Compare the2023 Honda CR-VVS 2023 Kia Seltos

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda CR-V have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Kia Seltos doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Honda CR-V 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.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Seltos’ side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The CR-V has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Seltos S/EX/Nightfall/SX offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CR-V has standard Cross Traffic Monitor, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Seltos S/EX/Nightfall/SX offers Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning.

Both the CR-V and the Seltos have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 and rear parking sensors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CR-V its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Seltos was last a “Top Safety Pick Plus” in 2019 but no longer qualifies.

Warranty

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

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the CR-V for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Seltos.

There are over 37 percent more Honda dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the CR-V’s warranty.

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 CR-V’s reliability 14 points higher than the Seltos.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 4 places higher in reliability than Kia.

Engine

The CR-V’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 44 more horsepower (190 vs. 146) and 47 lbs.-ft. more torque (179 vs. 132) than the Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CR-V’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 more horsepower (190 vs. 175) than the Seltos Nightfall/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Honda CR-V is faster than the Kia Seltos 4 cyl.:

	CR-V	Seltos
Zero to 60 MPH	8.8 sec	9 sec
Quarter Mile	17 sec	17.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86 MPH	84 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V gets better mileage than the Seltos:

			MPG
CR-V
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	27 city/32 hwy
Seltos
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/31 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/30 hwy

The CR-V has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Seltos doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda CR-V higher (6 out of 10) than the Kia Seltos (5). This means the CR-V produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Seltos every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CR-V’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Seltos:

	CR-V	Seltos	Seltos Nightfall/SX
Front Rotors	12.3 inches	11 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	12.2 inches	10.3 inches	11.2 inches

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don’t press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The CR-V has a standard brake assist system to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The Seltos doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CR-V has larger tires than the Seltos (235/60R18 vs. 215/55R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CR-V has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Seltos.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Honda CR-V 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 CR-V has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the CR-V 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 CR-V’s wheelbase is 2.8 inches longer than on the Seltos (106.3 inches vs. 103.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CR-V is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Seltos.

The CR-V EX-L AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Seltos S pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CR-V EX-L AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Seltos S (28 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

Chassis

The front grille of the CR-V uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Seltos doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The CR-V uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Seltos doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The CR-V has 4.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Seltos (103.5 vs. 99).

The CR-V has 2.1 inches more front hip room, 2.4 inches more front shoulder room, 2.4 inches more rear legroom and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Seltos.

Cargo Capacity

The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Seltos with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 26.6 cubic feet). The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Seltos with its rear seat folded (76.5 vs. 62.8 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CR-V easier. The CR-V’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26 inches, while the Seltos’ liftover is 29.4 inches.

The CR-V’s cargo area is larger than the Seltos’ in almost every dimension:

	CR-V	Seltos
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	37.5”/71”	32.7”/62.4”
Max Width	54”	52.3”
Min Width	41.5”	41.6”
Height	41”	32.5”

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the CR-V. The Seltos doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

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

Towing

The CR-V has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Seltos has no towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The CR-V uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Seltos uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the CR-V EX-L, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Seltos doesn’t offer memory seats.

The CR-V EX-L’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Seltos doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The CR-V’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 CR-V’s standard front power windows 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 CR-V EX-L’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches. With the Seltos EX/SX’s power windows, only the driver’s window opens or closes automatically.

On a hot day the CR-V’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance with the keyless remote or at the outside door handle. The driver of the Seltos can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CR-V’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Seltos’ passenger power window and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The CR-V’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Seltos’ manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The CR-V’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Seltos’ standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The CR-V’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.

The CR-V’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 CR-V and the Seltos offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CR-V has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Seltos doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda CR-V and the Kia Seltos, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The Seltos has never been chosen.