Compare the2023 Toyota Corolla CrossVS 2023 Kia Seltos

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross 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.

Both the Corolla Cross 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, rear parking sensors 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 Corolla Cross is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	Corolla Cross	Seltos
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	330/310 lbs.	460/429 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	356	405
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	41%
Neck Compression	86 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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Cross is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	Corolla Cross	Seltos
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	92	109
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.2 inches
Abdominal Force	129 lbs.	170 lbs.
Hip Force	330 lbs.	428 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	137	234
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	70 G’s
Hip Force	367 lbs.	754 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	33 G’s

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, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla Cross its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 126 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Seltos is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Warranty

The Corolla Cross’ 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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross’ 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 Corolla Cross’ reliability 40 points higher than the Seltos.

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 Corolla Cross’ 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 23 more horsepower (169 vs. 146) and 19 lbs.-ft. more torque (151 vs. 132) than the Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Corolla Cross
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	29 city/32 hwy
Seltos
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/31 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/30 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Corolla Cross higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia Seltos (5). This means the Corolla Cross produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Seltos every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Corolla Cross’ brake rotors are larger than those on the Seltos:

	Corolla Cross	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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross stops shorter than the Seltos:

	Corolla Cross	Seltos
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	122 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

The Corolla Cross XLE AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Seltos S pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Corolla Cross XLE AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Seltos S (28.2 seconds @ .57 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Corolla Cross has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Seltos (8.1 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Corolla Cross to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Corolla Cross has 1.5 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more rear headroom than the Seltos.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Corolla Cross XLE offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Seltos doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Payload and Towing

The Corolla Cross has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Seltos has no towing capacity.

The Corolla Cross has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Seltos (1160 vs. 860 lbs.).

The Corolla Cross has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Seltos (1175 vs. 860 lbs.).

Ergonomics

The Corolla Cross’ 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 Corolla Cross’ 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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross’ 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.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Corolla Cross XLE offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Seltos doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Corolla Cross’ 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 Corolla Cross XLE’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 Corolla Cross and the Seltos offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Corolla Cross 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.

Model Availability

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Kia Seltos isn’t available as a sedan or four door hatchback.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Corolla Cross as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.