Head-to-Head: 2024 Kia Seltos vs 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
It’s a subcompact crossover battle today! We compare features, warranties, and fuel efficiency with the 2024 Kia Seltos vs 2024 Subaru Crosstrek.
2024 Kia Seltos vs. 2024 Subaru Crossterk
We already wrote about the 2024 Kia Seltos. We gave you a full review on the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, too. Now, it’s time to find out which is better in this head-to-head comparison! The Kia Soul, Honda HR-V, and Mazda CX-30 all made our list of the Best New Subcompact SUVs on the Market, but so did the Seltos and Crosstrek. There’s definitely some competition in this segment, but the Seltos and Crosstrek are two that stand out from the crowd.
Subaru used the 2024 Crosstrek to kick off the third generation of the popular crossover. There were all-new upgrades in just about every area, from the interior to the chassis to paint colors. While the 2024 Kia Seltos isn’t brand new, it did get a refresh that involved a new front-end design, a redesigned infotainment suite, and a dual 10.25-inch touchscreen. But this isn’t about all the new features in each vehicle. This review is about how the features in the Seltos compare to those in the Crosstrek. This is your chance to take a look at both vehicles at the same time!
Specs
There are five trims and two engine variations of the 2024 Kia Seltos. The Seltos LX, S, and EX all have a 2.0-liter inline-4 with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that makes 146 horsepower with 132 lb-ft of torque. The top two trims, the X-Line and SX, get a little bonus in the form of a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-4. The turbo pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission to make 195 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque.
Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard on S and EX. All-wheel drive (AWD) is standard on LX, X-Line, and SX, but it’s available on all models. The S and EX models get 28 miles per gallon (MPG) in the city and 34 MPG on the highway. With AWD, the S and EX make 27 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway. So does the LX trim. The X-Line and SX models with AWD make 25 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway.
There are also five trims and two engine variations of the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek. The 2024 Crosstrek Base and Premium are equipped with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. It makes 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. The Sport, Limited, and Wilderness trims upgrade to a 2.5-liter that makes 182 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque.
A CVT and AWD system are present on all 2024 Crosstrek trims. The 2024 Subaru Base and Premium trims (with that 2.0-liter engine) get 27 MPG in the city and 34 MPG on the highway. The Sport and Limited gets 26 MPG in the city and 33 MPG on the highway. There’s also the Wilderness, which gets 25 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highway.
Driving and Performance
The 2024 Kia Seltos drives well overall. Acceleration is kind of sluggish to start off from a stopped position. It’s not a standout in that area, but it’s still good for the segment. The turbocharged engine gets even more power, of course. After it gets going, the Seltos just gets better. The transmission is smooth, the steering is responsive, and it’s actually pretty lively for a subcompact SUV. It’s got a small turning radius which is great for getting into small spaces. It’s a smooth, firm ride, so there’s not much to complain about.
Like the Seltos, the Crosstrek doesn’t leave you impressed upon acceleration but it’s decent. There’s some additional energy in 2.5-liter models. The 2024 Crosstrek isn’t exciting to drive, but it does what it’s supposed to do. The standard AWD instills confidence when off-roading or taking on the weather. It rides soft, is good on corners with minimal body roll, is responsive, and blends into the road nicely. There’s no plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of the 2024 Crosstrek available yet, but after Subaru debuted a 2023 Subaru Crosstrek PHEV, we expect a 2024 PHEV to follow.
Comfort and Interior
Not only does the 2024 Kia Seltos drive nicely, it’s a comfortable ride for passengers, too. The Seltos does a good job at absorbing bumps. Front and rear seats are cushioned enough to keep passengers comfortable on longer rides. Short rides shouldn’t be an issue at all. I’ll get into some of the additional features later on, but some of the comfort comes from six or 10-way driver’s seat adjustments, heated front seats in certain trims, and available ventilated seats. There seats aren’t leather, but there are some leather-wrapped elements in the cabin.
In terms of seating, there’s room for five people in the 2024 Seltos, but that rear seat would be tight with three full-sized adults. There’s 38” of leg room in the rear and 41.4” for up front passengers. There’s a good amount of cargo space for a subcompact. The Seltos was even our subcompact choice on our list highlighting the Best Cargo Capacity in Each Class. If all seats are in place, there’s a minimum of 26.6 cu. ft. in a 2024 Seltos. If you choose to use the 60/40 split-folding rear seats to store something larger, the cargo space increases to 62.8 cu. ft.
The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek interior doesn’t lack comfort. It’s not a premium, luxury cabin, but the seats are very comfortable with great support. There are a lot of soft materials on the armrests and on the doors. There’s optional leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter handle in some models. 2024 models have additional sound-dampening materials
The second row is good for average-sized passengers, but taller or larger passengers could get uncomfortable if you try to squeeze three people back there. Subaru offers up 36.5” of legroom in the rear seat and 42.9” of space up front. Every trim but one has 19.9 cu. ft. of cargo space. The Wilderness has just a little bit (and I mean a little bit) more, measuring 20 cu. ft. If seatbacks are lowered (in a 60/40-split), then the space grows to 54.7 cu. ft. in most trims. The Wilderness expands to 54.9 cu. ft.
