Compare the2022 Toyota Corolla HatchbackVS 2022 Kia Seltos

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Toyota Corolla Hatchback has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Seltos doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Corolla Hatchback has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats (WIL), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WIL system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Seltos doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Corolla Hatchback has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Seltos doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Corolla Hatchback and the Seltos have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	Corolla Hatchback	Seltos
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	330/310 lbs.	460/429 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	356	405
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	41%
Neck Compression	86 lbs.	171 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	Corolla Hatchback	Seltos
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	92	109
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.2 inches
Abdominal Force	129 lbs.	170 lbs.
Hip Force	330 lbs.	428 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	137	234
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	70 G’s
Hip Force	367 lbs.	754 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	33 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Corolla Hatchback is 4.6% to 6.4% less likely to roll over than the Seltos.

Warranty

The Corolla Hatchback’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Seltos runs out after 100,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Corolla Hatchback for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Seltos.

There are over 59 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Corolla Hatchback’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Corolla Hatchback’s reliability 19 points higher than the Seltos.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 15th.

Engine

The Corolla Hatchback’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 22 more horsepower (168 vs. 146) and 19 lbs.-ft. more torque (151 vs. 132) than the Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is faster than the Kia Seltos 4 cyl. (automatics tested):

	Corolla Hatchback	Seltos
Zero to 30 MPH	3.4 sec	3.6 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.7 sec	9 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.4 sec	5.5 sec
Quarter Mile	16.8 sec	17.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87 MPH	84 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla Hatchback gets better mileage than the Seltos:

			MPG
Corolla Hatchback
FWD	Auto	SE/Nightshade 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	32 city/41 hwy
		XSE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
Seltos
FWD	Auto	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
AWD	Auto	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/31 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/30 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Corolla Hatchback higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia Seltos (5). This means the Corolla Hatchback produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Seltos every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Corolla Hatchback’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Seltos:

	Corolla Hatchback	Seltos
Front Rotors	11.5 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	10.5 inches	10.3 inches

Tires and Wheels

The Corolla Hatchback’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Seltos AWD Nightfall/SX’s 45 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Toyota Corolla Hatchback has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Seltos 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Corolla Hatchback has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Corolla Hatchback flat and controlled during cornering. The Seltos 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Corolla Hatchback has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Seltos doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Corolla Hatchback XSE handles at .85 G’s, while the Seltos S pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The Corolla Hatchback has .6 inches more front legroom and .4 inches more front hip room than the Seltos.

Servicing Ease

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Corolla Hatchback to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Kia doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Seltos.

Ergonomics

The Corolla Hatchback’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Seltos has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Corolla Hatchback’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Seltos’ standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Corolla Hatchback the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Seltos can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Corolla Hatchback XSE offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Seltos doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Corolla Hatchback’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Kia only offers heated mirrors on the Seltos S/EX/Nightfall/SX.

The Corolla Hatchback XSE’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Seltos doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Corolla Hatchback and the Seltos offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Corolla Hatchback XSE has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Seltos S/EX/Nightfall/SX doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Model Availability

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Kia Seltos isn’t available as a sedan or four door hatchback.

Economic Advantages

The Corolla Hatchback will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Corolla Hatchback will retain 54.79% to 55.65% of its original price after five years, while the Seltos only retains 47.95% to 49.69%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota Corolla Hatchback will be $1879 to $3983 less than for the Kia Seltos.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Corolla Hatchback as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Kia Seltos isn't recommended.

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Kia Seltos by almost five to one during the 2021 model year.