2025 Hyundai Santa Fe 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 hike. Our test model, adorned in the new "Pluton Blue" paint, stood out sharply. Inside, the Seltos introduced two new interior colors, "Gentle Brown" and "Midnight Green," though our model featured the standard black interior. The most striking interior update was the expansive digital panel covering two-thirds of the dash, integrating a fully digital instrument panel and a larger touchscreen infotainment system.

In contrast, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, part of its fifth generation, maintained its bold, boxy design with no major revisions. The three-row SUV featured a long wheelbase, flat hood, and snub nose, complemented by pixelated H-shaped LED headlamps. The rear design, however, suffered from mismatched proportions, with taillights positioned lower than ideal. Each trim offered distinct wheel sizes, ranging from 18 to 21 inches, with the XRT trim adding chrome and black accents. Inside, the Santa Fe accommodated seven passengers, except for the Calligraphy trim, which offered captain's chairs in the second row. The interior boasted a mix of materials from cloth to Nappa leather, though some squeaks and rattles were noted during our test drive.

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, while the S and EX trims offered front-wheel drive with optional all-wheel drive. The X-Line and SX trims boasted a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 195 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, coupled with a new eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. The turbocharged engine provided noticeable acceleration improvements, especially in 40-to-60 mph scenarios, though it exhibited some turbo lag at lower speeds. The Seltos handled various road conditions well, with responsive steering and minimal body roll.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe came equipped with a standard 2.5-liter turbocharged engine, generating 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. It offered both front-wheel and all-wheel drive options, except for the XRT trim, which was exclusively all-wheel drive. The eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission managed gear shifts, though some turbo lag and delayed downshifts were observed. The XRT trim featured 30-inch all-terrain tires and 8.3 inches of ground clearance, enhancing its off-road capabilities. While the Santa Fe handled corners with stability and responsive steering, it wasn't designed for rugged off-road adventures, better suited for graded dirt roads and small obstacles.

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. 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 added a removable cargo cover.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in interior space, offering the most third-row legroom in its class. The second-row seats featured adjustable cushion angles, and both the second and third rows could be folded with a button in the rear cargo area. This configuration provided 40.5 cubic feet of space with the second row folded, expanding to 79.6 cubic feet with both rows down. With all seats occupied, 14.6 cubic feet of space remained. The Santa Fe's rear opening was notably wide, accommodating larger items with ease. Most trims could tow 3,500 pounds, with the XRT trim capable of towing 4,500 pounds.

The 2024 Kia Seltos featured a consistent large digital bezel across its trims, 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 system supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with physical controls for volume and climate settings. The SX trim offered an eight-speaker Bose premium stereo system and Digital Key 2 Touch for smartphone access.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe came standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment, with the top trims also featuring a digital gauge cluster. The system was user-friendly, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Upper trims offered additional features like Amazon Music, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and Hyundai Pay. Charging options included multiple USB-C ports and wireless charging. The Santa Fe also offered a digital rearview mirror, head-up display, and Bluelink app connectivity for remote vehicle management.

The 2024 Kia Seltos included standard driver assistance features such as forward collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, and driver attention warning. The S trim added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The SX trim offered advanced features like smart cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and highway driving assist.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe provided a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and lane keeping assist. Higher trims added features like rear parking collision avoidance and Highway Drive Assist. The top trims included a Blind-View Monitor and an expanded driver monitor system. The Santa Fe received a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Good rating from the IIHS, with some exceptions.