The NEW Kia Seltos vs. Honda HR-V and Toyota Corolla Cross

SPEAKER 1: If you think that new cars are too expensive these days, you are absolutely right. And you are not alone. But the good news is all three of these vehicles, they start at well under $30,000. But one member of this trio is way better than the others. Let's find out which SUV it is together. We're Edmunds, and we test hundreds of cars each year on the road and at our private track so you get the most trusted reviews. If you want to know which car, truck, or SUV is the best, then stick with us. This is the fully redesigned new-for-2027 Kia Seltos. It starts at around 26,000. But this EX front wheel drive example that we have here today is a mid-grade, and it costs more like $32,000. But, of course, what you'll actually pay for this Kia or any other new car depends on dealers in your area. Lucky for you, at Edmunds, we've got the tools on our site that tell you what you should pay for any new car. For any of the vehicles here today, just check the links in the description or scan the QR code. Now, with this Seltos, Kia is trying to replicate the success of the Telluride with the same sort of technology and look and feel. Did they pull it off? Huh, same wireless charging pad, same volume dial here. Most importantly, the same screens. Yeah, I would say up front, they definitely pulled it off. [MUSIC PLAIYNG] The defining feeling of the front of the Seltos' cabin is just how spacious it is. This is airy and wide open in the same way that Kia's larger SUVs are. And that's something that's really hard to replicate in a subcompact SUV in this $30,000 price range. Our editor-in-chief, he's 6'4, and he had no problems fitting up here either. We also appreciate that you can get paralumbar support, something that's often skipped in cheap cars like this. And, for most trims, you're getting standard heated front seats. And if you get a fully loaded model, you're going to add a heated steering wheel and ventilated front seats. And ventilated seats are definitely a feature that's often skipped in cheap cars like this. And, even though this is a mid-grade model, you have the option of adding a panoramic sunroof, another feature that's often skipped in cheap cars like this. Now, I know you heard me say that three times in a row-- cheap cars like this-- but that's because it's important. One of the big advantages of the Seltos is that you simply can get features in this vehicle that you're not going to find in competitors. And that makes you feel like you're getting a lot for your money. Now, these 1, 2, 3 screens are also going to be a big selling point for the Seltos. This one is actually tied for the largest infotainment screen, you can get in any extra small SUV. And, as an added bonus, it comes standard on every single Seltos, even that $26,000 version. The placement of it, we also like a lot. If it was back any further, it would be just too hard to reach. But right here, it's perfect. I can reach it without having to lean forward too far. Now, this is the exact same screen and software setup that you're going to get in Kia's larger SUVs like the Telluride and the EV9. So we like that even though you're getting a smaller vehicle, you're not losing out on any of those technology features. This software is pretty intuitive and easy to use, comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as well. And you can even download some streaming apps, like Netflix and Disney+, in case you get stuck somewhere. We also like the control scheme of the Seltos, for the most part. You're getting physical buttons for most things-- climate stuff here, some stuff for the infotainment here. Down here, you can actually activate the rear view camera. And if you have heated and ventilated seats, buttons for those on the doors. There is one exception, though. We really don't like this climate control scheme right here. This is something that Kia does in many of their vehicles. And the problem with it is that it's blocked out by the steering wheel. So if you're driving, you can't actually see it. And to reach it, you have to go all the way around the steering wheel with this hand. And, if you hit anything here, it pops it all up on the screen here, and you have to hit more buttons. It's just convoluted and complicated. They could have just put all this right here, and it would have been really, really happy. Interior storage in the Seltos is good, but not great. You're getting pretty good sized door pockets. I like this area up here in front of the shifter. And these cupholders, they'll fit a decently sized water bottle. But we do wish that this had the configurable cup holders out of the K4. They actually fold away and give you a big bin here if you need it-- not here in the Seltos, which is too bad. And underneath this armrest here, this space is a little bit disappointing. I do want to give very specific praise, though, to this wireless charging pad. Now, we've tested hundreds of these things, and a lot of them, they don't work great because your phone either slides off, or it's in a weird spot, or it gets too hot. But this one is actually raised up a little bit, and it's rubberized and a little bit sticky. So, when you're driving around, your phone, it won't slide around. And it actually keeps it in contact with the