Compare the2024 Kia SeltosVS 2024 Hyundai Kona

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Tires and Wheels
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Seltos and the Kona 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.

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 Kona has not been fully tested, yet.

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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai 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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked third.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 4 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

Engine

The Seltos X-Line/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 48 more horsepower (195 vs. 147) and 63 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 132) than the Kona SE/SEL’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Seltos
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/34 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/31 hwy
Kona
	FWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/32 hwy
	AWD	SE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/29 hwy
		SEL 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/29 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/29 hwy

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 Kona SE’s standard 60 series tires.

Passenger Space

The Seltos has .1 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more rear headroom and .4 inches more rear hip room than the Kona.

Cargo Capacity

The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume than the Kona with its rear seat up (26.6 vs. 25.5 cubic feet).

Recommendations

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

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