Compare the2024 Kia SeltosVS 2023 Jeep Cherokee

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Model Availability
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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Seltos and Cherokee have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Seltos S/EX/X-Line/SX has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Cherokee’s Rear Cross-Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

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 and blind spot warning systems.

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:

	Seltos	Cherokee
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	129	204
Neck Injury Risk	24%	38.2%
Neck Stress	237 lbs.	408 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	41 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 Jeep Cherokee:

	Seltos	Cherokee
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	234	264
Hip Force	754 lbs.	938 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	433 lbs.	490 lbs.

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 162 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cherokee has not been tested, yet.

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 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.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 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 above average in initial quality. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is rated lower.

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.

Engine

The Seltos X-Line/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 more horsepower (195 vs. 180) and 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.:

	Seltos	Cherokee
Zero to 30 MPH	3.6 sec	3.9 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	9 sec	10.9 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.5 sec	7 sec
Quarter Mile	17.1 sec	18.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	84 MPH	78.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Seltos
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/34 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/31 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/27 hwy
Cherokee
	AWD	2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/26 hwy

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 on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Seltos has a standard locking fuel door. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Cherokee. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Seltos stops much shorter than the Cherokee:

	Seltos	Cherokee
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	133 feet	153 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

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 X-Line/SX’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Cherokee Altitude LUX’s optional 60 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

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).

Chassis

The Kia Seltos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 to 950 pounds less than the Jeep Cherokee.

The Seltos is 10.3 inches shorter than the Cherokee, making the Seltos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

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

Cargo Capacity

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:

	Seltos	Cherokee
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	32.7”/62.4”	33.9”/67.6”
Max Width	52.3”	49.2”
Min Width	41.6”	39.4”
Height	32.5”	28.8”

Ergonomics

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).

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.

Model Availability

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

Recommendations

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