part that does the charging. Really good design by Kia there. Oh, and if you don't want to charge wirelessly, you've got 1, 2, 3 USB-C charging ports right there at your disposal. There is one way in which this cabin falls short of what you're getting in the Telluride. And, as you might expect, since we're down in that $30,000-ish price range, it's going to be materials. There's just a lot more hard plastic on this interior. But, again, they've done a great job of copying the look of that larger SUV. And, for a mid-grade model of a subcompact SUV, this is really, really nice. The only reason that I can think of in the cabin for why you'd want to go to a top trim level is if you want to get those meshy headrests, which might be my single favorite feature that Kia makes. Still not over these things. One of the big selling points of the Seltos has been how efficiently it uses its space. And in its redesign, it grew by a couple of inches. And that's added 1 inch of rear legroom and some extra cargo room, which we're going to check out in a second. Now, it's not always a given that you're going to have enough room for adults in the back of these extra small SUVs. But, as you can see, I'm just under 6 feet tall. This seat is set where I like to drive. And, yes, plenty of legroom and even plenty of headroom. And we also like that this back seat has plenty of recline adjustability, almost too much, because when you go all the way back, that's probably a little bit too far. All this space also makes the Seltos great for car seats. You can fit a rear facing seat here without having to push the passenger up into the dashboard. And the rear doors, they open to almost 90 degrees, so installation is going to be pretty easy. The only thing to watch out for is these lower anchors. They're tucked under the seats a little bit, but you are getting three upper tethers all the way across, which means you can put a booster in any of these seats. Back here, you're also getting a pair of USB-C ports. And we love the placement of these in the back of the seats-- makes them much easier to reach. And on EX and above models, you're also getting rear air vents. Just another reason why we think the EX is the sweet spot of this lineup when it comes to features. On paper, the Seltos is going to offer you more cargo room than the other two SUVs, both with the back seat up and with it down. There is an impressive amount of space back here. We were able to fit all of our testing equipment for our Edmunds testing in the back of this SUV when it went to our private track. Another feature that I like about this cargo area. You're getting four of these doohickeys, which you can then plug into different spots. And they're little hooks. So if you have grocery bags or things like that, you can just slap them onto here and they won't slide around. And this cargo floor, it'll actually drop down by about 6 inches. If yo NEED to fit even larger items. For a small SUV, it's got pretty large insides. And we're off-- slowly, slowly, we're off. Now, the gas versions of the Seltos, they're going to offer you two different powertrains. The one we have here, this is an EX front wheel drive. So it's got the base engine which is a naturally aspirated four cylinder. If you go for the top trim level, you're going to get a 1.6 liter four cylinder turbo. And that makes a lot more power and a lot more torque, as you might expect. Now, I'm going to say something about the Seltos that you might not expect. And that is that at 10.6 seconds from 0 to 60 miles per hour, this is the slowest vehicle on sale today that we've tested. And that is probably not a distinction that you want. Around the city, though, I think it actually feels OK from 0 to 30 miles per hour. It feels not fast, but quick enough. It's really on the highway where you're going to miss that power. If you're trying to merge or pass someone, really plan ahead, and you're probably going to have that throttle pinned all the way to the floor. And that does make the cabin a bit noisier at those speeds, because you're not just getting a little bit more tire noise and wind noise, you're also getting a lot of engine noise because this thing is working real hard. Now, I will say this-- the ride quality is actually pretty good on the city streets as well. On the highway, it gets a bit fidgety. But for something in this price and this class, it's not bad. And the other thing we should mention is that there is a hybrid version of the Seltos coming out a little bit down the line. Now, for most small vehicles like this, we generally will say wait for the hybrid, because, in most cases, those are going to offer you not only better fuel economy, but more power and especially more torque. However, the hybrid version of this is going to offer you a lot less torque, just over 100 pounds feet, which is not a lot. This base engine, it makes over 130 pounds feet, so there's actually a big gap there. We're going to have to wait to see what it's like when it comes in and we get the chance to test it. And we actually had a chance to drive the hybrid in Korea. And my boss' boss, he said, in a very British way, it's got a little pep to it. Now, I should mention that the specs that we cited for the hybrid versions of the Seltos, those were based on the numbers from the Korean