and real world feedback. It definitely helped us make a more informed decision.

    • tsk2 on 27/12/2025 - 14:12

      SLI has all the key feature one needs. Solid choice, hopefully you got the diesel as that torque really helps move it along.

      • Kakabu on 29/12/2025 - 12:09

        Thanks! I’ve been really enjoying driving it over the last week. Most importantly, my wife loves it 😄

        We went with the petrol version because we do a lot of short trips, mainly school pick-ups. Even though I know the diesel would save a lot on fuel, petrol made more sense for our driving pattern. So far, no regrets at all.

  • Kakabu on 14/12/2025 - 20:49

    Thank you everyone for all the comments and contributions. I’ve read them all and really appreciate the insights.
    I just wanted to add some extra context about our situation and the purpose of buying the car. It will mainly be used for school drop-offs and pick-ups, as well as supermarket runs. I mostly work from home and usually take the train to the office.

    From time to time, we may also have grandma and grandpa travelling with us.

    My wife is leaning more towards a new car for the peace of mind, lower stress around repairs, and improved safety features.

    • pegaxs on 15/12/2025 - 22:10
      +2

      and the purpose of buying the car. It will mainly be used for school drop-offs and pick-ups, as well as supermarket runs.

      Oh, so in that case, you’re going to need a Dodge Ram 2500 dually or a Chevy Silverado if you want to fit in at school drop off time…

      • SetTheFaqUp on 15/12/2025 - 23:02
        +1

        "need a Dodge Ram 2500 dually or a Chevy Silverado if you want to fit in at school drop off time…"

        I think a Kentworth is the way to go.

    • brad1-8tsi on 16/12/2025 - 07:21
      +2

      There's a happy medium between New and a 10 year old vehicle.

      You can get USED in the current shape 2024 model with less than 40k km on it for around $50k and a NEW Carnival S with diesel is <$62k drive away.

      I assume your wife wants the Top of the range model and doesn't have to work for the money involved and likes to look good on the school pickup line??

      • Jonesy555 on 16/12/2025 - 15:57
        +1

        Driving a Kia would "look good on the school pick-up line" 🤔

        Lowering the standards there…

        • brad1-8tsi on 17/12/2025 - 16:58
          +1

          We had a few people movers. I never gave a tinkers what people thought of me.

          The latest Carnival in the right colour and with decent tint does look quite good. It has a Jeep Wagoneer / Ford Country Squire vibe to it without the wood panelling.

  • Dollar Dreamer on 16/12/2025 - 14:29
    -2

    I wouldn't buy a Korean car due to quality and reliability issues. I would buy Chinese and Japanese only.

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