Compare the2025 Subaru CrosstrekVS 2025 Kia Seltos

The Subaru Crosstrek 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 Crosstrek has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats 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.

With its standard EyeSight, the Subaru Crosstrek is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Kia Seltos, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Crosstrek. But it costs extra on the Seltos.

The Crosstrek offers available parking sensors to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The Seltos doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

Both the Crosstrek and the Seltos have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Subaru Crosstrek is safer than the Seltos:

The Crosstrek’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Seltos runs out after 100,000 miles.

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 Crosstrek’s reliability 48 points higher than the Seltos.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 4 places higher in reliability than Kia.

The Crosstrek’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 6 more horsepower (152 vs. 146) and 13 lbs.-ft. more torque (145 vs. 132) than the Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Crosstrek Premium/Sport/Limited/Wilderness 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder is faster than the Kia Seltos 4 cyl.:

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Crosstrek lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Seltos doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

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

Regardless of its engine, the Crosstrek’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Kia only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Seltos 2.0.

The Crosstrek has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Seltos (16.6 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

The Crosstrek’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Seltos are solid, not vented.

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don’t press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The Crosstrek 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.

The Crosstrek stops shorter than the Seltos:

For better traction, the Crosstrek has larger tires than the Seltos (225/60R17 vs. 215/55R17).

For superior ride and handling, the Subaru Crosstrek 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 Crosstrek has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Crosstrek flat and controlled during cornering. The Seltos 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Crosstrek’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the Seltos (104.9 inches vs. 103.5 inches).

The Crosstrek handles at .81 G’s, while the Seltos S pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Crosstrek Wilderness executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Seltos S (27.9 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Crosstrek has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Seltos (8.7 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Crosstrek to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Crosstrek Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is 2 inches higher than on the Seltos (9.3 vs. 7.3 inches).

The front grille of the Crosstrek uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Seltos doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Crosstrek has 1.5 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front hip room, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, 2.4 inches more rear hip room and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Seltos.

The Crosstrek’s cargo area is larger than the Seltos’ in almost every dimension:

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Crosstrek. The Seltos doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Crosstrek has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Seltos has no towing capacity.

The engine in the Crosstrek is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Seltos. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Subaru 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 39% lower rating, Kia is ranked 24th.

The Crosstrek’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 Crosstrek’s front power windows 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.

The Crosstrek’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Seltos’ passenger power window and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Crosstrek’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 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Crosstrek’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Seltos’ headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Crosstrek has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Seltos doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Crosstrek’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Seltos offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Crosstrek’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 are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Subaru Crosstrek as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its October 2023 issue and the Subaru Crosstrek won out over the Kia Seltos SX.

The Subaru Crosstrek outsold the Kia Seltos by almost three to one during 2023.