launch of this vehicle. So, by the time the US version comes around, those numbers could change slightly. And we're still waiting for final fuel economy numbers. However, here in the gas versions, you're going to get around 30 MPG combined with front wheel drive, a little bit less with all wheel drive. But the thing that I like is that if you get the top trim with the good engine and all wheel drive, you're only giving up about 2 MPG combined. So you can get that performance without having to pay a lot of extra money at the pump. The steering feel is very light. And handling, it's just OK. Again, this is not a vehicle that you're going to want to buy if you want to have fun from this seat, in particular. Now, if we're going to talk about what the Kia does the best out of this trio, it's going to be visibility. And, yes, I know that's not directly linked to the active driving, but it's something that's super important when you're behind the wheel. It feels like this cabin is made of all windows. I can see out of all directions super easily. And, on the top trim level, this is going to be the only one of the three to offer a surround view camera. And its rear view camera is pretty high resolution, takes up a lot of the screen. So you'll be able to see everything out of this vehicle. And that's a huge plus. Now, when it comes to safety features, as long as you stay away from the base trims of any of these vehicles, they're going to be pretty well equipped across the board. This Kia has adaptive cruise control with lane centering. It's also got blind spot warnings. And that's really all the stuff that you're going to need for getting around day-to-day. And in our testing all those systems, they work pretty well. Nothing super special, but nothing negative to report either. The Seltos has surprisingly few compromises for such an affordable vehicle. You're getting a modern and spacious cabin and tons of features for what you're paying. As long as you're OK being the slowest one pulling away from a stoplight, there's a lot to like here. Up next, we have the Honda HR-V. It starts at a couple grand more than the Kia. And this fully loaded example that we have here costs more like $35,000. Now, inside, you're going to get the cabin quality that you expect from Honda and pretty decent room. Is that enough for it to keep up with the Seltos? We'll find out. Real metal knobs, clean lines-- it's not flashy in here, it's just nice. If the Seltos draws its inspiration from the Telluride here in the HR-V, it's pure Civic. But that's a good thing, because that car had one of our favorite cabins of recent history. Everything that you're going to touch feels tactile and clicky in the right way. And I would say that the materials in here are a step above even what you're getting in the Kia. And, in a rarity for modern cars, we have no complaint about the control scheme for this vehicle, physical controls for all the things that you're going to use frequently, and they're all in places where you think that they should be so you're not searching around a lot while you're driving. Small item storage is also pretty good in the HR-V. The door pockets aren't quite as big as what we had in the Kia, but there's a nice little spot up here for your phone where the wireless charging pad is. The center console bin is definitely larger and deeper. And underneath this little bridge thing here is another little cubby that's great for a wallet and keys. As good as everything feels to the touch, though, in this interior, there is one thing that's very disappointing. And it's these front seats. Now, another member of our testing team drove this vehicle recently, and they said that sitting in these front seats was like sitting on a wooden board, kind of like riding the bench in Little League. There's just not enough cushion and not quite enough support. And, just like in the Civic, no lumbar support adjustment at all, powered or manual. That's disappointing. Now, technology is going to be a real weak point here in the HR-V. This 9-inch screen, it's the biggest one that you can get. And that's much smaller than what you'll find in the Kia or the Toyota. Now, it might look larger than it is, but that's because this housing is bigger than the actual screen. It kind of ends right about here because you have these buttons running down the side. Now, there is wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. And that's a good thing because there's no native navigation. Honda actually has a newer infotainment system, but it's not in this vehicle. And that one has Google Maps and a bunch of other features that we like. So you're getting a smaller screen with an older OS-- doesn't make for a good experience. Charging, though, is pretty good. Three USB-C ports up here and a wireless charging pad, matching what we had in the Kia. The other thing that the HR-V took from the Civic-- no air vents back here, no USB ports. There's even a little cutout where it looks like they should live. But, really, when it comes to amenities, you're not getting much here in the back seat at all. And if you want to charge your phone, I hope you have an extra long cable. Now, space is pretty good. As you can see, I have pretty good legroom, but headroom-- definitely less than the Seltos. Now, the Kia uses its space