Compare the2025 Kia SeltosVS 2024 Acura RDX

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 RDX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Seltos and RDX 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 RDX’s Rear Cross Traffic Monitor 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 RDX doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Seltos and the RDX 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 parking sensors.

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 Acura RDX:

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 post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Seltos is safer than the Acura RDX:

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 RDX’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Seltos 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Acura covers the RDX. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the RDX ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Kia dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Seltos’ warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Seltos second among small suvs in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The RDX isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 18th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Acura is rated below average.

As tested in Motor Trend the Seltos X-Line/SX 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Acura RDX:

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Seltos uses regular unleaded gasoline. The RDX requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 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 RDX doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Seltos stops much shorter than the RDX:

The Seltos SX handles at .84 G’s, while the RDX A-Spec pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Seltos S AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the RDX (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Seltos’ turning circle is 4.1 feet tighter than the RDX’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.9 feet).

The Kia Seltos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 700 to 1100 pounds less than the Acura RDX.

The Seltos is 1 foot, 2.8 inches shorter than the RDX, making the Seltos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Seltos has .4 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more rear headroom and 2.9 inches more rear hip room than the RDX.

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

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

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

The Seltos will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Seltos will retain 57.1% to 64.07% of its original price after five years, while the RDX only retains 53.7% to 55%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Seltos will be $17573 to $18498 less than for the Acura RDX.

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

The Kia Seltos outsold the Acura RDX by 53% during 2023.