Compare the2023 Kia SeltosVS 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Seltos S Turbo/EX/SX has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Seltos’ driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Seltos and the Trailblazer 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, available all wheel drive, daytime running lights, 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 Kia Seltos is safer than the Chevrolet Trailblazer:

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 Seltos is 1% to 3.4% less likely to roll over than the Trailblazer.

The Seltos comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Trailblazer’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Seltos 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Chevrolet covers the Trailblazer. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Trailblazer ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Seltos’ engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Trailblazer’s camshafts. If the Trailblazer’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 10th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 2 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

The Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (146 vs. 137) than the Trailblazer’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder. The Seltos Nightfall/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 20 more horsepower (175 vs. 155) and 21 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 174) than the Trailblazer’s optional 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Seltos is faster than the Chevrolet Trailblazer 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the Seltos gets better mileage than the Trailblazer:

The Seltos offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is more internally efficient than a CVT but just as easy to drive. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the Seltos Nightfall/SX’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Trailblazer:

The Seltos stops shorter than the Trailblazer:

For better traction, the Seltos AWD Nightfall/SX’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Trailblazer (235/45R18 vs. 225/60R17).

The Seltos’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Trailblazer L’s standard 65 series tires. The Seltos AWD Nightfall/SX’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Trailblazer RS’ 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Seltos has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Trailblazer L.

For superior ride and handling, the Seltos AWD 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 Chevrolet Trailblazer has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Seltos AWD has front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Seltos AWD flat and controlled during cornering. The Trailblazer’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Seltos 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 Trailblazer doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Seltos S AWD handles at .85 G’s, while the Trailblazer RS AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Seltos S AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Trailblazer RS AWD (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Seltos’ turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Trailblazer’s (34.8 feet vs. 36.8 feet).

The Seltos has .5 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more front shoulder room, 7.1 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Trailblazer.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Seltos’ rear seats recline. The Trailblazer’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Trailblazer with its rear seat up (26.6 vs. 25.3 cubic feet). The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Trailblazer with its rear seat folded (62.8 vs. 54.4 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Seltos easier. The Seltos’ cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.4 inches, while the Trailblazer’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The Seltos’ cargo area is larger than the Trailblazer’s in almost every dimension:

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

The Seltos (except LX)’s available GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Trailblazer’s available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

The Seltos will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Seltos will retain 47.95% to 49.69% of its original price after five years, while the Trailblazer only retains 46.09% to 46.97%.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its April 2021 issue and they ranked the Kia Seltos SX first. They ranked the Chevrolet Trailblazer RS AWD third.

The Kia Seltos outsold the Chevrolet Trailblazer by 35% during 2020.