very efficiently, but the HR-V does not. Believe it or not, this vehicle is about 5 inches longer than the Kia, but it doesn't have more legroom. And it doesn't have more cargo room either. At least its back seat is set up at a pretty comfortable natural level of recline, but the cushions, they are still a bit firm. It's OK for the back seat, but it's those front seats that are really disappointing. However, for car seats, we think this thing is actually going to be pretty good. Because of the wide space here, you can fit a rear facing seat. And the lower latch anchors are a bit easier to access says. The HR-V's cargo area is noticeably smaller than the Kia's. It's still pretty wide, which is nice, but the problem is it's not very deep. So if you're trying to fit more than two pieces of checked luggage, you might run into an issue. The nice thing is, though, when you fold down these rear seats, you do get a very flat cargo area, so fitting a singular large item will be pretty easy. Features back here aren't many to speak of. You do get a 12-volt port, but that's not really worth much these days. And there is a tiny bit of underfloor storage, but otherwise, I prefer the cargo area in the Kia much more. [MUSIC PLAIYNG] I should start out by saying that this HR-V, it is quicker than that Kia that we were just in. However, it's not quicker by much. Still over 10 seconds to get to 60 miles an hour. All three of these SUVs, they're asking a lot out of these naturally aspirated four cylinders. And, unlike the other two, though, the HR-V, it doesn't offer a hybrid or a turbocharged option. So this is the best that you're going to get. Now, despite its sluggishness, I would actually say that this one is probably the best one to drive of the three. Honda always does steering and handling pretty well. The HR-V is no exception. This has the highest handling score of the three. Is it super fun? Definitely not. But it feels a lot more tidy and competent than the other two from this seat. Ride quality, I would say, is a touch better than what you're getting in the Seltos. It can feel a bit busy, but that's something that's true of all three of these vehicles. Here with all wheel drive, you're going to get an estimated 27 MPG combined, which is right in line with what you're getting in the Kia. It does make me really wish for a hybrid option in this vehicle, because Honda has such a good hybrid powertrain that they put into the Civic and the CR-V. I think I would gladly pay a little bit extra for that because it would really improve the experience. Now, when it comes to safety equipment, the HR-V is going to offer basically the same features as the other two-- adaptive cruise control with lane centering, blind spot warnings, all that good stuff. But we've noticed they don't work quite as well as the Kia or the Toyota. The lane centering, especially, is a bit bouncy on the highway. And it doesn't accelerate or slow down as smoothly when you're in traffic. So keep that in mind. The natural visibility is good, but it's a tick behind what you're getting in the Kia. The thing that bothers me, though, is that the rear view camera in this vehicle, it is not good by modern standards. It looks pretty blurry. So even though the screen is a decent size, it doesn't feel that great. [MUSIC PLAIYNG] For better or worse, the HR-V is typical of what we see from Honda these days. It's got great cabin materials and really good steering feel, which makes it good to drive. However, it's behind on technology, and there's a severe lack of features in the back seat, which may or may not be a deal breaker, depending on how much you care about the people who are sitting behind you. Let's see what our final contender has to offer. And finally, we come to the Toyota Corolla Cross, a starting price slightly higher than that of the Kia. And this all wheel drive model that's fully loaded comes in at right around $34,000. Now, there is a version of this vehicle that we like a lot. Unfortunately, that's not the one that we have here today. Let's find out why. Higher trims of the Corolla Cross are going to feature this 10.5-inch touchscreen-- a little bit smaller than the one you're getting in the Kia, but much better than what we had in the Honda. Feels higher resolution. The only problem is it doesn't feel terribly responsive. It feels a touch underpowered, and it kind of lags on certain inputs. And that really doesn't feel great when we're talking about a screen. But you are getting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto backing you up. It's probably better just to plug in your phone and use one of those. You are getting a digital instrument cluster here, but it's not one that we like. Toyota actually has a new infotainment system that they feature in the new RAV4 that transforms its instrument cluster screen into something really useful. Unfortunately, we don't have that yet in the Corolla Cross, so we don't love what's here because it's hard to customize. And the other problem is that some of the safety features, if you want to adjust them, you have to do it through this screen via buttons on the steering wheel. It's just not a great way to interact with those systems. Now, the control scheme on this vehicle is a bit of a mixed bag. We do like the amount of physical controls that