Compare the2023 Kia SeltosVS 2023 Acura RDX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
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 RDX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 RDX 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 RDX doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Seltos and the RDX 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 Acura RDX:

	Seltos	RDX
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	129	300
Neck Injury Risk	24%	26%
Neck Stress	237 lbs.	262 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	144/44 lbs.	362/441 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 Acura RDX:

	Seltos	RDX
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	225	486
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	433 lbs.	704 lbs.

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

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 RDX’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Seltos 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Acura covers the RDX. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the RDX ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Kia dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Seltos’ warranty.

Reliability

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 Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 36 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 21st, below the industry average.

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 Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 99 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 28th.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Seltos Nightfall/SX 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Acura RDX:

	Seltos	RDX
Zero to 60 MPH	6.9 sec	7.1 sec
Quarter Mile	15.4 sec	15.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.2 MPH	90.7 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			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
RDX
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/28 hwy
		A-Spec 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/27 hwy
		A-Spec 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/26 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Seltos uses regular unleaded gasoline. The RDX requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Transmission

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 RDX 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 RDX doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

The Seltos stops much shorter than the RDX:

	Seltos	RDX
70 to 0 MPH	160 feet	180 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

The Seltos SX handles at .84 G’s, while the RDX A-Spec AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Seltos S AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the RDX AWD (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Seltos’ turning circle is 4.1 feet tighter than the RDX’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.9 feet).

Chassis

The Kia Seltos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 850 pounds less than the Acura RDX.

The Seltos is 1 foot, 3.4 inches shorter than the RDX, making the Seltos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Seltos has .4 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more rear headroom and 2.9 inches more rear hip room than the RDX.

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

Ergonomics

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

Economic Advantages

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 RDX only retains 47.35% to 49.21%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Seltos will be $14950 to $19574 less than for the Acura RDX.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Seltos and the Acura RDX, based on reliability, safety and performance.