2022 Kia Seltos vs 2022 Buick Encore GX

The 2022 Buick Encore GX was a compact SUV that bore a striking resemblance to its sibling, the Encore. Both models featured Buick's signature trapezoidal "waterfall" grille, high beltline, and similar headlight and front fascia designs. The Encore GX, however, had a slightly longer wheelbase and additional length, which made it appear less tall and stubby. The optional ST (Sport Touring) appearance package enhanced its looks with body-color moldings, custom grille, sport bumpers with red accents, 18-inch aluminum wheels, and an "ST" badge on the liftgate. Inside, the Encore GX offered a cabin with soft-touch materials and a mix of cloth and leather seats, depending on the trim level. The heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel and straightforward controls added to its appeal, although some found the rotary toggles a bit cumbersome.

In contrast, the 2022 Kia Seltos positioned itself between the smaller Soul and the larger Sportage, offering five trim levels: LX, S, EX, Nightfall Edition, and SX. The Nightfall Edition, which was our test vehicle, came with matte-black 18-inch alloy wheels, a turbocharged engine, a dual-clutch transmission, and additional body cladding. The Seltos had a stylish interior with a contrast-color dashboard panel, exposed stitching, gloss-black trim, and metallic accents. However, the abundance of shiny hard plastic detracted from its overall quality. The controls were logically arranged, and the infotainment system, despite its odd purple theme, was intuitive to use. The Seltos also offered excellent build quality and a spacious interior, making it a practical choice for daily use.

The 2022 Buick Encore GX offered two turbocharged three-cylinder engine options: a 1.2-liter engine producing 137 horsepower and a 1.3-liter engine making 155 hp. The 1.2-liter engine was standard on the Preferred and Select trims, while the 1.3-liter engine was standard on the top Essence trim and optional on the lower trims. Front-wheel drive (FWD) was standard, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available as an option. FWD models used a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while AWD models had a nine-speed automatic transmission. The 1.3-liter turbo engine and CVT combination in our test vehicle provided adequate power, though it was a bit noisy and harsh. The Encore GX's ride was not as smooth as expected, and noise levels inside the cabin were higher than anticipated. Despite its SUV classification, the Encore GX was not suited for off-roading, handling only light gravel and dirt paths.

The 2022 Kia Seltos offered two engine options: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 175 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. The base engine came with a CVT, while the turbo engine paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). The turbo-DCT combination made the Seltos more engaging to drive, though the DCT exhibited some hesitation. The Seltos had three driving modes: Normal, Sport, and Smart, with Smart mode balancing fuel efficiency and responsiveness. The AWD system included a Lock function for even power distribution at lower speeds, but the Seltos' ground clearance of 7.3 inches limited its off-roading capabilities. The suspension tuning was the least appealing aspect, as the Seltos struggled with speed bumps and uneven pavement, leading to a bouncy and jouncy ride. However, the Seltos felt lively in urban environments and had good grip on smooth corners.

The 2022 Buick Encore GX, despite its small size, offered a comfortable and easy-to-live-with interior. Ingress and egress were effortless, and the controls were clearly marked and legible. The front seats provided ample headroom and legroom, while the rear seats were a bit tight for three adults. Cargo space measured 23.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 50.2 cubic feet with the seats folded. The two-level cargo floor created a flat load surface, and the optional hands-free power liftgate added convenience.

The 2022 Kia Seltos excelled in form and function, offering a roomy interior with easy ingress and egress. The Nightfall Edition featured a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat and a tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. The rear seats provided generous legroom and footroom, though the seatback angle was slightly reclined. Cargo space was impressive, with 26.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 62.8 cubic feet with the seats folded. The Seltos also included practical storage solutions, such as a smartphone shelf and plastic grocery sack hooks.

The 2022 Buick Encore GX came with an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth audio streaming, Buick Connected Services, a built-in WiFi hotspot, front and rear USB ports, OnStar telematics, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Higher trims offered a navigation system, built-in Amazon Alexa, and an upgraded infotainment system with advanced voice recognition and in-vehicle apps. The Advanced Technology package added features like HD surround vision, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, and a memory card receptacle. The Convenience package included automatic parking assist, wireless phone charging, a rear camera mirror, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

The 2022 Kia Seltos expanded the availability of its 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system to the S trim level, with the system being standard on the EX, Nightfall Edition, and SX trims. The system included Bluetooth pairing for two devices, navigation, connected services, satellite radio, and a six-speaker stereo. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto required a wired connection. The infotainment system was intuitive, with physical knobs and buttons for primary functions. However, the voice recognition system was frustrating to use without an active subscription to connected services. The Seltos also lacked a native conversational voice recognition system, making smartphone digital assistants a better option.

The 2022 Buick Encore GX came standard with several driver assistance features, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assistance, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Teen Driver technology allowed owners to track driving habits and set speed and volume limits. The Encore GX earned five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for overall crash protection and received "Good" ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in all crash tests. However, the headlights received mixed ratings, with the top Essence trim's LED headlights rated "Acceptable" and the lower trims' halogen headlights rated "Marginal."

The 2022 Kia Seltos was 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, Highway Driving Assist, and Safe Exit Assist. The Seltos earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS for the SX trim, with other versions falling short due to headlight performance. The NHTSA awarded the Seltos an overall rating of four stars, with a four-star performance in the front-passenger, frontal-impact crash test.