2021 Jeep Renegade vs 2022 Kia Seltos

The 2021 Jeep Renegade, introduced in 2015, was based on the same platform as the Jeep Compass. While the Compass drew design inspiration from the Grand Cherokee, the Renegade was clearly influenced by the iconic Wrangler SUV, featuring a boxy profile, circular headlights, and an upright seven-slat grille. The 2019 refresh carried over into 2021, making some previously optional features standard. Inside, the Renegade offered a modern, functional cabin with an upright center stack reminiscent of the Wrangler, putting controls within easy reach. The Renegade came in various trims, including Sport, Jeepster, Latitude, Upland, 80th Anniversary, Islander, Limited, and Trailhawk, each offering unique features and equipment.

The 2022 Kia Seltos was positioned between the smaller Soul and the larger Sportage, available in five trims: LX, S, EX, Nightfall Edition, and SX. All trims except the Seltos S included standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The Nightfall Edition, our test vehicle, featured matte-black 18-inch alloy wheels, a turbocharged engine, a dual-clutch transmission (DCT), a black grille, added body cladding, and robust roof rails. Inside, the Seltos displayed a stylish interior with a contrast-color dashboard panel, exposed stitching, gloss-black trim, and metallic accents. However, the abundance of shiny hard plastic made the interior look cheap, despite excellent build quality. The controls were logically arranged, with knobs for commonly adjusted features and buttons with a matte-black finish and clear markings.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade offered two engine options: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine with 177 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, available in front-wheel drive (FWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD). The turbocharged engine provided better refinement and torque, making it more responsive under hard acceleration. Despite some transmission issues, the Renegade had a solid ride quality, handling corners well and offering impressive maneuverability in tight spaces. The Trailhawk trim, with its terrain management system and 8.7 inches of ground clearance, was particularly capable off-road.

The 2022 Kia Seltos offered a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Nightfall Edition and SX trims featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). The turbo-DCT combination made the Seltos more engaging to drive, with driving modes including Normal, Sport, and Smart. The AWD system had a Lock function for even power distribution at lower speeds, but the Seltos' 7.3 inches of ground clearance limited its off-road capabilities. The suspension tuning was less appealing, with the vehicle exhibiting lateral rocking motions and a bouncy ride on uneven roads. However, the Seltos felt lively in urban environments and had excellent outward visibility.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade provided 50.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 18.5 cubic feet with the rear seats in use. Its tall, boxy design offered plenty of headroom in both rows, with great legroom in the front seats and adequate space for adults in the rear. The Renegade featured helpful storage solutions, including small cubbies and trays, and the front passenger seat could fold completely forward for added space.

The 2022 Kia Seltos excelled in form and function, offering a roomy interior with easy entry and exit. The Nightfall Edition had a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat and a tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel for a comfortable driving position. The rear seat accommodated adults comfortably, with generous legroom and footroom. The Seltos provided 26.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat and 62.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. It also featured plastic grocery sack hooks to prevent items from rolling around.

The 2021 Jeep Renegade came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with an optional 8.4-inch screen on mid-tier trims and standard on higher trims. Both screens ran the intuitive Uconnect system, featuring a logical menu layout, easy-to-read graphics, and a helpful dock with icons for major functions. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with a Kenwood premium audio system available.

For 2022, Kia expanded the availability of its 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system to include the S trim level, with standard inclusion on the EX, Nightfall Edition, and SX trims. The system featured Bluetooth pairing for two devices, navigation, connected services, satellite radio, and a six-speaker stereo. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto required a cable connection. The standard 8-inch touchscreen in the LX and S trims offered wireless smartphone connectivity. The system was intuitive, with physical buttons and knobs for primary functions, but lacked a native conversational voice recognition system.

For 2021, Jeep made several previously optional safety features standard across the Renegade lineup, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-path detection. Adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and front and rear parking sensors were optional. Despite these features, the Renegade received a four-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The 2022 Kia Seltos came equipped with numerous driving assistance systems, including forward-collision avoidance, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Seltos EX added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the SX trim included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, Highway Driving Assist, and Safe Exit Assist. The Seltos earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a four-star rating from the NHTSA.