Compare the2026 Subaru CrosstrekVS 2026 Kia Seltos

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Crosstrek have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Seltos doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Subaru Crosstrek has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Seltos doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Crosstrek has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Seltos doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

With its standard EyeSight, the Subaru Crosstrek is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Kia Seltos, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Crosstrek	Seltos
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	AVOIDED	-20 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-1 MPH
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-13 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-3 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-21 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	3.3 sec	1.4 sec
37 MPH Low beams	-5 MPH	-5 MPH
Warning Issued-Low beams	3.2 sec	.3 sec

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Crosstrek Limited/Wilderness has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Seltos doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Crosstrek. But it costs extra on the Seltos.

The Crosstrek Limited Hybrid offers an optional Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Seltos only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Subaru Crosstrek’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Kia Seltos does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

Both the Crosstrek and the Seltos have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Subaru Crosstrek is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	Crosstrek	Seltos
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	265/291 lbs.	371/423 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	170	308
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	28.8%	38.4%
Neck Stress	158 lbs.	239 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	135 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Subaru Crosstrek is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	Crosstrek	Seltos
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.5 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	148 lbs.	167 lbs.
Hip Force	297 lbs.	346 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	116	177
Spine Acceleration	52 G’s	63 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Subaru Crosstrek is safer than the Seltos:

	Crosstrek	Seltos
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	131	234
Neck Tension	134 lbs.	268 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	POOR
Pelvis Force	848 lbs.	1383 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head Injury Criterion	215	258
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.97 in	2.01 in
Torso Deflection Rate	11 MPH	14 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Warranty

The Crosstrek’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Seltos runs out after 100,000 miles.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Crosstrek’s reliability 31 points higher than the Seltos.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru first in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 9th.

Engine

The Crosstrek’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 33 more horsepower (180 vs. 147) and 46 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 132) than the Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Crosstrek Hybrid’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 4 more horsepower (194 vs. 190) than the Seltos SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru Crosstrek 4 cyl. is faster than the Kia Seltos 4 cyl.:

	Crosstrek	Seltos
Zero to 60 MPH	7.9 sec	8.3 sec
Quarter Mile	16.1 sec	16.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88.6 MPH	85.5 MPH

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Crosstrek lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Seltos doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Crosstrek gets better mileage than the Seltos:

			MPG
Crosstrek
	AWD	2.5 flat-4 Hybrid	36 city/36 hwy
		Sport/Limited 2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/33 hwy
		Wilderness 2.5 DOHC flat-4	24 city/29 hwy
Seltos
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/34 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/31 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/27 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Crosstrek Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Seltos doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Regardless of its engine, the Crosstrek’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Kia only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Seltos 2.0.

The Crosstrek has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Seltos (16.6 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Crosstrek’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Seltos:

	Crosstrek	Crosstrek Hybrid	Seltos	Seltos AWD
Front Rotors	12.4 inches	12.6 inches	11 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	11.2 inches	11.2 inches	10.3 inches	11.2 inches

The Crosstrek’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Seltos are solid, not vented.

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don’t press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The Crosstrek has a standard Brake Assist to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The Seltos doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

The Crosstrek stops shorter than the Seltos:

	Crosstrek	Seltos
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	123 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Crosstrek has larger tires than the Seltos (225/60R17 vs. 215/55R17).

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Subaru Crosstrek has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Seltos 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Crosstrek has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Crosstrek flat and controlled during cornering. The Seltos 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Crosstrek’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the Seltos (104.9 inches vs. 103.5 inches).

The Crosstrek handles at .81 G’s, while the Seltos S pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Crosstrek Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Seltos S (27.3 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Crosstrek has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Seltos (8.7 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Crosstrek to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Crosstrek Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is 2 inches higher than on the Seltos (9.3 vs. 7.3 inches).

Chassis

The front grille of the Crosstrek uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Seltos doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Crosstrek has 1.5 inches more front legroom, 2.1 inches more front hip room, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, 6.4 inches more rear hip room and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Seltos.

Cargo Capacity

The Crosstrek’s cargo area is larger than the Seltos’ in almost every dimension:

	Crosstrek	Seltos
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	32.1”/63.9”	32.7”/62.4”
Max Width	53”	52.3”
Min Width	43”	41.6”
Height	29.3”	32.5”

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Crosstrek. The Seltos doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The Crosstrek has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Seltos has no towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Crosstrek is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Seltos. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Subaru third in service department satisfaction. With a 56% lower rating, Kia is ranked 27th.

Ergonomics

The Crosstrek’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Seltos has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Crosstrek’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Seltos’ standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Crosstrek’s exterior PIN entry system. The Seltos doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Crosstrek has standard Keyless Access and Start that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Seltos S/EX/SX offers a Smart Key.

The Crosstrek’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Seltos’ passenger power window and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Crosstrek’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Seltos’ standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Crosstrek’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Seltos’ headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Crosstrek has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Seltos doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Crosstrek’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Seltos offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

On extremely cold winter days, the Crosstrek Limited/Wilderness’ standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Seltos doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Crosstrek’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Seltos doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Compared to traditional radio, the Subaru Crosstrek’s standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio is only offered on the Seltos S/EX/SX.

Economic Advantages

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Subaru Crosstrek retains 66.41% of its original value after 5 years, significantly more than the 55.6% resale value of the 2025 Kia Seltos after five years, which can save the Subaru’s owner up to $2040.882391 in depreciation.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Subaru Crosstrek as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its October 2023 issue and the Subaru Crosstrek won out over the Kia Seltos SX.

The Subaru Crosstrek outsold the Kia Seltos by almost three to one during 2024.

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