Compare the2022 Toyota Corolla CrossVS 2022 Kia Seltos

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Corolla Cross have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Seltos doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The Toyota Corolla Cross 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 Cross 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 Cross and the Seltos have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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 all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors 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 Cross is safer than the Kia Seltos:

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 Cross is safer than the Kia Seltos:

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

The Corolla Cross’ 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 Cross 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 62 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Corolla Cross’ warranty.

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 reliability. Kia is ranked 15th.

The Corolla Cross’ 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 23 more horsepower (169 vs. 146) and 19 lbs.-ft. more torque (151 vs. 132) than the Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

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

Both the Corolla Cross and the Seltos have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stop lights and heavy traffic. All Corolla Cross’s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

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

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

For greater off-road capability the Corolla Cross has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Seltos (8.1 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Corolla Cross to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Corolla Cross has 1.5 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more rear headroom than the Seltos.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Corolla Cross XLE offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Seltos doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

The Corolla Cross has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Seltos has no towing capacity.

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Corolla Cross 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.

The Corolla Cross’ 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 Cross’ 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 Cross 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 Cross XLE 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 Cross’ 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 Cross XLE’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 Cross and the Seltos offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Corolla Cross 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.

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.

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