2021 Toyota Sequoia vs 2021 Kia Seltos

The 2021 Kia Seltos, despite being a subcompact SUV, offered a surprisingly spacious and commanding driving experience. Its design featured an upright layout with a clear view of the road, and the headlight design, though intricate, seamlessly integrated with the grille. While not intended for off-roading, the Seltos had an aggressive front bumper angle, hinting at its adventurous spirit. The two-tone roof design and red wheel center accents added a touch of modern flair. Inside, the Seltos boasted a clean and intuitive design, with tech features reminiscent of more upscale brands. The LCD screen for climate controls and the touchscreen atop the dash provided a visually pleasing symmetry, while the handle framing the center stack underscored its sporty yet utilitarian nature.

In contrast, the 2021 Toyota Sequoia, a second-generation model introduced in 2007, showed its age despite a facelift in 2018. The subtle updates to the headlights and grille were overshadowed by its imposing silhouette. Inside, the Sequoia's massive, multi-tiered center dash design felt dated, and the standard 7-inch touchscreen appeared small against the expansive dash. While the front seats were bulky, the second-row seats offered ample headroom and legroom. The Sequoia's trims ranged from the entry-level SR5 to the range-topping Platinum, with the new Nightshade Special Edition adding a touch of modernity. Despite its age, the Sequoia's cabin remained comfortable and spacious, with features like a power-retractable rear window adding practicality.

The 2021 Kia Seltos offered two engine options. The LX, S, and EX trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and available in front-wheel or all-wheel drive. While adequate for city driving, this engine struggled at higher speeds. The S Turbo and SX Turbo trims featured a more powerful 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, delivering 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. This engine provided brisk acceleration and a sporty driving experience, especially in Sport Mode, which enhanced throttle response and steering feel. The Seltos handled well, with minimal body roll and a smooth ride, making it a standout in its class.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia, regardless of trim, came equipped with a robust 5.7-liter V8 engine, generating 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. This power was channeled through a six-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive standard and four-wheel drive available. The Sequoia's acceleration was strong, even for its substantial weight, but the six-speed transmission, while nostalgic, impacted fuel economy. The Sequoia drove like a truck, with a soft suspension and strong brakes, providing a confident driving experience. It could tow up to 7,400 pounds, though it lagged behind competitors like the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Tahoe in towing capacity.

The 2021 Kia Seltos impressed with its cargo space, offering 26.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and expanding to 62.8 cubic feet with the seats folded. This made it one of the most spacious subcompact SUVs, even rivaling some compact models. The SX Turbo trim included a hard cargo cover that doubled as a tray. The Seltos provided ample storage with cubbies and compartments throughout the cabin, and rear-seat passengers enjoyed generous head- and legroom, a rarity in subcompact SUVs.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia's standout feature was its expansive cabin, with nearly 19 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row and over 66 cubic feet with it folded. With all rear seats down, it offered an impressive 120 cubic feet of cargo space, rivaling class leaders like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition. The Sequoia's power-retractable rear window added convenience for accessing items without fully opening the hatch. While the front-row space could have been better utilized, the Sequoia provided deep door pockets, a massive center console, and clever storage solutions.

The 2021 Kia Seltos featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the base S trim, while the SX Turbo boasted a 10.25-inch touchscreen with a Bose premium sound system. The infotainment system supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though connecting a smartphone via USB could be frustrating, as it defaulted to the phone's audio output. Despite this, Kia's infotainment was intuitive, with helpful hard buttons for easy navigation.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a WiFi hotspot. Our test model featured a larger 9-inch screen, though it still felt small on the large dash. The Sequoia's infotainment system, while dated, was user-friendly, with simple menu navigation and large hard buttons. The digital trip computer was small but easy to use, providing a straightforward experience.

The 2021 Kia Seltos came equipped with a comprehensive array of safety features, including front- and side-impact airbags, electronic stability control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. All trims except the base LX included a suite of driver-assistance features, such as forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. The EX trim added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the SX offered adaptive cruise control and cyclist detection.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia featured the Toyota Safety Sense-P suite, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. It also came standard with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking sensors. However, the Sequoia's older platform resulted in a four-star rating in the NHTSA rollover test, with no further crash test ratings available.