Kia Sportage v Kia Seltos 2024 Comparison

SUVs account for more than 55 per cent of all new-vehicle sales in Australia and are increasing in popularity and proliferation, making it harder to choose the right one – even within a single brand’s portfolio.

Kia is no exception, covering almost every class of SUV and attracting lots of attention from buyers at the small-to-medium end in particular, where it has the Stonic, Niro, Seltos and Sportage in the same showroom.

Matching up quite closely, the Seltos and Sportage are two of Kia’s biggest-selling models and come highly acclaimed, with the latter a previous Best Mid-Size SUV winner at carsales.

So, in a battle within the Kia brand, which is better: the Seltos or the Sportage? Let’s find out…

In short, yes, the 2024 Kia Seltos is more affordable than the Kia Sportage, primarily because it is a slightly smaller vehicle and shares its underpinnings with the Hyundai Kona whereas the Sportage uses the same platform as the Hyundai Tucson.

Both the Seltos and Sportage are offered in four model grades – S, Sport, Sport+ and GT-Line for the Seltos, and S, SX, SX+ and GT-Line for the Sportage – with the choice of either front- or all-wheel drive transmissions in selected variants.

All Seltos models are cheaper than comparable versions of the Sportage, with entry-level models from each range costing $29,780 plus on-road costs and $32,995 plus ORCs respectively.

However, the price differences become greater when stepping up through each range.

The flagship Seltos GT-Line, with all-wheel drive, costs $45,180 plus ORCs, while the range-topping Sportage GT-Line starts from $49,920 with a petrol engine, $52,920 with as a diesel or $55,420 with a hybrid powertrain.

What are the main differences between the Kia Seltos and Kia Sportage?

For starters, while both are five-seaters, the 2024 Kia Seltos is a half-size smaller than the Kia Sportage.

It is fractionally shorter in overall length (4385mm v 4660mm), rides on a shorter wheelbase (2630mm v 2755mm) and is lower in overall height (1635mm v 1680mm) and width (1800mm v 1865mm).

The Kia Seltos is available with two powertrain options: a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder with front-wheel drive and a CVT gearbox or (exclusively in the Sport+ and GT-Line trim) a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder with all-wheel drive and a conventional eight-speed automatic.

The Sportage uses both of those engines too (in slightly different states of tune) but with different gearboxes: the 2.0-litre can be had with a six-speed manual (in S and SX models only) or a six-speed automatic (in S, SX and SX+), while the 1.6-litre turbo with all-wheel drive has a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, and can only be had in SX+ and GT-Line model variants.

On top of that, the Sportage is also offered with a grunty 2.0-litre turbo diesel with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic across every model grade. What’s more, a hybrid powertrain is also now available, combining the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor.

The feature walk-up is largely similar across the range between the 2024 Kia Seltos and Kia Sportage.

In base-level versions, both have cloth interior trim, air-conditioning with rear vents, power windows and an 8.0-inch colour touch-screen with a six-speaker audio system and wireless smartphone mirroring.

The Sportage S does, however, have LED headlights, a leather-clad steering wheel and larger 17-inch alloy wheels, with a full-size spare tyre, as standard, where the entry-level Seltos has halogen headlights, a plastic steering wheel, 16-inch alloys and temporary space-saver spare.

The Sportage also offers earlier access to features such as a hands-free tailgate and heated front seats in the SX+ model, whereas these are only available in the range-topping Seltos GT-Line.

Plus, it has dual-zone climate control in all variants except the S, haptic feedback through the steering wheel for some of the advanced safety functions and the Sportage GT-Line comes with 64-colour ambient mood lighting and a curved digital display with larger twin 12.3-inch screens, neither of which are offered in any Seltos model.

Does the Kia Seltos have more interior space than the Kia Sportage?

No. As we mentioned earlier, the 2024 Kia Sportage is slightly larger in all dimensions than the Kia Seltos and therefore offers fractionally more interior space and cargo-carrying capacity (433L v 543L).

Both the 2024 Kia Seltos and Kia Sportage are covered by a five-star ANCAP safety rating, thanks to a comprehensive suite of advanced safety systems that is standard in all variants across both models.

This includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB), electronic stability control, lane keeping and lane following assistance, adaptive cruise control with intelligent speed limit assist, blind spot warning with rear cross traffic collision assist, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera.

However, the Sportage has a raft of newer features to meet the stricter regulations under which it was tested in 2022 compared to the Seltos’ rating from 2019.

These include a centre airbag between front-seat occupants, multi-collision braking assistance, trailer stability control (in automatic transmission variants only) and remote parking in select Sportage GT-Line variants.

Surprisingly, it isn’t. Despite weighing considerably less (1375kg v 1538kg with a petrol engine and automatic transmission in FWD, and 1495kg v 1643kg with a 1.6-litre and automatic transmission in AWD), the 2024 Kia Seltos is less efficient than comparable Kia Sportage models.