you're getting here. However, this screen is located a bit too far away. So, as you can see, I can't quite reach it if I'm sitting all the way back in the seat. And, instead of a volume knob, you're getting volume buttons to turn the volume up and down like this. A knob is just way easier than that. The seats here in the Corolla Cross are definitely better than those you're getting in the Honda. They have power adjustable lumbar support, and they're a bit more supportive and have more cushions so you feel like you sink into them just right. The only problem, though, is that the seat bottoms are a bit short. So if you're a taller driver, you will feel like they lack thigh support, which, on a long drive, will make you feel a bit more tired. Now, you haven't heard me mention materials or design yet here in the Corolla Cross, and that's because we've kind of saved the worst for last. Simply put, this cabin doesn't feel on par with either of the other two vehicles we have here today. The Kia features a much better design. And the Honda, it has much better cabin materials. Toyota needs to improve both of those things to make the Corolla Cross competitive once more. Remember when I said that the other two SUVs are surprisingly roomy in the back seat? The Corolla Cross is the opposite. This seat is set up where I like to drive. And, as you can see, my knees, they are firmly in the back of this seat, which is kind of a shame because this back seat is actually pretty comfortable. And I have quite good headroom due to the shape of this vehicle. Now, just like the HR-V, the back seat doesn't recline. But it does sit at a pretty comfortable natural angle. It's just, again, an issue of spaciousness. Just like the RAV4, which is slightly smaller than competitors, the Corolla Cross, it suffers from the same problem. And that means that it's not as suitable for small families, because try to imagine fitting a rear facing car seat in here. You're definitely going to have to move the seat up. And, with its smaller door openings, it's going to be tough to install as well. The lower latch anchors are easily accessible, but they do come with these annoying plastic covers which you have to find somewhere to store. All in all, I would say that if you have kids, this is probably a back seat to avoid simply on space alone. Now, on amenities, it does quite well, because all models of the Corolla Cross, they are going to offer rear air vents and USB-C charging ports, so it has that going for it. But, again, if an adult can't fit back here and your kids can't fit back here, what's the point of the back seat? On paper, the Corolla Cross is going to have a smaller cargo area than the other two SUVs. But, in practice, I think I actually kind of what you're getting back here because of the shape of it. This load in height is a little bit high, but then it dips down so you can actually fit taller items easier here in the Toyota. Now, you're not getting a ton of depth, but if you're carrying things that are rectangular or squarish, kind of like luggage, I think you'll be able to fit more in the back of the Corolla Cross than you would think. Now, the funny thing is, since we got the all wheel drive version here instead of the front wheel drive version, it's actually down 2.5 cubic feet of cargo space. So if you get a front wheel drive version, you're going to have even more space. The back seats do fold down, but not quite as flat as they do in the Honda. And there aren't really any amenities to speak of here in the cargo area, except for that handily branded JBL subwoofer. But, at least you're getting a power liftgate, which matches what you have on the Seltos. If you get the HR-V, you're going to be opening that thing by hand. [MUSIC PLAIYNG] Let's go. Come on, Toyota. Now, the Corolla Cross is going to be the quickest of these three SUVs, though that's a bit like saying that you're the fastest tortoise in a three-tortoise race. About 9 seconds from 0 to 60. So it's about a second quicker than the other two vehicles. And, yeah, that's going to make it feel a little bit better when you're getting on the highway and stuff like that. But we will say this-- with the auto stop-start feature on that helps you save a little bit of gas, it does get quite lurchy from a start. [CAR STARTING] And I actually ended up turning it off most of the time, because I just didn't want to bounce around when I was driving on city streets, especially. This suspension, it does feel a bit busier than the other two. And there is a floaty feeling to the Corolla Cross that I don't like quite as much. Again, the Honda is going to be more fun to drive. And the Seltos, it just feels a bit more tidy if we're talking about controlling body roll, and undulations, and that sort of thing. Now, this does have the best fuel economy of the three at an estimated 30 MPG combined with all wheel drive. But there is a hybrid version of the Corolla Cross, which we would really recommend. That bumps you all the way up to over 40 MPG combined. And it's way, way better to drive. I have a feeling we're going to see the hybrid version of this vehicle go up against the hybrid version of the Seltos later this year sometime. So stay tuned for that. To my ear, the Corolla Cross is a bit noisier inside than the other two vehicles, especially