Compare the2024 Kia SeltosVS 2023 Mazda 3

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 Mazda 3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Seltos and the Mazda 3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, 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 Mazda 3:

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 Mazda 3:

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

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 3’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 Mazda covers the 3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Mazda 3 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

There are over 42 percent more Kia dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Seltos’ warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Seltos has a standard 150-amp alternator. The Mazda 3’s standard 100-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

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 Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated below 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 Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 12th.

The Seltos X-Line/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 4 more horsepower (195 vs. 191) and 9 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 186) than the Mazda 3’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Seltos uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Mazda 3 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Kia Seltos X-Line/SX, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Mazda 3.

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 Mazda 3 doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the Seltos X-Line/SX’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Mazda 3:

The Seltos stops much shorter than the Mazda 3:

For better traction, the Seltos has larger standard tires than the Mazda 3 (215/55R17 vs. 205/60R16). The Seltos AWD X-Line/SX’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Mazda 3 (235/45R18 vs. 215/45R18).

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 Mazda 3 2.5 S’ standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Seltos has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Mazda 3 2.5 S.

For superior ride and handling, the Seltos AWD 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 Mazda 3 has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Seltos AWD has front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Seltos AWD flat and controlled during cornering. The Mazda 3’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

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 Mazda 3 doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Seltos S AWD handles at .85 G’s, while the Mazda 3 Premium Sedan AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Seltos is 3 inches shorter than the Mazda 3 Hatchback, making the Seltos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces. The Seltos is 10.9 inches shorter than the Mazda 3 Sedan.

The Seltos has 6.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Mazda 3 Sedan (99 vs. 92.8). The Seltos has 6.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Mazda 3 Hatchback (99 vs. 92.7).

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Seltos’ rear seats recline. The Mazda 3’s rear seats don’t recline.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Seltos’ liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The power windows standard on both the Seltos and the Mazda 3 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 Mazda 3 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

Consumer Reports rated the Seltos’ headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Mazda 3’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Seltos SX keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Seltos and the Mazda 3, based on reliability, safety and performance.