Compare the2023 Kia SeltosVS 2023 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
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 Eclipse Cross 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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Seltos’ standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Seltos and the Eclipse Cross 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, 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 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross:

	Seltos	Eclipse Cross
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	129	248
Neck Injury Risk	24%	38.7%
Neck Stress	237 lbs.	424 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	33 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.7 inches
Neck Stress	127 lbs.	182 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	144/44 lbs.	331/198 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 flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Seltos is safer than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross:

	Seltos	Eclipse Cross
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	109	145
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
HIC	225	358
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	433 lbs.	622 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 1.6% to 3.4% less likely to roll over than the Eclipse Cross.

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 Eclipse Cross has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

There are over 2 times as many Kia dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Seltos’ warranty.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Seltos has a standard 640-amp battery. The Eclipse Cross’ 520-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 70 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is ranked 28th, 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 Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 38 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is ranked 14th.

Engine

The Seltos Nightfall/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 23 more horsepower (175 vs. 152) and 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 184) than the Eclipse Cross’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Seltos is faster than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross:

	Seltos 4 cyl.	Seltos Nightfall/SX	Eclipse Cross
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	6.9 sec	9.6 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	15.4 sec	17.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	85.5 MPH	91.2 MPH	78.9 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Seltos gets better mileage than the Eclipse Cross:

			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
Eclipse Cross
	AWD	ES 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/28 hwy
		1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/26 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Seltos’ engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Seltos Nightfall/SX	Eclipse Cross
Front Rotors	12 inches	11.6 inches

The Seltos stops much shorter than the Eclipse Cross:

	Seltos	Eclipse Cross
70 to 0 MPH	160 feet	178 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	133 feet	134 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Seltos AWD Nightfall/SX’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Eclipse Cross (235/45R18 vs. 225/55R18).

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 Eclipse Cross ES’ standard 70 series tires. The Seltos AWD Nightfall/SX’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Eclipse Cross LE/SE/SEL’s 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 Eclipse Cross ES.

Suspension and Handling

The Seltos has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Eclipse Cross’ suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Seltos is .8 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Eclipse Cross.

The Seltos SX handles at .84 G’s, while the Eclipse Cross SE pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Seltos S AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.3 seconds quicker than the Eclipse Cross SEL (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 29 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

Chassis

The Kia Seltos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 500 pounds less than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross.

The Seltos is 7 inches shorter than the Eclipse Cross, making the Seltos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Seltos has 2.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Eclipse Cross (99 vs. 96.7).

The Seltos has .5 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, .9 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear hip room than the Eclipse Cross.

Cargo Capacity

The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Eclipse Cross with its rear seat up (26.6 vs. 23.4 cubic feet). The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Eclipse Cross with its rear seat folded (62.8 vs. 50.1 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Seltos and the Eclipse Cross have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Seltos is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Eclipse Cross prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Seltos’ power locks have a lockout prevention feature. When the driver’s door is open, it won’t lock, so you can’t possibly lock your keys in the vehicle. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t provide lockout prevention.

The Eclipse Cross’ standard power locks don’t automatically lock the doors. The Seltos’ standard doors lock when a certain speed is reached. This is an important feature for occupant safety. Locked doors are proven to open less often in collisions, and they are also effective in preventing crime at traffic lights.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Seltos has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Eclipse Cross only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Seltos’ available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Eclipse Cross’ headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

The Seltos has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Eclipse Cross has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the SE/SEL.

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

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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Model Availability

The Seltos is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Eclipse Cross 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 $615 to $2285 less than the Eclipse Cross 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 Eclipse Cross only retains 44.85% to 45.54%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Seltos will be $2907 to $3741 less than for the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross.

Recommendations

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