when you're accelerating. [ACCELERATING] With the CVT, it gets very droney when you hit the throttle like that. And it might be a little bit hard to have conversations with people sitting in the back. Although, if your kids are bothering you, that might be a good thing. Just like the other two SUVs, the Corolla Cross is pretty easy to see out of. And it also has a great backup camera because it takes up this entire screen. Very easy to see whatever is going on behind you. And, when it comes to safety equipment, the Corolla Cross comes pretty loaded. You can get the base model and still get all the good stuff that we've been mentioning in the other two vehicles. And these driver aids are on par with the Kias. They both work very well, although we will say the following distance for the adaptive cruise control is quite conservative, so you're going to leave a fairly big gap between you and the vehicle ahead of you. None of these SUVs are going to be super exciting to drive, but that's OK. It's not really what they're made for. If you want something like that, maybe buy a Miata instead and lose the backseat. [MUSIC PLAIYNG] Ultimately, I think it's pretty clear that we found the Corolla Cross to be a little bit disappointing. And if you remember, at the beginning of this section, I mentioned that there's a better version of this vehicle that we don't have here today. And, of course, that is the Corolla Cross Hybrid. Now, it doesn't solve the space issues or the technology issues, but it does give you 40 MPG combined. And all that money you're going to be saving at the pump, well, it just makes the rest easier to live with, doesn't it? Before we get into value and share our verdict, if you've been enjoying our videos and find them helpful, the best way to help us out is with a like and subscribe. And if you have any questions about these vehicles or an idea of what we should compare next, let us know in the comments below. We do read them all. [MUSIC PLAIYNG] Now, if we're talking about vehicles like these three, which are on the more affordable end of the spectrum, it's very important for you to feel like you're getting your money's worth. And that's really only true of one of the vehicles that we have here today. And that's the Kia. It's hard to believe that this is the cheapest vehicle in this test by a few thousand dollars. And that's because it's a mid-grade. It's an EX. And even though it's a mid-grade, it has just as many features as the Toyota and the Honda. They've all got heated seats. They've all got decent materials, except for maybe that Toyota. And they've all got the biggest screens available for each model. But the Seltos, it can go up from there. There's a top level trim that adds ventilated seats, a surround view camera, all sorts of stuff that the other two vehicles don't even offer. And that's before we even begin to talk about Kia's excellent warranty. It's got an extra two years and 24,000 miles on its basic warranty over the other two. And its powertrain warranty goes all the way to 10 years and 100,000 miles. In the old days, buying an economy car used to mean that you had to put up with a lot. And I would say that all three of these SUVs are quite livable. But there's only one that really feels like you're getting more than what you're paying for it, and that's the newest one. Now, it's time to take a look at the Edmunds rating for these SUVs to see how they finish. In third was the Corolla Cross. Its 6.2 out of 10 puts it all the way back in 13th overall among our ratings of extra small SUVs. This is a vehicle in dire need of an update and a nicer cabin to really compete. And we hope those are coming soon. And if you're looking for our rankings, ratings, and reviews for any vehicle, not just this trio, we've got those available on our site. And we update them frequently so you can be sure what you're seeing is an up-to-date look at each class. Coming in second was the Honda HR-V with a 6.6. Its driving experience and cabin quality stood out, but, like the Toyota, it's also dying for an update. Some better screens and new technology would go a long way towards helping the Honda. That means our winner is the Kia Seltos. It earned a rating of 7.8. And that's enough for us to consider it to be excellent despite its sluggishness. We gave it the lowest acceleration score it could get, but the rest of the package is so compelling it didn't really seem to matter. It beat the other two vehicles in comfort, technology, cargo, x-factor, and, of course, value. The Seltos was so good, in fact, that it moves all the way up to second place in our rankings for extra small SUVs, right behind the Hyundai Kona. If only the Seltos offered a bit more performance out of this base engine, it might have made a run for that top spot. But keep in mind, that Seltos hybrid, it's coming later this year. And with Hyundai selling a Kona hybrid abroad but choosing not to bring it to the US, there is potential, if that thing can perform a little bit better with its better fuel economy, it might take the top spot overall. The bottom line, however, is that compared to the other two, this Kia is a well-rounded, spacious, feature-rich subcompact SUV that we can comfortably recommend for most people-- as long as you're more tortoise than hare. Thanks for watching.