2021 Hyundai Tucson vs 2021 Kia Seltos

Despite being a subcompact SUV, the 2021 Kia Seltos offered a substantial big-car feel. Its upright layout provided a commanding view of the road, enhancing driver confidence. The headlight design, though a bit intricate, blended seamlessly into the grille styling, creating a harmonious front fascia. While not intended for off-roading, the Seltos sported an aggressive lower front bumper, implying a readiness for adventure. The two-tone roof design on the test model aligned with contemporary automotive trends, and the red circles around the wheel centers added a sporty touch, indicative of its on-road prowess. This multifaceted design came together cohesively, presenting a well-balanced exterior.

The Seltos’ interior boasted a straightforward design layout, typical of modern Kias. Clean lines and seamlessly integrated tech features drew inspiration from luxury brands like Audi. Highlights included a clean LCD screen for climate controls and a touchscreen atop the dash. Additionally, the handle framing the right side of the tray below the center stack emphasized the vehicle’s utilitarian yet sporty character.

Trim levels for the Seltos ranged from LX to SX Turbo. Entry-level LX models featured 17-inch alloy wheels, manually adjustable front seats, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims added premium features like leatherette upholstery, LED interior lighting, and additional driver assistance features.

In contrast, the 2021 Hyundai Tucson emphasized a balance between futuristic and conventional styling. It featured an upright layout for a commanding road view, much like the Seltos. Inside, the Tucson’s dashboard design was modern and attractive, with tech features effortlessly integrated into the aesthetic. Every button and dial was easy to locate, enhancing user-friendliness.

Tucson’s trim levels included SE, Value, SEL, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate. The base SE models featured 17-inch alloy wheels and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Moving up the trims added features like an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof.

The 2021 Kia Seltos offered two engines across its various trims. The LX, S, and EX trims came equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. This engine delivered power through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to either the front wheels or all-wheel drive (AWD), with AWD standard on LX and EX trims. While adequate for city driving, the base engine struggled at higher speeds.

The S Turbo and SX Turbo trims housed a more powerful 1.6-liter turbocharged and intercooled four-cylinder engine, delivering 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. Paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and standard AWD, this engine offered brisk acceleration and ample power for highway driving. The inclusion of a Drive Mode dial, allowing drivers to switch between Normal, Sport, and Smart modes, enhanced the Seltos’ driving dynamics by adjusting throttle response, shift mapping, and steering feel.

Despite its upright stance and 7.3 inches of ground clearance, the Seltos managed minimal body roll in turns. Sport Mode provided quick and nimble turn-in, while higher-speed maneuvers felt planted and level, all while maintaining a smooth ride over bumps.

For the 2021 Hyundai Tucson, base models featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 161 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. Higher trims, including the SEL, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate, were equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine generating 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional AWD.

The base engine felt underwhelming both around town and on highways. The 2.4-liter engine, though better than the base powertrain, still required a bit of effort at higher speeds but performed sufficiently well around town. The Tucson offered a comfortable and refined ride, striking a balance between softness and athleticism, making it unobtrusive during daily drives.

The 2021 Kia Seltos delivered substantial cargo space for its class. It provided 26.6 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, expanding to 62.8 cubic feet with the seats folded down, surpassing several subcompact and some compact SUVs. The SX Turbo trim included a hard cargo cover that doubled as a tray for smaller items. Both rows of seating featured ample cubbies and compartments, while rear-seat space was impressive, offering plenty of head- and legroom.

Meanwhile, the 2021 Hyundai Tucson offered 31 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 61.9 cubic feet with rear seats folded. While this figure was slightly on the lower side within the compact SUV segment, it was sufficient for typical cargo needs such as weekend bags or larger items. Higher trims like the Sport featured a convenient hands-free power liftgate. The Tucson provided excellent front-seat headroom and legroom, with comfortable and supportive seats. Rear seats were less spacious but still capable of accommodating adults on longer trips. Numerous compartments and trays enhanced functionality and everyday usability.

The 2021 Kia Seltos came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system as standard in the base S trim. The SX Turbo trim featured a premium Bose sound system and a 7-inch digital display in the instrument panel, along with a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. This large screen displayed Apple CarPlay/Android Auto alongside excess space for radio, climate, or navigation data. However, the infotainment system had a couple of quirks: it defaulted to the phone’s audio when plugged in, and only one of the two USB ports allowed data connection.

Overall, despite these minor annoyances, Kia’s infotainment system was straightforward and intuitive, aided by a helpful home button and the redundancy of hard buttons below the touchscreen.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Ultimate trim provided an upgraded 8-inch touchscreen, available as an option for other trims. The touchscreen was user-friendly with logical menu layouts and supported by hard buttons for additional ease of use. Higher trims offered features like navigation, satellite radio, and wireless device charging.

The 2021 Kia Seltos came standard with a comprehensive array of safety features, including front- and side-impact airbags, electronic stability control, a tire pressure monitoring system, and child-seat anchor latches for the rear seats. All trims except the base LX included additional driver-assistance features such as forward-collision avoidance with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. Higher trims like the EX and SX Turbo added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and more. The SX Turbo even included cyclist detection and safe exit alerts.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson also offered a solid list of standard driver-assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and driver drowsiness monitoring. Higher trims provided additional features such as adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, automatic high-beams, a 360-degree parking monitor, and blind-spot monitoring. The Tucson received a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and earned a "Top Safety Pick" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).