2021 Subaru Forester vs 2021 Kia Seltos

The 2021 Kia Seltos, despite being a subcompact SUV, offered a big-car feel with its upright layout and commanding road view. Its headlight design, though busy, seamlessly integrated with the grille, and the aggressive approach angle of the lower front bumper hinted at off-road capabilities. The two-tone roof design and red circles around the wheel centers added a trendy and dynamic touch. Inside, the Seltos featured a straightforward design with clean lines and tech influences from upscale brands. The LCD screen for climate controls and the touchscreen atop the dash provided visual symmetry, while the utilitarian yet sporty nature was underscored by the design elements.

The 2021 Subaru Forester, redesigned in 2019, retained a classic look with its boxy, upright shape, appealing to SUV enthusiasts. The styling was clean and unpretentious, with the Sport models adding orange striping and black alloy wheels for a sporty flair. The Forester's interior was practical, with a no-nonsense mix of materials designed for durability. The Sport trim added orange accents, while higher trims offered leather upholstery. The Forester's design focused on functionality, with features like the All-Weather Package enhancing its rugged appeal.

The 2021 Kia Seltos offered two engine options. The LX, S, and EX trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT. While adequate for city driving, it lacked power at higher speeds. The S Turbo and SX Turbo trims featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine with 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, providing brisk acceleration and a sporty feel, especially in Sport Mode. The Seltos handled well, with minimal body roll and a smooth ride, making it a standout in its class.

The 2021 Subaru Forester was equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT. While adequate for most situations, it lacked the desired thrust for highway merging and overtaking. The Forester's suspension was tuned for comfort, resulting in a soft ride with noticeable body roll and bounce. However, its standard AWD and X-Mode provided enhanced traction on various surfaces, and its 8.7 inches of ground clearance made it capable of handling light off-road conditions.

The Kia Seltos offered impressive cargo space, with 26.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 62.8 cubic feet with the seats folded, making it one of the most spacious subcompact SUVs. It featured numerous storage compartments and ample rear-seat space, providing comfort for passengers. The SX Turbo trim included a hard cargo cover for added convenience.

The Subaru Forester provided generous headroom and legroom, thanks to its tall roofline, which also enhanced visibility. It offered 35.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 76.1 cubic feet with them folded. While it lacked a sliding second-row bench, it offered a power liftgate on higher trims. The Forester's interior was practical, with well-sized cupholders and a reasonably sized center console, though the phone-storage cubby was small.

The Kia Seltos featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system on the base trim, with the SX Turbo offering a 10.25-inch screen and a Bose premium sound system. While the infotainment system was intuitive, it had quirks, such as defaulting to phone audio when connected via USB. The system's design included helpful hard buttons for easy navigation.

The Subaru Forester's Starlink infotainment system included a 6.5-inch touchscreen, with higher trims offering an 8-inch screen and Harman Kardon audio. The system was user-friendly, with backup analog controls, though the screen was slow to boot. Additional displays provided secondary information, but the setup felt overly complex.

The Kia Seltos came with standard airbags, electronic stability control, and child-seat anchor latches. Most trims included driver-assistance features like forward-collision avoidance and lane-departure warning. The SX trim added adaptive cruise control and cyclist detection. While not all features were standard, the Seltos offered a comprehensive safety suite.

The Subaru Forester excelled in safety, earning the IIHS "Top Safety Pick+" and a five-star NHTSA rating. It featured the EyeSight driver-assist system, including adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking. The Forester also offered a driver-monitoring system, enhancing safety by detecting driver distraction. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring and reverse automatic braking.