Compare the2023 Kia SeltosVS 2023 Jeep Cherokee

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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Seltos and the Cherokee have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 Jeep Cherokee:

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 Jeep Cherokee:

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, 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 Cherokee has not been fully tested, yet.

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 Cherokee’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Seltos 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Jeep covers the Cherokee. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Cherokee ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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 Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 43 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 23rd, 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 Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 56 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 19th.

The Seltos Nightfall/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 24 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 171) than the Cherokee’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Kia Seltos 4 cyl. is faster than the Jeep Cherokee 4 cyl.:

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

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

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

The Seltos stops much shorter than the Cherokee:

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 Cherokee Trailhawk 4x4’s standard 65 series tires. The Seltos AWD Nightfall/SX’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Cherokee Altitude LUX’s optional 60 series tires.

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

The Seltos S AWD handles at .85 G’s, while the Cherokee pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Seltos S AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Cherokee (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Seltos’ turning circle is 2.9 feet tighter than the Cherokee’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.7 feet). The Seltos’ turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Cherokee Trailhawk’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

The Kia Seltos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 700 to 950 pounds less than the Jeep Cherokee.

The Seltos is 10.9 inches shorter than the Cherokee, making the Seltos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Seltos has .6 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom and 2.9 inches more rear hip room than the Cherokee.

The Seltos has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Cherokee with its rear seat folded (62.8 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Seltos easier. The Seltos’ cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.4 inches, while the Cherokee’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

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

The Seltos has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

Consumer Reports rated the Seltos’ headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Cherokee’s headlights, which were rated “Fair” to “Good” (depending on model and options).

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 Cherokee’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

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 Cherokee doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Seltos is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

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