Compare the2025 Kia SeltosVS 2024 GMC Terrain

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Seltos are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The GMC Terrain doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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

Both the Seltos and the Terrain have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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 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 GMC Terrain:

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 Seltos is 1.3% to 1.6% less likely to roll over than the Terrain.

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

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 GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 38 more problems per 100 vehicles, GMC is ranked 20th, below the industry average.

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 GMC 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, GMC is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 14 places higher in reliability than GMC.

The Seltos X-Line/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 20 more horsepower (195 vs. 175) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

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

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

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 Terrain doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the Seltos AWD’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Terrain:

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 Terrain SLE/AT4’s standard 65 series tires. The Seltos AWD X-Line/SX’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Terrain’s optional 50 series tires.

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

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

The Seltos S AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Terrain Denali AWD (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.5 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Seltos’ turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Terrain w/17” wheels’ (34.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The Seltos’ turning circle is 6.8 feet tighter than the Terrain w/19” wheels’ (34.8 feet vs. 41.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Seltos has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Terrain SLE (7.3 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the Seltos to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Kia Seltos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 500 pounds less than the GMC Terrain.

The Seltos is 9.7 inches shorter than the Terrain, making the Seltos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Seltos has .5 inches more front legroom and 1 inch more rear hip room than the Terrain.

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

Insurance will cost less for the Seltos owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Seltos will cost $415 less than the Terrain over a five-year period.

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 Terrain only retains 53.97% to 56.81%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Seltos will be $6823 to $8477 less than for the GMC Terrain.

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