2022 Kia Seltos vs 2022 Honda Odyssey

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a minivan that we often recommended to families due to its practical features. Its sliding side doors made it easy to load toddlers into rear-facing child safety seats, and its comfortable third-row seat accommodated additional passengers like grandparents or carpool kids without hassle. The Odyssey also offered significant cargo space, rivaling that of a Chevrolet Suburban when the third-row seat was folded down and the second-row seats were removed. Despite its practical design, the Odyssey had a sense of style, especially in the Elite trim with its dark gray 19-inch aluminum wheels and kinked sliding doors that created dramatic character lines.

In contrast, the 2022 Kia Seltos was positioned between the smaller Soul and the larger Sportage, offering five trim levels. The Nightfall Edition, which we tested, featured matte-black 18-inch alloy wheels, a turbocharged engine, and a dual-clutch transmission. The Seltos had a stylish interior with contrast-color dashboard panels, exposed stitching, and metallic accents, though it also had a lot of hard plastic that made the interior look cheap. The controls were logically arranged, and the infotainment system was intuitive to use, despite its odd purple theme color. The Seltos was larger, more useful, and more refined than many of its direct rivals, making it a strong contender in its segment.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured a 10-speed automatic transmission with pushbutton controls mounted on the dashboard. The Odyssey was front-wheel drive only, with no all-wheel drive or electrified powertrain options available. It had an EPA fuel economy estimate of 22 mpg in combined driving, and during our test drive in Southern California, it averaged 22.6 mpg. The Odyssey was enjoyable to drive, with quick acceleration, responsive handling, and remarkable composure on mountain roads. However, its brakes tended to heat up and produce pedal vibration and audible grumble during repeated use, especially when descending hills.

The 2022 Kia Seltos offered two engine options. The LX, S, and EX trims had a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 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 producing 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 Seltos Nightfall Edition returned 27 mpg in combined driving during our test. The AWD system had a Lock function for even power distribution at lower speeds, but the suspension tuning was less appealing, with noticeable body motion and poor bump isolation.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey offered easy entry and exit, with wide-opening doors and a lower ride height. The Elite trim featured quality leather, supportive front seats with power adjustment, heating, and ventilation, and a tri-zone automatic climate control system. Storage space was impressive, with numerous places to stash items. The second-row seats were comfortable, with plenty of legroom and the option to remove the center section for more space. The Magic Slide second-row seats allowed for flexible configurations, and the third-row seat was comfortable for adults. The Odyssey provided 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seat, 88.8 cubic feet with the third-row seat folded, and 144.9 cubic feet with the second-row seats removed.

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. The front passenger’s seat was not height-adjustable but provided proper leg support. The Nightfall Edition featured cloth upholstery with Sofino simulated leather bolsters, a single-zone automatic climate control system, and heated front seats. The rear seat was spacious, with generous legroom and footroom, rear air conditioning vents, a USB charging port, and a center armrest with cupholders. Cargo space measured 26.6 cubic feet behind the back seat and 62.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Elite was packed with technology, including an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto starting with the EX trim. The Touring trim added navigation and HondaLink connected services, including WiFi hotspot access. The Odyssey Touring and Elite also featured CabinWatch and CabinTalk technology, a rear-seat entertainment system with a 10.2-inch display, and an 11-speaker premium audio system. However, the infotainment system was increasingly outclassed by rivals, with a small 8-inch touchscreen and a frustrating embedded navigation system.

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

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was well-equipped with safety features, including Honda Sensing, which encompassed adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. The Odyssey also had automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available starting with the EX trim. However, Honda Sensing lacked refinement, with occasional false warnings and abrupt responses. The Odyssey earned an overall five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The 2022 Kia Seltos came 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 also had a Rear Occupant Alert system. The EX trim 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 IIHS for the SX trim and an overall four-star rating from the NHTSA.