Compare the2022 Honda CR-V HybridVS 2022 Kia Seltos

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V Hybrid deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V Hybrid’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Seltos’ airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CR-V Hybrid. But it costs extra on the Seltos.

The CR-V Hybrid has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Seltos EX/Nightfall/SX offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CR-V Hybrid has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Seltos EX/Nightfall/SX has a cross-path warning system.

Both the CR-V Hybrid and the Seltos have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and available rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda CR-V Hybrid is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	CR-V Hybrid	Seltos
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Stress	175 lbs.	237 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	65/19 lbs.	460/429 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	309	405
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	37%	41%
Neck Compression	96 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, results indicate that the Honda CR-V Hybrid is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	CR-V Hybrid	Seltos
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	71	109
Chest Movement	.6 inches	1.2 inches
Abdominal Force	142 G’s	170 G’s
Hip Force	310 lbs.	428 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	143	234
Spine Acceleration	50 G’s	70 G’s
Hip Force	567 lbs.	754 lbs.

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

Warranty

The CR-V Hybrid’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Seltos runs out after 100,000 miles.

There are over 39 percent more Honda dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the CR-V Hybrid’s warranty.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 10 places higher in reliability than Kia.

Engine

The CR-V Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 66 more horsepower (212 vs. 146) and 100 lbs.-ft. more torque (232 vs. 132) than the Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CR-V Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 37 more horsepower (212 vs. 175) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (232 vs. 195) than the Seltos Nightfall/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda CR-V Hybrid is faster than the Kia Seltos 4 cyl.:

	CR-V Hybrid	Seltos
Zero to 30 MPH	2.9 sec	3.2 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.5 sec	8.3 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	13.4 sec	14.3 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	3.9 sec	4.2 sec
Quarter Mile	16 sec	16.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86.3 MPH	85.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V Hybrid gets better mileage than the Seltos:

			MPG
CR-V Hybrid
		2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	40 city/35 hwy
Seltos
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/31 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/30 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the CR-V Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Seltos doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CR-V Hybrid has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Seltos doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CR-V Hybrid’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Seltos:

	CR-V Hybrid	Seltos	Seltos Nightfall/SX
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	11 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	12.2 inches	10.3 inches	11.2 inches

The CR-V Hybrid stops shorter than the Seltos:

	CR-V Hybrid	Seltos
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	122 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CR-V Hybrid has larger tires than the Seltos (235/60R18 vs. 215/55R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CR-V Hybrid EX/EX-L has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Seltos. The CR-V Hybrid Touring’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Seltos AWD Nightfall/SX.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Honda CR-V Hybrid 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 CR-V Hybrid has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the CR-V Hybrid flat and controlled during cornering. The Seltos 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CR-V Hybrid’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Seltos (104.7 inches vs. 103.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CR-V Hybrid is .9 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than on the Seltos.

The CR-V Hybrid Touring handles at .81 G’s, while the Seltos S pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CR-V Hybrid Touring executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Seltos S (28 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the CR-V Hybrid has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Seltos (8.2 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the CR-V Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The front grille of the CR-V Hybrid uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Seltos doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The CR-V Hybrid uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Seltos doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The CR-V Hybrid has 3.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Seltos (102.9 vs. 99).

The CR-V Hybrid has 1.6 inches more front hip room, 2.4 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 2.4 inches more rear legroom and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Seltos.

Cargo Capacity

The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Seltos with its rear seat up (33.2 vs. 26.6 cubic feet). The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Seltos with its rear seat folded (68.7 vs. 62.8 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CR-V Hybrid easier. The CR-V Hybrid’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26 inches, while the Seltos’ liftover is 29.4 inches.

The CR-V Hybrid’s cargo area is larger than the Seltos’ in almost every dimension:

	CR-V Hybrid	Seltos
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	37.5”/71”	32.7”/62.4”
Max Width	54”	52.3”
Min Width	41.5”	41.6”
Height	41”	32.5”

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CR-V Hybrid’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Seltos doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the CR-V Hybrid. The Seltos doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CR-V Hybrid EX-L/Touring has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the CR-V Hybrid Touring, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Seltos doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Servicing Ease

A Maintenance Minder is standard on the CR-V Hybrid to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes based on actual driving conditions. 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

When two different drivers share the CR-V Hybrid, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Seltos doesn’t offer memory seats.

The CR-V Hybrid EX-L/Touring’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Seltos doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The CR-V Hybrid’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 CR-V Hybrid’s front power windows 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 CR-V Hybrid 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. The driver of the Seltos can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CR-V Hybrid’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Seltos’ passenger power window and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The CR-V Hybrid Touring’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Seltos’ manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The CR-V Hybrid’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.

On extremely cold winter days, the CR-V Hybrid EX-L/Touring’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Seltos doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The CR-V Hybrid’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 CR-V Hybrid and the Seltos offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CR-V Hybrid 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.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda CR-V Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Kia Seltos isn't recommended.

The CR-V was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 20 years. The Seltos has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The Seltos has never been chosen.