Compare the2025 Toyota Corolla HatchbackVS 2024 Kia Seltos

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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The Toyota Corolla Hatchback 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 Hatchback has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats (WIL), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WIL system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Seltos doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Corolla Hatchback 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 Hatchback and the Seltos 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, plastic fuel tanks, 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 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 Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	Corolla Hatchback	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 Hatchback is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	Corolla Hatchback	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.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Corolla Hatchback is 4.6% to 6.4% less likely to roll over than the Seltos.

Warranty

The Corolla Hatchback’s 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 Hatchback for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Seltos.

There are over 56 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Corolla Hatchback’s 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 Hatchback’s reliability 28 points higher than the Seltos.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 40 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 8th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 10th.

Engine

The Corolla Hatchback’s 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.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is faster than the Kia Seltos 4 cyl.:

	Corolla Hatchback	Seltos
Zero to 30 MPH	3.4 sec	3.6 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.7 sec	9 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.4 sec	5.5 sec
Quarter Mile	16.8 sec	17.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87 MPH	84 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Corolla Hatchback
	FWD	SE/Nightshade 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	32 city/41 hwy
		XSE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
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

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Corolla Hatchback higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia Seltos (5). This means the Corolla Hatchback 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 Hatchback’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Seltos:

	Corolla Hatchback	Seltos
Front Rotors	11.5 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	10.5 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 Hatchback has a standard Brake Assist 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.

Tires and Wheels

The Corolla Hatchback Nightshade/XSE’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Seltos AWD X-Line/SX’s 45 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Toyota Corolla Hatchback 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 Seltos 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Corolla Hatchback has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Corolla Hatchback flat and controlled during cornering. The Seltos 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

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

Passenger Space

The Corolla Hatchback has .6 inches more front legroom and .4 inches more front hip room than the Seltos.

Ergonomics

The Corolla Hatchback’s 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 Hatchback’s 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 Hatchback 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 Hatchback has a standard Smart Key System that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Seltos S/EX/X-Line/SX offers a Smart Key.

The Corolla Hatchback’s 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.

The Corolla Hatchback’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Kia only offers heated mirrors on the Seltos S/EX/X-Line/SX.

The Corolla Hatchback XSE’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 Hatchback and the Seltos offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Corolla Hatchback XSE 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

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Corolla Hatchback and the Kia Seltos, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Kia Seltos by almost four to one during 2023.