Kia Seltos vs Subaru Crosstrek

In 2024, the Kia Seltos underwent a mid-cycle refresh, resulting in subtle yet effective updates. The refreshed Seltos displayed modified headlight and grille designs, as well as a sleek light strip connecting the newly resized taillight assemblies. Despite the minimal changes, these tweaks managed to give the Seltos a fresher and more modern look without a significant impact on its price. The Pluton Blue paint on the test model stood out nicely.

Inside, the 2024 Seltos offered two new interior color options: Gentle Brown and Midnight Green. However, the test model had a standard black interior. The standout feature in the cabin was the large digital panel extending across two-thirds of the dashboard, which included a fully digital instrument panel coupled with an enlarged touchscreen infotainment system.

The trim options for the Seltos ranged from LX to S, EX, X-Line, and SX, each providing a variety of standard features. The LX trim came with 17-inch alloy wheels, cloth upholstery, manually adjustable front seats, two USB ports, air conditioning, remote keyless entry, Bluetooth connectivity, and an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Moving up to the S trim added features like fog lights, LED daytime running lights, a fully digital instrument panel, combination cloth-and-synthetic leather upholstery, and a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen. The EX trim stepped it up with synthetic leather upholstery, a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, and a wireless charging pad. The X-Line brought an 18-inch alloy wheel design and other exclusive styling tweaks but lost some conveniences like the wireless charging pad.

At the top, the SX trim level offered premium features such as LED headlights and fog lights, an electrochromatic rearview mirror, a rear cargo cover, a leather-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel, and a Bose premium stereo system. It also featured an optional SX Sunroof Package, which added a power sunroof, hands-free power tailgate, ventilated front seats, and digital key 2.0.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, though very similar to the 2023 model, brought new chassis, sheet metal, and color options like Sun Blaze, Offshore Blue, and Sapphire Blue, with Geyser Blue being exclusive to the new Wilderness trim level. The overall dimensions and wheelbase remained largely unchanged from its predecessor, retaining a steeper departure angle and slightly reduced cargo space. For many, these changes were almost negligible.

In its base trim, the Crosstrek featured 17-inch alloy wheels, 8.7 inches of ground clearance, making it adept for off-road situations. Upgraded trims benefited from standard roof rails, though crossbars were an extra. The Crosstrek's front fascia gave it an endearing 'smiling' look due to the wing bar splitting its frameless front grille.

The Crosstrek employed ample black plastic cladding, including air inlets and outlets to improve aerodynamics and reduce road noise. The split taillight design from the second generation continued but with some tweaks for better trunk access. Subaru's "Kaizen" philosophy was evident in these thoughtful improvements.

The Wilderness trim added unique interior and exterior design elements, including a hexagonal front grille, larger cladding, new bumpers, and increased ground clearance of 9.3 inches. It also featured hexagonal LED fog lights with copper accents, a ladder-style roof rack, and interior benefits like the waterproof StarTex leather and all-weather floormats. The interior space remained similar to the outgoing model, with slightly smaller cargo volume but added convenience features like a helper strap on the liftgate.

The 2024 Kia Seltos came with two engine options. The base engine was a 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, routed through Kia’s Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT), which provided a simulated gear experience. This setup came with standard all-wheel drive (AWD) on the LX trim, while the S and EX trims also offered an additional front-wheel drive (FWD) option.

The X-Line and SX trims sported a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, boosting power to 195 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, paired with a new eight-speed automatic transmission. This marked a 20 horsepower increase from the previous year. Despite a noticeable engine whine under hard acceleration, Kia managed to reduce overall cabin noise. The turbo engine provided decent acceleration but showed some lag at lower speeds, which improved in Sport mode.

In terms of handling, the Seltos handled various road conditions well, offering responsive steering, minimal body roll through corners, and a comfortable ride over bumps and potholes. The included 7.3 inches of ground clearance made it suitable for light off-road adventures.

Conversely, the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek included two engine options as well. The Sport and Limited trims—and now the Wilderness trim—came with a 2.5-liter flat four-cylinder engine, delivering 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. The base Premium trim used a smaller 2.0-liter engine with 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. Both engine options were coupled with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which eliminated the previously available manual transmission.

