2024 Toyota Sequoia vs 2024 Kia Seltos

The 2024 Kia Seltos underwent a mid-cycle refresh, resulting in subtle yet effective updates. The exterior saw minor changes, such as redesigned headlights and grille, and a new light strip connecting the smaller taillight assemblies. These tweaks collectively gave the Seltos a rejuvenated appearance without significantly increasing its cost. Our test model, finished in the striking new "Pluton Blue" paint, stood out with its sharp look. Inside, the Seltos introduced a new Gentle Brown interior colour, although our test model featured the standard black interior. The most significant interior update was the large digital panel spanning two-thirds of the dashboard, incorporating a fully digital instrument panel and an enlarged touchscreen infotainment system.

In contrast, the 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform and several design elements with the Tundra pickup, including hexagonal grilles and muscular stances. The exterior's appearance varied significantly with colour choices. Our Capstone model, adorned in Celestial Silver, featured more chrome than other trims, giving it a somewhat dated look reminiscent of a "cop car." Inside, the Sequoia's resemblance to the Tundra was evident, with a blocky, geometric dashboard layout and physical controls for volume and climate. The Capstone trim boasted semi-aniline leather upholstery, while other trims offered SofTex leatherette or standard leather. The Sequoia's interior was spacious, with power-adjustable front seats across the lineup, enhancing comfort and customization.

The 2024 Kia Seltos offered two engine options. The base model featured a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 146 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with Kia's Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT). Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available as an option. The SX and X-Line trims came with a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 195 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, a 10% increase over the previous model. This engine was mated to a new eight-speed automatic transmission, providing standard all-wheel drive. The turbocharged engine offered noticeable acceleration improvements, especially in 60 to 100 km/h situations, although there was some turbo lag at lower speeds. The Seltos handled various road conditions well, with responsive steering and minimal body roll.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia was exclusively available as a hybrid, utilizing Toyota's iForce MAX hybrid powertrain. This system combined a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor, producing 427 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque, a significant increase over its predecessor. The Sequoia's fuel economy improved to 11.7 L/100 km combined with four-wheel drive. Standard 4WD included a part-time system with selectable modes. The Sequoia's on-road handling was adequate, and the SR5 TRD Off-Road model offered adventure-ready features like unique tires, off-road suspension, and driver-assist technologies. The Sequoia's towing capacity reached 4,137 kilograms, with available towing-related upgrades.

The 2024 Kia Seltos provided up to 1,778 litres of cargo space with the rear seats folded, and 753 litres with the seats in use. A hands-free power liftgate was standard from the EX Premium trim. The Seltos offered an upright seating position with ample headroom, ensuring good driver visibility and rear legroom. The front seating area featured decently sized in-door cupholders and cubbies, while the front centre console had a small tray for essentials. A removable cargo cover was standard from EX Premium.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia offered a maximum of 2,460 litres of cargo space with both second- and third-row seats folded. Behind the second row, it provided 1,387 litres, and behind the third row, it ranged from 325 to 631 litres, depending on seat position. 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, though they didn't create a flat load floor. Headroom was slightly reduced due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. Legroom varied across rows, with the Sequoia trailing some rivals in this aspect. Second-row captain's chairs were available on higher trims, offering width but lacking bolstering.

The 2024 Kia Seltos featured a consistent digital bezel across trims, with screen sizes varying. The base infotainment system had an 8-inch touchscreen, while upper trims upgraded to a 10.25-inch fully digital instrument panel and touchscreen. Both systems included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Seltos retained tactile controls for volume and climate, and the larger screen was responsive. Most trims came with a six-speaker stereo, while the SX and X-Line trims featured an eight-speaker Bose premium stereo. The Seltos offered Digital Key 2 Touch for smartphone-based access.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia's Capstone trim was equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, accessible through an 8-inch touchscreen on the SR5 and a 14-inch screen on other trims. The Toyota Audio Multimedia system prioritized functionality over flashiness. The Sequoia's driver information display was a full-colour 12.3-inch unit, and the Panoramic View monitor was standard on higher trims. A 10-inch colour head-up display was standard on Capstone, and the 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system was available on Limited and standard on Platinum and Capstone.

The 2024 Kia Seltos came with standard driver assistance features, including forward collision avoidance assist, lane keep assist, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. The EX Premium trim added smart adaptive cruise control, while the SX included traffic sign recognition and highway driving assist. The Seltos also featured a drive-away warning for distracted drivers.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia included the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.5 suite as standard, offering features like a pre-collision system, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, and road-sign recognition. Front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring were also standard. The only optional driver aid was a trailer backup guide with Straight-Path Assist, available on higher trims. The Sequoia had not been rated by safety organizations, but its mechanically similar sibling, the Tundra, received a Top Safety Pick+ designation.