Compare the2022 Mazda CX-30VS 2022 Kia Seltos

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Mazda CX-30 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help 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 CX-30 has standard Whiplash-Reducing Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Seltos doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-30. But it costs extra on the Seltos.

The CX-30 Turbo Premium Plus has a standard 360° View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Seltos only offers a rear monitor.

Both the CX-30 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, 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 Mazda CX-30 is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	CX-30	Seltos
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Stress	216 lbs.	237 lbs.
Neck Compression	18 lbs.	23 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	201/172 lbs.	460/429 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	179	405
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	33.5%	41%
Neck Compression	85 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 Mazda CX-30 is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	CX-30	Seltos
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	73	109
Chest Movement	1 inches	1.2 inches
Hip Force	275 lbs.	428 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	197	234
Spine Acceleration	60 G’s	70 G’s
Hip Force	525 lbs.	754 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
HIC	178	225
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	33 G’s

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CX-30 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 77 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Seltos is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Warranty

The CX-30’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Seltos runs out after 100,000 miles.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the CX-30 has a 130-amp alternator. The Seltos’ standard 120-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

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 CX-30’s reliability 67 points higher than the Seltos.

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

Engine

The CX-30’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 40 more horsepower (186 vs. 146) and 54 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 132) than the Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CX-30’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 11 more horsepower (186 vs. 175) than the Seltos Nightfall/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder. The CX-30’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 75 more horsepower (250 vs. 175) and 125 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 195) than the Seltos Nightfall/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda CX-30 4 cyl. is faster than the Kia Seltos 4 cyl.:

	CX-30	Seltos
Zero to 60 MPH	7.8 sec	8.3 sec
Quarter Mile	16 sec	16.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88.3 MPH	85.5 MPH

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CX-30’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Seltos:

	CX-30	Seltos
Front Rotors	11.6 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	10.4 inches	10.3 inches

The CX-30 stops shorter than the Seltos:

	CX-30	Seltos
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	122 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

The CX-30 has engine 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 CX-30 Premium handles at .83 G’s, while the Seltos S pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CX-30 Premium executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the Seltos S (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the CX-30 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Seltos (8 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the CX-30 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The CX-30 has .3 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more front shoulder room and .4 inches more rear hip room than the Seltos.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CX-30 Premium has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Seltos doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Servicing Ease

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the CX-30 to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes, air filter replacement and tire rotation 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

When two different drivers share the CX-30 Preferred/Carbon/Turbo/Premium, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Seltos doesn’t offer a memory system.

The CX-30 Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Seltos doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-30’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 CX-30’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.

The CX-30’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.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-30 Premium has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Seltos doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the CX-30 Preferred/Carbon/Turbo/Premium is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Seltos’ mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The CX-30’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Seltos offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

On extremely cold winter days, the CX-30 Turbo Premium’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 CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Turbo/Premium’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 CX-30 and the Seltos offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Turbo/Premium 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® chose the Mazda CX-30 as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Kia Seltos isn't recommended.