2025 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2024 Kia Seltos

The 2024 Kia Seltos underwent a mid-cycle refresh, resulting in subtle yet effective design updates. The refreshed model featured updated headlight and grille designs, with a light strip connecting the smaller taillight assemblies, giving the vehicle a rejuvenated appearance without significant cost increases. The test model showcased the new "Pluton Blue" paint, which added a sharp aesthetic. Inside, the Seltos introduced a new Gentle Brown interior colour, although the test model retained the standard black interior. A prominent change was the large digital panel spanning two-thirds of the dash, integrating a fully digital instrument panel and a larger touchscreen infotainment system.

In contrast, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, a fifth-generation model, maintained its design from its 2024 debut, featuring a chunky, boxy exterior with a long wheelbase, flat hood, and snub nose. The pixelated H-shaped LED headlamps aligned with Hyundai's design aesthetic, while the rear's mismatched proportions, particularly the low-positioned taillights, detracted from the overall design. The Santa Fe offered vibrant colours like Terracotta Orange and Atlantis Blue, appealing to those seeking alternatives to the typical greyscale SUV palette. Each trim had distinct wheel designs, ranging from 18 to 21 inches, with the off-road-focused XRT trim adding chrome and black exterior accents.

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 on the LX trim, with optional all-wheel drive available. The EX Premium trim and above came with standard AWD. The SX and X-Line trims boasted a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 195 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, coupled with a new eight-speed automatic transmission. This setup provided noticeable acceleration improvements, especially in 60 to 100 km/h scenarios, despite 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-litre turbocharged engine, generating 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, with AWD standard across all trims. An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission managed gear shifts. The Santa Fe Hybrid, a separate model, combined a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, producing 231 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque, also with standard AWD. The Santa Fe demonstrated stability in corners, though turbo lag and occasional delayed downshifts were noted. The gear selector, located on a stalk, required some acclimatization. The XRT trim featured 30-inch all-terrain tires and 21.2 cm of ground clearance, enhancing off-road capabilities.

The 2024 Kia Seltos offered 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 provided an upright seating position with ample headroom, ensuring good driver visibility and rear legroom. The front seating area included decently sized in-door cupholders and cubbies, while the front centre console featured an open tray for small items. A removable cargo cover was standard from the EX Premium trim.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in interior space, offering the most third-row legroom in its class. The second-row seats had an adjustable cushion angle, and both the second and third rows could be folded via a button in the rear cargo area. Folding the third row provided 1,148 litres of space, while folding the second row expanded it to 2,267 litres. With all seats occupied, 413 litres of space remained. The rear opening was widened to 127.5 cm, facilitating the loading of large items. Most trims could tow 1,587 kg, with the XRT trim capable of towing 2,040 kg.

The 2024 Kia Seltos featured a consistent large digital bezel across trims, with screen sizes varying by trim. The base infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch digital instrument panel. Upper trims upgraded to a 10.25-inch fully digital instrument panel and touchscreen. The infotainment system supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with logical layouts and responsive screens. The SX and X-Line trims offered an upgraded eight-speaker Bose premium stereo system. The Seltos also featured Digital Key 2 Touch, allowing smartphone-based vehicle access.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment and a digital gauge cluster of the same size, except for the base Preferred trim. The system was user-friendly, with clear graphics and quick response times. Navigation was built into the Luxury and Ultimate Calligraphy trims, but wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard. Multiple USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad accommodated device charging. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim included a digital rearview mirror and head-up display. Bluelink app connectivity was standard, offering features like climate control presets and over-the-air updates.

The 2024 Kia Seltos included standard driver assistance features such as forward collision avoidance assist, lane keep assist, lane-follow assist, automatic high beams, and blind-spot monitoring. The EX Premium trim added smart adaptive cruise control, while the SX trim included traffic sign recognition and highway driving assist. The Seltos also featured a drive-away warning to alert distracted drivers.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward collision avoidance assist. The top trims included a blind spot avoidance feature and Blind View Monitor. The U.S. NHTSA awarded the Santa Fe a four-star overall safety rating, while the IIHS rated it "Good" in most categories, with "Acceptable" scores for headlights and LATCH.