While the smaller engine felt underpowered, especially in overtaking scenarios, the larger 2.5-liter provided a more acceptable performance level. The CVT in the Crosstrek was well-managed, with simulated shift points and limited droning, especially in the Wilderness trim, which included an additional pressure sensor. Paddle shifters were available on all but the Base trim.

The Wilderness trim also featured a shorter final-drive ratio, enhancing its ability to tackle aggressive terrain and improving acceleration from a stop. This trim could also tow up to 3,500 pounds, a significant increase over other trims. However, this came at the cost of increased road noise and reduced fuel economy.

The Crosstrek’s steering, aided by a new dual-pinion rack, remained precise, and its stiffer structure minimized body roll, except in the more off-road-oriented Wilderness trim. The standard AWD and X-Mode traction management system, available in both basic and upgraded versions, ensured the Crosstrek maintained traction on various surfaces and conditions.

Fuel economy for the Crosstrek was respectable for a subcompact AWD vehicle. The 2.0-liter engine achieved EPA ratings of 27 mpg city, 34 highway, and 29 combined, while the 2.5-liter managed 26 city, 33 highway, and 29 combined. The Wilderness trim, focused more on off-road capability, had a slightly lower rating of 25 city, 29 highway, and 27 combined.

The 2024 Kia Seltos offered impressive interior space for a subcompact SUV. With the rear seats folded, cargo space expanded to 62.8 cubic feet, while with the seats up, it still provided a generous 26.6 cubic feet. The SX trim included an optional hands-free power liftgate, adding to the vehicle’s convenience.

The Seltos's upright seating position contributed to good driver visibility and ample headroom, with impressive rear legroom, even accommodating taller passengers comfortably. It featured in-door cupholders and cubbies in both the front and rear doors, though the center console tray wasn't very large. The SX trim came with a removable, sturdy cargo cover that could hold small items on top.

Contrastingly, the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, although based on the Subaru Impreza platform, delivered competitive cargo space for a small SUV. Rear-seat legroom and headroom were generally good, though taller passengers might prefer the front seats. The Crosstrek's trunk offered 19.9 cubic feet of space, less than some competitors like the Honda CR-V, but folding the seats expanded this to 54.7 cubic feet, bringing it closer to par.

The Crosstrek's interior was designed with practicality in mind. Materials were durable and easy to clean, ideal for an active lifestyle. Features like a protective cargo tray were standard on higher trims. Cupholders were numerous, and even the center console could accommodate two 32-ounce Nalgene bottles. The Wilderness trim enhanced this with additional Nalgene-sized cupholders in the trunk and standard all-weather mats and cargo trays.

The 2024 Kia Seltos featured an infotainment suite with a consistent large digital bezel across trims, though screen sizes varied. The base system comprised an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch digital instrument cluster. Higher trims upgraded to a 10.25-inch fully digital instrument panel and a 10.25-inch touchscreen. Both systems were user-friendly and supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Kia maintained tactile controls for volume, tuning, and climate functions, providing a better user experience. The 10.25-inch screen was well-balanced, responsive, and integrated fast charging ports. Additionally, the SX trim featured an upgraded Bose premium stereo and optional Digital Key 2 Touch, allowing owners to control access via a smartphone app.

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, with its commanding 11.6-inch vertically oriented touchscreen, standard on all but the Base trim, made a strong impression. The screen had sharp graphics and included physical controls for frequently used functions like temperature and volume. Features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were wireless, and the Sport and Limited trims offered a wireless charging pad.

While the system was advanced, it had some drawbacks, including glare issues and somewhat complex menu navigation. Furthermore, certain features were removed in states with Right to Repair laws, affecting the user experience.

The 2024 Kia Seltos came equipped with a comprehensive suite of driver assistance features. Standard on all trims were forward collision avoidance with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-departure warning, lane-follow assist, automatic high beams, and driver attention warning. The S trim added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safe Exit Warning.

The top SX trim offered advanced features like smart cruise control, which could stop and go with traffic, traffic sign recognition, highway driving assist, and a junction-turning function for forward collision warning. A drive-away warning also notified the driver if they were stopped and the vehicle in front moved forward.

For the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, historical safety accolades were noteworthy. It had consistently earned Top Safety Pick designations from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in previous models. The 2024 model aimed to continue this trend with Subaru's EyeSight safety system, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and a wider-angle camera lens with automatic emergency steering.