2024 Toyota Sequoia vs 2024 Kia Seltos

The 2024 Kia Seltos underwent a mid-cycle refresh, resulting in subtle yet impactful changes. The updated headlight and grille designs, along with a connecting light strip between the smaller taillight assemblies, gave the Seltos a rejuvenated appearance without a significant price increase. Our test model, adorned in the new "Pluton Blue" paint, looked particularly sharp. Inside, the Seltos introduced two new interior colors, "Gentle Brown" and "Midnight Green," though our test model featured the standard black interior. The most striking interior update was the large digital panel spanning two-thirds of the dash, combining a fully digital instrument panel with an enlarged touchscreen infotainment system.

In contrast, the 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform and several design cues with the Tundra pickup, including hexagonal grilles and muscular stances. The exterior color significantly influenced its appearance, with our Capstone model in Celestial Silver exuding a somewhat dated look. However, a switch to the vibrant Solar Octane orange with black accents transformed its presence. Inside, the Sequoia mirrored the Tundra's blocky, geometric dash layout, featuring physical dials and buttons for volume and climate control. The Capstone trim boasted semi-aniline leather upholstery, while other trims offered fabric, SofTex, or leather seating surfaces. The Sequoia's interior was spacious, with power-adjustable front seats across the lineup and a standard power-tilt and -slide moonroof.

The 2024 Kia Seltos offered two engine options. The base model featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with Kia's Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT). The base LX trim came standard with all-wheel drive (AWD), while the S and EX trims offered front-wheel drive (FWD) with optional AWD. The X-Line and SX trims were equipped with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 195 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, routed through a new eight-speed automatic transmission. This setup provided noticeable acceleration improvements, especially in 40-to-60 mph situations. The Seltos handled various road conditions well, with responsive steering and minimal body roll.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia was exclusively available in a hybrid format, utilizing Toyota's iForce MAX hybrid powertrain. This combined a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor, producing 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. The Sequoia's fuel economy improved significantly, achieving 20 mpg combined with four-wheel drive (4WD). The TRD Pro trim was equipped with a part-time 4WD system, while other trims offered 4WD as an option. The Sequoia's 10-speed automatic transmission operated smoothly, and its on-road handling was adequate for its class. The TRD Off-Road package added adventure-ready features, enhancing its off-road capabilities. The Sequoia's towing capacity increased to 9,520 pounds, with several towing-related upgrades available.

The 2024 Kia Seltos provided up to 62.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, and 26.6 cubic feet with the seats in use. The SX trim offered a hands-free power liftgate as part of an options package. The Seltos featured an upright seating position, ample headroom, and good rear legroom, accommodating taller occupants comfortably. The front seating area included decently sized in-door cupholders and cubbies, while the SX trim came with a removable cargo cover.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia offered a maximum of 86.9 cubic feet of cargo space with both second- and third-row seats folded. Behind the second row, it provided 49 cubic feet, and behind the third row, it ranged from 11.5 to 22.3 cubic feet. The Sequoia's second-row seats were easy to move for access to the back row, and the third-row seats folded at the push of a button. However, the seats did not create a flat load floor due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. The Sequoia's interior dimensions placed it behind some rivals in terms of legroom, but it offered second-row captain's chairs in higher trims.

The 2024 Kia Seltos featured a consistent large digital bezel across its trim lineup, with screen sizes varying by trim. The base infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen, while higher trims upgraded to a 10.25-inch fully digital instrument panel and touchscreen. The infotainment system supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a logical layout and responsive screen. The SX trim offered an upgraded eight-speaker Bose premium stereo system and Digital Key 2 Touch for smartphone access.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia's Capstone trim was equipped with a 14-inch center touchscreen, while the SR5 trim featured an 8-inch screen. The Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system prioritized functionality, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard across all trims. The Sequoia's driver-information display was a full-color 12.3-inch screen, and the Panoramic View monitor was standard. The Capstone trim included a 10-inch color head-up display, and the JBL Premium Audio system was available on higher trims.

The 2024 Kia Seltos came with standard driver assistance features, including forward collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, and driver attention warning. The S trim added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the SX trim included smart cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and highway driving assist.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia featured the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.5 suite as standard across all trims. This included a pre-collision system, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, and road-sign recognition. The Sequoia also had front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring with Trailer Merge Warning. The Tow Technology Package added a digital rearview mirror and trailer backup guide.