2020 Lincoln Navigator vs 2021 Kia Seltos

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator, sharing its platform with the Ford Expedition, distinguished itself with unique front and rear styling elements and the Lincoln Embrace lighting system. The Navigator featured a lattice-type grille insert, illuminated star logo, and full-width taillights, giving it a luxurious and distinctive appearance. The Reserve Monochromatic Package added body-color enhancements and 22-inch black-painted wheels, further customizing its look. Inside, the Navigator boasted mid-century modern styling cues, a panoramic glass roof, and high-quality materials, making it a convincingly luxurious flagship SUV.

In contrast, the 2021 Kia Seltos, despite being a subcompact SUV, had a big-car feel with an upright layout and a commanding view of the road. The headlight design flowed well into the grille, and the lower front bumper had an aggressive approach angle. The test model featured a two-tone roof design and red circles around the wheel centers, hinting at its on-road driving dynamics. Inside, the Seltos had a straightforward design layout with clean lines and seamlessly integrated tech features, influenced by more upscale brands like Audi. The interior provided ample space and a sporty yet utilitarian feel.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator came with a single engine choice: a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. This engine was paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, transferring power to the rear wheels or optional four-wheel drive. The Navigator offered multiple drive modes, including Conserve, Normal, Excite, Slippery, and Deep Conditions, with a towing capacity of up to 8,700 pounds. The SUV averaged 16.4 mpg on the testing loop, with the EPA rating it at 18 mpg combined. Despite its size, the Navigator exhibited excellent body motion control and a hint of athleticism, though it felt huge around town.

The 2021 Kia Seltos offered two engine options. The LX, S, and EX trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 146 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with a CVT. The S Turbo and SX Turbo trims featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 175 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The turbocharged engine provided ample power for highway speeds and passing maneuvers, with drive modes including Normal, Sport, and Smart. The Seltos exhibited little body roll in turns and felt nimble and planted, offering a smooth ride over bumps.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator required climbing up into the SUV, but once inside, it offered plenty of room for all passengers. The test vehicle's 30-way Perfect Position front seats were exceptionally comfortable, with power-adjustable pedals and a heated steering wheel. The second row could be configured with a bench or captain's chairs, and the third row provided ample legroom and thigh support. Cargo volumes were class-leading, with up to 103.3 cubic feet in the standard model and 120.2 cubic feet in the Navigator L.

The 2021 Kia Seltos provided 26.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 62.8 cubic feet with the seats folded. It featured plenty of cubbies and compartments for storage, with large cubbies and bottle holders in the front doors and a spacious center console. The rear seats offered impressive head- and legroom, making it one of the most spacious subcompact SUVs on the market.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator's Sync 3 infotainment system was slow to load content, but it offered Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and wireless device charging. The system's voice recognition worked reasonably well, though it required specific command pathways. The test vehicle included a 20-speaker Revel Ultima audio system, a surround-view camera system, and a head-up display. The optional Lincoln Play rear-seat entertainment system added dual 10-inch displays and wireless headphones.

The 2021 Kia Seltos featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the base S trim, while the SX Turbo came with a Bose premium sound system and a 10.25-inch touchscreen. The infotainment system was straightforward and intuitive, with a helpful home button and hard buttons below the touchscreen. However, plugging in a smartphone via USB defaulted to the phone's audio output, and only one of the two USB ports allowed data connection.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator came standard with the Lincoln Co-Pilot360 collection of advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Reserve trim added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. The Navigator received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, though the RWD model had a three-star rollover resistance rating.

The 2021 Kia Seltos included front- and side-impact airbags, electronic stability control, a tire pressure monitoring system, and child-seat anchor latches. All trims except the base LX featured driver-assistance safety features, including forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. The EX added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the SX included adaptive cruise control with idle stop-and-go and cyclist detection.