Compare the2023 Kia SeltosVS 2022 Ford EcoSport

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Seltos are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Seltos has standard Autonomous Emergency Braking, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The EcoSport doesn't offer collision warning or crash mitigation brakes.

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 EcoSport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Seltos’ lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

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 EcoSport doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Seltos and the EcoSport 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, 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 Ford EcoSport:

	Seltos	EcoSport
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	129	250
Neck Injury Risk	24%	36%
Neck Stress	237 lbs.	403 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	60 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	460/429 lbs.	495/441 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Stress	127 lbs.	200 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	144/44 lbs.	329/236 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 post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Seltos is safer than the Ford EcoSport:

	Seltos	EcoSport
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	37 G’s
Hip Force	433 lbs.	549 lbs.

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 2.2% to 5.3% less likely to roll over than the EcoSport.

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, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Seltos the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The EcoSport has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

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 EcoSport’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 Ford covers the EcoSport. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the EcoSport ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

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 Seltos’ reliability 27 points higher than the EcoSport.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 11 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 10th.

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 Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 43 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 16th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 9 places higher in reliability than Ford.

Engine

The Seltos Nightfall/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (175 vs. 166) and 46 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 149) than the EcoSport’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Kia Seltos is faster than the Ford EcoSport:

	Seltos 4 cyl.	Seltos Nightfall/SX	EcoSport
Zero to 30 MPH	3.6 sec	n/a	3.9 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	9 sec	6.9 sec	10.7 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.5 sec	n/a	6.7 sec
Quarter Mile	17.1 sec	15.4 sec	18.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	84 MPH	91.2 MPH	79 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
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
EcoSport
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy

Transmission

A seven-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Kia Seltos Nightfall/SX, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the EcoSport.

The Seltos has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Seltos Nightfall/SX	EcoSport
Front Rotors	12 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	11.2 inches	10.7 inches

The Seltos stops much shorter than the EcoSport:

	Seltos	EcoSport
70 to 0 MPH	160 feet	186 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	132 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	133 feet	139 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Seltos has larger standard tires than the EcoSport (215/55R17 vs. 205/60R16). The Seltos AWD Nightfall/SX’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the EcoSport (235/45R18 vs. 205/60R16).

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 EcoSport’s standard 60 series tires. The Seltos AWD Nightfall/SX’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the EcoSport’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Seltos has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the EcoSport. The Seltos AWD Nightfall/SX’s 18-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels optional on the EcoSport.

The Kia Seltos’ wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Ford EcoSport only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

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 EcoSport doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Seltos’ wheelbase is 4.3 inches longer than on the EcoSport (103.5 inches vs. 99.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Seltos is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the EcoSport.

The Seltos SX handles at .84 G’s, while the EcoSport Titanium pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Seltos S AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.6 seconds quicker than the EcoSport SE (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 29.3 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

Chassis

The Kia Seltos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 350 pounds less than the Ford EcoSport.

Passenger Space

The Seltos has 7.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the EcoSport (99 vs. 91.1).

The Seltos has .4 inches more front headroom, 1.9 inches more front hip room, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 1.3 inches more rear legroom, 1.9 inches more rear hip room and 3.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the EcoSport.

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

Cargo Capacity

The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the EcoSport with its rear seat up (26.6 vs. 20.9 cubic feet). The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the EcoSport with its rear seat folded (62.8 vs. 50 cubic feet).

The Seltos’ liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The EcoSport’s swing out door blocks loading from the driver’s side.

Ergonomics

The Seltos has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

In addition to a parabolic reflector, optical-grade lenses in the Seltos’ standard projector headlights precisely focus the beam, providing more even illumination of the road for better visibility and a sharp cut-off that prevents blinding oncoming drivers. The sharp cutoff allows the use of a stronger light. The EcoSport’s standard uses a simple reflector to direct its standard headlights. The Seltos SX’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the EcoSport’s projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the Seltos’ headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the EcoSport’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Seltos detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The EcoSport doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

Both the Seltos and the EcoSport 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 EcoSport doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Seltos SX has a standard Smart Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The EcoSport doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Seltos EX/SX has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The EcoSport doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Model Availability

The Seltos is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Seltos owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Seltos will cost $35 to $1490 less than the EcoSport over a five-year period.

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 49.25% to 49.41% of its original price after five years, while the EcoSport only retains 44.94% to 46.13%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Seltos will be $794 to $1963 less than for the Ford EcoSport.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia Seltos, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Ford EcoSport isn't recommended.

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