Compare the2022 Mitsubishi Outlander SportVS 2022 Kia Seltos

The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 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 Outlander Sport has standard Active Front Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Front Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Seltos doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Outlander Sport and the Seltos have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, 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 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 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, results indicate that the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is safer than the Kia Seltos:

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

The Outlander Sport’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Seltos’ (7/100,000 vs. 5/100,000).

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Outlander Sport has a 130-amp alternator. The Seltos’ standard 120-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Outlander Sport second among small suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Seltos isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mitsubishi vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mitsubishi third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 6th.

The Outlander Sport’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 2 more horsepower (148 vs. 146) and 13 lbs.-ft. more torque (145 vs. 132) than the Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

The Outlander Sport AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Seltos (15.8 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Outlander Sport FWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Seltos (16.6 vs. 13.2 gallons).

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

The Outlander Sport stops shorter than the Seltos:

For superior ride and handling, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 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 Outlander Sport has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Outlander Sport 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 Outlander Sport’s wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than on the Seltos (105.1 inches vs. 103.5 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Outlander Sport has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Seltos (8.5 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Outlander Sport to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Outlander Sport has .2 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Seltos.

A Service Reminder is standard on the Outlander Sport to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes and vehicle inspection 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 Outlander Sport’s driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Seltos’ standard driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully.

The Outlander Sport’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Seltos’ manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Outlander Sport’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.