Trims and Features
Alright! Let’s get to the features! The Kia Seltos is available for anywhere between $24,390 to $29,990. Five trims include the LX, S, EX, X-Line, SX. Up first is the LX with 17-inch alloy wheels, tinted rear windows, a dual-level cargo floor, keyless entry, and power-adjustable side mirrors. Safety features include forward collision avoidance, pedestrian and cyclist detection, a lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, a driver attention warning, and a rear occupant seat alert.
The LX cabin has two second-row USB charging ports, Bluetooth wireless connectivity, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, a six-speaker stereo system, a 4.2-inch instrument display, and an eight-inch touchscreen display. Seats are made of woven cloth, and the front driver and passenger seats are adjustable.
The S trim level adds optional heated front seats, automatic climate control, a remote start, navigation, 10.25-inch touchscreen and instrument displays, SiriusXM satellite radio, interior LED lighting, and a push button start. The interior also gets a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear shift knob. Safety is enhanced with a rear cross-traffic alert and a blind-spot warning. Roof rails, fog lights, heated side view mirrors with LED turn signals, and LED taillights are added to the outside.
Moving up to the EX trim gets you a wireless phone charger, illuminated sun visor vanity mirrors, solar control glass on the windshield and front windows, Syntax seat trim, and, maybe more important than anything, a 10-way power driver’s seat with two-way power lumbar adjustment. Heated front seats are standard at this level.
The X-Line mostly uses features from previous models, but adds black roof rails, 18-inch alloy wheels with a gloss black finish, a gunmetal-colored front grille, and gunmetal front and rear skid plates. It’s also one of the two trims that has a standard eight-speed automatic transmission.
Rounding out the lineup is the 2024 Kia Seltos SX. It’s equipped with additional safety features like forward collision avoidance and pedestrian detection while turning, navigation-based cruise control with stop-and-go traffic, highway driving assist, and intelligent speed limit assist. The cabin is spruced up with an auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bose stereo system with eight speakers, LED headlights, and LED fog lights. There’s also an available ventilated front seats and power tailgate.
Turning to the Subaru Crosstrek, you have five trims: the Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, and Wilderness. Prices go from $24,995 to $31,995. Some features aren’t actually standard on any of the 2024 Crosstrek models, but they are optional for various trim levels. Those features include: mud flaps, a power moonroof, a power driver’s seat, blind spot detection, and a Harman Kardon premium audio system.
Subaru provides the brand’s STARLINK multimedia package on every Crosstrek. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless Bluetooth, SiriusXM, voice command, a WiFi hotspot, and navigation are all part of STARLINK. Subaru EyeSight driver assist technology is also across the lineup. That includes lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and pre-collision braking.
The 2024 Crosstrek Base comes with 17” aluminum-alloy wheels, black folding power side mirrors, auto on/off headlights, a roof spoiler, and roof cross bar mounting points. A rearview camera and keyless entry are also included. Inside is cloth upholstery, dual-zonce climate control, a four-speaker audio system, a seven-inch touchscreen, and manually adjustable front seats (those are on almost every trim).
The next step up is the Premium trim. It adds keyless access, a push-button start, and premium cloth upholstery. All front USB ports in the front and back are illuminated. The Premium trim (and all trims higher) also get an 11.6” touchscreen, a six-speaker audio system, 4G LTE WiFi capability, and a wireless charger.
There aren’t a lot of added amenities on the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Sport, but the ones that are added help the sportiness of the trim. There are yellow accents and contrast stitching on the cloth upholstery, the 18” aluminum-alloy wheels have a dark gray finish and the folding side mirrors have a gloss black finish. The side mirrors are also heated. The Sport and all higher trims receive heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a leather-wrapped shifter handle, and a de-icing windshield wiper.
Closer to the top of the lineup is the Limited with leather-trimmed upholstery with orange contrast stitching, power driver’s seat, blind-spot detection with a rear cross-traffic alert, and reverse automatic braking.
At the top sits the Wilderness trim. It has StarTex water-repellent upholstery, 17” aluminum-alloy wheels with a matte-black finish, and copper accents and black finish on the raised roof rails.
The Verdict
This is somewhat difficult because there are some similarities. They’re nearly identical in fuel efficiency with some AWD Seltos models getting 28 MPG and 35 MPG in the city and on the highway. The Crosstrek is right there with 27 MPG in the city and 34 MPG on the highway.
The turbo on the Seltos does have an extra boost power with 195 horsepower while the Crosstrek makes 182 horsepower. The Seltos also takes the cargo battle with 62.8 cu. ft. of total capacity compared to the Crosstrek’s 54.9 cu. ft.
Features are fairly comparable, especially if you get into mid-level or higher trims. Prices are pretty comparable, too, but the Crosstrek is packed with warranties. It’s got New Car, Powertrain, Rust Perforation, and Wear Item limited warranties. The New Car and Wear Item warranties are three years or 36,000 miles. The Powertrain warranty lasts for five years or 60,000 miles and the Rust Perforation warranty lasts five years with unlimited mileage. Kia offers just one warranty on the Seltos, but it is a 10-year or 100,000 mile warranty.
I like the Crosstrek. Multiple people in my family own a Subaru, so I know they’d choose the Crosstrek, but I think I’d go with an AWD 2024 Kia Seltos here. Between the warranty, some extra horsepower, and the extra cargo space, it’s a good car for in-town driving, in a bit of inclement weather, and even taking it a little way off the beaten path.
