Compare the2023 Toyota Rav4VS 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
Payload and Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Rav4 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Seltos doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Toyota Rav4 has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps 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.

The Rav4 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Seltos doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Rav4 Limited/TRD Off-Road offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Seltos only offers a rear monitor.

Both the Rav4 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, 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, 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 Toyota Rav4 is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	Rav4	Seltos
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	284	405
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	37.4%	41%
Neck Compression	95 lbs.	171 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, results indicate that the Toyota Rav4 is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	Rav4	Seltos
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	83	109
Chest Movement	.5 inches	1.2 inches
Abdominal Force	138 lbs.	170 lbs.
Hip Force	246 lbs.	428 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	234
Spine Acceleration	49 G’s	70 G’s
Hip Force	508 lbs.	754 lbs.

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Rav4 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Seltos last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

Warranty

The Rav4’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Seltos runs out after 100,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Rav4 for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Seltos.

There are over 59 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Rav4’s warranty.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 9th.

Engine

The Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 57 more horsepower (203 vs. 146) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (184 vs. 132) than the Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 28 more horsepower (203 vs. 175) than the Seltos Nightfall/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota Rav4 is faster than the Kia Seltos 4 cyl.:

	Rav4	Seltos
Zero to 30 MPH	3.1 sec	3.6 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	9 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.5 sec	5.5 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	17.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88 MPH	84 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 gets better mileage than the Seltos:

			MPG
Rav4
	AWD	LE 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/34 hwy
		XLE 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/33 hwy
		Adventure/Limited 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/33 hwy
		TRD Off-Road 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/32 hwy
Seltos
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/31 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/30 hwy

The Rav4 has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Seltos (14.5 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Rav4 higher (6 out of 10) than the Kia Seltos (5). This means the Rav4 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 Rav4’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Seltos:

	Rav4	Seltos
Front Rotors	12 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	11.1 inches	10.3 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 Rav4 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.

The Rav4 stops shorter than the Seltos:

	Rav4	Seltos
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	122 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Rav4 has larger standard tires than the Seltos (225/65R17 vs. 215/55R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Rav4 XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited has standard 19-inch wheels. The Seltos’ largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Toyota Rav4 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 Rav4 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Rav4 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 Rav4’s wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than on the Seltos (105.9 inches vs. 103.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Rav4 is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Seltos.

The Rav4 Adventure handles at .81 G’s, while the Seltos S pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Rav4 Adventure executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Seltos S (27.5 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Rav4 LE/XLE has a 1.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Seltos (8.4 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Rav4 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Rav4 XLE Premium/Limited/Adventure/TRD Off-Road’s minimum ground clearance is 1.3 inches higher than on the Seltos (8.6 vs. 7.3 inches).

Chassis

The front grille of the Rav4 Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road 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.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Rav4 Limited 4WD is quieter than the Seltos SX:

	Rav4	Seltos
Full-Throttle	77 dB	83 dB
70 MPH Cruising	66 dB	71 dB

Passenger Space

The Rav4 has .8 inches more front hip room, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Seltos.

Cargo Capacity

The Rav4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Seltos with its rear seat up (37.6 vs. 26.6 cubic feet). The Rav4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Seltos with its rear seat folded (69.8 vs. 62.8 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Rav4 easier. The Rav4’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.8 inches, while the Seltos’ liftover is 29.4 inches.

The Rav4’s cargo area is larger than the Seltos’ in almost every dimension:

	Rav4	Seltos
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	40”/73.4”	32.7”/62.4”
Max Width	59”	52.3”
Min Width	39.4”	41.6”
Height	36.6”	32.5”

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Rav4. The Seltos doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Rav4 (except LE) offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button or, optionally on the Rav4 Limited, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Seltos doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Payload and Towing

The Rav4 has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Seltos has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Rav4 uses the Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Seltos doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Rav4 has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Seltos (1100 vs. 860 lbs.).

The Rav4 has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Seltos (1230 vs. 860 lbs.).

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Rav4 Limited, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Seltos doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Rav4’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 Rav4’s front and rear power windows all 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.

If the windows are left open on the Rav4 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Seltos can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Rav4 XLE/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Seltos’ manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Rav4’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.

Both the Rav4 and the Seltos offer available heated front seats. The Rav4 Limited also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Seltos.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Rav4 (except LE/XLE/Adventure) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Seltos doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Rav4 XLE/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Seltos doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Rav4 XLE/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road’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 Rav4 and the Seltos offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Rav4 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.

The Rav4 Adventure/TRD Off-Road has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Seltos doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Rav4 and the Kia Seltos, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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