Kia claims Seltos models with a 2.0-litre engine have an average consumption of 6.9L/100km while those with the 1.6-litre consume an average of 7.4L/100km.

In comparison, the Sportage with a 2.0-litre consumes an average of 6.6L/100km with a manual transmission and 6.5L/100km with an automatic, and the 1.6-litre turbo has a claimed average consumption of 6.3L/100km.

The 2.0-litre turbo-diesel is a more economical powertrain option with a claimed average consumption of just 5.4L/100km.

However, the economy king of the range is the new hybrid, which pairs the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine with a 44kW electric motor and delivers fuel consumption as low as 4.9L/100km.

There’s a sense of familiarity between the 2024 Kia Seltos and Kia Sportage in their driving characters, but also some noticeable differences.

The transmission choices, first of all, change the experience between the two. The CVT in the Seltos 2.0-litre is a fine example of this type of gearbox, but it means the lacklustre naturally-aspirated engine – with 110kW and 180Nm – is constantly dancing throughout the rev range to remain in its sweet spot.

The 1.6-litre turbo, which generates 146kW and 265Nm across a wider band of engine speeds, with the eight-speed auto and all-wheel drive, is a much more relaxed, refined and flexible configuration, even if it is the least efficient combination and commands a considerable premium.

In the Sportage, the 2.0-litre produces slightly higher outputs (115kW/192Nm) and is paired nicely with the six-speed automatic, although the engine is noisy under heavy acceleration and does need to be worked hard to get the best from it.

The 1.6-litre, on the other hand, has been detuned in Sportage to develop 132kW and the same 265Nm, but both peak figures are accessed at lower engine speeds to compensate for the Sportage’s additional weight and make the driving experience more relaxed.

With the seven-speed DCT transmission, it is swift and responsive in finding the right gear but can be a little jerky at low speeds.

If anything, the 2.0-litre diesel with its silky-smooth eight-speed automatic is the pick of the powertrain options, delivering effortless performance, excellent refinement and maximum efficiency. We’re yet to put the hybrid powertrain through its paces.

Both vehicles feature locally tuned suspension set-ups that offer a brilliant balance between comfort and handling, but the Sportage is more refined and surefooted owing to its larger footprint and additional weight.

Highlighting its position as the benchmark in its class, the Sportage GT-Line beat a broad spectrum of rivals to claim top spot in carsales’ 2022 Best Mid-Size SUV mega-test, following on from its Highly Commended placing in the 2021 carsales Car of the Year awards.

Considering both the 2024 Kia Seltos and Kia Sportage share a lot of mechanical components, and there are no known common issues with either model, they offer plenty of peace of mind for long-term ownership.

Both are also covered by Kia’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with roadside assistance and have capped-priced servicing schemes with regular maintenance every 12 months.

But most variants of the Sportage offer great mileage with 15,000km intervals compared to 10,000km for the Seltos. (Sportage Hybrid has 10,000km intervals.)

Despite that, the Seltos is considerably cheaper to maintain over that period, costing a total of $3054 and $3492 respectively for 2.0-litre and 1.6-litre versions.

In comparison, Sportage owners will spend $3344 (regardless of manual or auto transmission) and $3907 respectively for petrol models, or $3580 over seven years for diesel-powered variants. Hybrid? It’s a more expensive vehicle to service, costing $4502 over the same period.

Both the 2024 Kia Seltos and Kia Sportage are excellent examples of the modern SUV. They are stylish, comfortable, enjoyable to drive and offer the latest in connectivity and safety technology.

The Seltos is ultimately more affordable and has its place for smaller families or those on a tighter budget, but the Sportage is fractionally better across the board and justifies its price premium with a wider model range, more interior space, better refinement and fuel consumption and comes with newer safety systems and conveniences.

How much does the 2024 Kia Seltos cost?
S 2.0 FWD – $29,780
Sport 2.0 FWD – $32,980
Sport+ 2.0 FWD – $36,080
Sport+ 1.6T AWD – $39,580
GT-Line 2.0 FWD – $41,780
GT-Line 1.6T AWD – $45,180
*Prices exclude on-road costs

How much does the 2024 Kia Sportage cost?
S 2.0 FWD (m) – $32,995
S 2.0 FWD – $34,995
S CRDi AWD – $40,395
SX 2.0 FWD (m) – $35,550
SX 2.0 FWD – $37,550
SX CRDi AWD – $42,950
SX Hybrid – $45,950
SX+ 2.0 FWD – $42,050
SX+ 1.6T AWD – $44,050
SX+ CRDi AWD – $47,450
GT-Line 1.6T AWD – $49,920
GT-Line CRDi AWD – $52,920
GT-Line Hybrid – $55,420
*Prices exclude on-road costs