Compare the2023 Kia SeltosVS 2022 Hyundai Kona

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 Kona doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the Seltos and the Kona 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, driver alert monitors, 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 Hyundai Kona:

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 Kia Seltos is safer than the Hyundai Kona:

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, 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 141 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Kona has not been fully tested, yet.

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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai 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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked third.

The Seltos Nightfall/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 28 more horsepower (175 vs. 147) and 63 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 132) than the Kona’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Seltos Nightfall/SX 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Kona N Line/Limited 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder:

The Seltos stops much shorter than the Kona:

For better traction, the Seltos has larger standard tires than the Kona (215/55R17 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 Kona SE’s standard 60 series tires.

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

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Seltos’ wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than on the Kona (103.5 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

The Seltos S AWD handles at .85 G’s, while the Kona SE pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Seltos S AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Kona SE (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Seltos has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Kona (7.3 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the Seltos to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Seltos has 4.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Kona (99 vs. 94.1).

The Seltos has .4 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front hip room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 2.8 inches more rear legroom, .6 inches more rear hip room and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Kona.

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

The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kona with its rear seat up (26.6 vs. 19.2 cubic feet). The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kona with its rear seat folded (62.8 vs. 45.8 cubic feet).

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

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

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