The 2021 Kia Seltos and the 2021 Mazda CX-30 are two of the best crossover SUVs available today. Both the practical vehicles are priced and built well; loaded with technology. They are both stylish, and can seat up to 5 passengers. The following is a comparison of the 2021 Kia Seltos and the 2021 Mazda CX-30:
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2021 Kia Seltos vs Mazda CX-30 : 5 Things To Consider.
Engine and Performance
You get two different four-cylinder engines in the Kia Seltos; a 2.0-liter producing 146hp, and a 1.6-liter turbo that pumps out 175hp. The first engine is mated to CVT, and the turbocharged one comes with a 7-speed automatic. AWD is optional with both powertrains.
Just like the Seltos, the CX-30 has two engine options, with one being turbocharged. The standard engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder producing 186hp, paired with a 6-speed auto. An optional 2.5-liter engine provides 250hp, coming with AWD. Cylinder Deactivation is available in the higher trims.
Interior Design
Both the 2021 Seltos and the 2021 CX-30 work well here. The 2021 Seltos consists of materials that are well-chosen and refined. Interior ambient lighting which can interact with the music is available on the upper trims. You get a touchscreen infotainment display (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and an optional 10.3-inch unit.
Moving up the trims, you can add wireless smartphone-charging pad, three USB ports, a head-up display, and a 7.0-inch color display in the gauge cluster.
The 2021 CX-30 has a more beautiful, and a higher quality interior, equipped with an 8.8-inch touchscreen. You can choose between eight or 12 speakers in your audio system. Heated front seats are also available.
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You’ll get standard Bluetooth, two front USB inputs, and Wi-Fi hotspot capability. Moving to the Premium trim will get you leather upholstery, a powered rear liftgate, and other luxurious features.
Passenger and Cargo Space
Although the 2021 Kia Seltos’s interior doesn’t have the same quality as the one in the Mazda CX-30, it is significantly more spacious. The Seltos has a bigger trunk than the CX-30 as well, at 27 cubic feet, compared to the Mazda’s 20 cubic feet.
2021 Kia Seltos vs Mazda CX-30: Safety and Fuel Economy
The Seltos can do about 27 mpg, with 25 city and 30 highways. The CX-30 AWD does 24 city, 31 highway, and 26 combined mpg.
The NHTSA gave the Seltos a four-star safety rating, lower than the safer CX-30’s 5 stars. The IIHS calls it great, but it is not a TSP like the CX-30. Kia offers a lot of driver-assistance tech on the Seltos, but they’re optional rather than a standard set of features as with rivals.
The CX-30 offers a lot more, like standard adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, and automated emergency braking. Available options are a head-up display, blind-spot monitoring and more.
Price and Warranty
The Seltos costs $23,165 and the top variant starts at $29,165, which is lesser than the Mazda. The CX-30 starts at $23,225, and can go up to 35,000 in starting prices.
For the warranty, the Kia Seltos annihilates the CX-30, with its Limited warranty covering 5 years or 60,000 miles, compared to the latter’s 3 years or 36,000 miles.
The Powertrain warranty on the Kia covers 10 years or 100,000 miles, while the CX-30 has coverage for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Both cars don’t offer complimentary maintenance.
Final Verdict
The 2021 Kia Seltos has more tech than the Mazda CX-30, and it’s more user-friendly. It also has more space for the passengers and for your cargo. The Mazda rides and looks better. It is also built with more quality and offers more standard safety features. Both these crossover vehicles are great, but you will choose the Seltos if you’re more budget-oriented.
Max Anthony
Max is a gizmo-savvy guy, who has a tendency to get pulled into the nitty gritty details of technology and cars. He attended UT Austin, where he studied Information Science. He’s married and has three kids, one dog and a GMC truck and a Porsche 911. With a large family, he still finds time to share tips and tricks on cars, trucks and more.
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