Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Santa Fe

What's the difference?

Kia’s updated Seltos is more expensive than the previous version but it's better as well.

The entry grade no longer has hubcaps and gets alloy wheels, all grades have directional air vents in the second row, the jerky dual-clutch auto is gone and an excellent regular eight-speed auto has arrived, plus there’s more safety tech and modern displays screens.

What hasn’t changed is the Seltos’s size. It’s a big, small SUV, that’s easy to park in tight spaces but roomy inside even for tall, awkward humans like me. 

The sweet spot in the range is the Sport+ with the 1.6-litre engine, if only it had the LED headlights that only come on the GT-Line.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

The new Santa Fe Hybrid FWD has a few tricks up its sleeve that will entice new and old fans alike. Its bigger shape makes it a proper seven-seater now and its robust features should make it appealing for families wanting a well-specified family vehicle.

The higher price point might not appeal as much but it’s still fairly well-priced compared to its rivals. It loses points for not being efficient for a hybrid. 

My husband hates the intrusive safety features but my son really likes all of the amenities in the rear rows. He's been comfy!

This updated Seltos has had a few styling tweaks, too. The grille is taller and  there’s a new headlight design which on the GT-Line is stunning with its LED running lights.

The rear of the Seltos has been restyled as well, with a new tail-light design and again on the GT-Line there’s an LED strip which runs between them.

The Seltos is pretty big for a small SUV. At 4.4m long it’s bigger than a Hyundai Kona and a Honda HR-V and about the same size as a Nissan Qashqai and Corolla Cross.

What’s good about that is you’re getting more space inside with a package that’s still smallish on the outside.

If you think the Seltos’ look is familiar, then I agree. The Honda HR-V and Haval Jolion have very similar tail-light designs and the profile follows many of the same styling cues of the Toyota Corolla Cross.

To my eyes, though, I think the Seltos is the more refined looking of its peers with a more modern and interesting interior.

Speaking of which, keep in mind that the top-of-the-range GT-Line’s cabin is far more fancy than the interior of the entry grade S. The GT-line’s large double digital displays are impressive and the buttons around the shifter for seat heating and ventilation are replaced with blank plastic panels in the S. 

Hard plastic armrests were another of my gripes about the previous entry grade Seltos, too.

Still all cabins have a premium look even if the feel isn’t luxurious throughout on all grades. 

The new-gen Santa Fe looks nothing like its predecessor. The outgoing model was a slimline and rather compact SUV, with a third row that was 100 per cent for kids only.

The new model is squared, extra-large and features a bunch of 'H' logo styling accents - in the LED lights, grille and rear panelling, as well as the air vent design in the dashboard.

The windows are large and the rear reminds you of a Pixar mum... IYKYK. You’re either going to like it or you won’t. The design is bold and stands out but it might be a bit too boxy for me to call it good-looking.

The interior looks completely different, too, with a dashboard headlined by dual 12.3-inch technology screens. The dash is also quite squared-off in its design, which complements the car's robust external looks. Everything is large but well-proportioned inside.

While you get leather on the higher grades, the base model sports cloth seats with tartan accent panels but it's a design that grows on you. It's also nice that the seats feature something interesting to look at, as base models tend to only get basic-looking black cloth.

The only issue that might pop up is that cloth is harder to clean when you have little ones around.

Some small SUVs are seriously small, which might be fine for some, but if you’re hoping to also have enough space for passengers in the back seats, and a boot which can carry plenty of luggage then the Seltos is a good choice.

Even at 191cm tall I had more than enough room to sit behind my driving position with good headroom back there, too.

Cabin storage is also good with door pockets front and rear, and a deep centre console box. As for cupholders there are two up front on all grades, while the Sport+ and GT-Line get two more in the second row fold-down armrest.

Boot capacity depends on if you’ve requested a full-sized spare wheel or the space-saver spare. With the space-saver you’ll have more room at 469 litres, while the full-sized wheel under the boot floor will leave you with 433 litres. That’s still decent for the class.

The new Seltos has directional air vents for back seat passengers which is a win (motoring journalists had been complaining about the lack of them for years) and there are also two USB ports (Type-C) for the second row along with another two for those in the front, plus a 12V outlet.

The boxier and larger shape of the new Santa Fe means the cabin is practical for most families.

The cabin up front is spacious with plenty of leg-, head- and elbow-room even when you have a full carload of people.

The middle row is wide, which means it's easy to fit adults and child seats plus the floor is flat. Middle seaters will be very comfortable on a long journey.

The third row is now a proper third row and surprisingly comfy for an adult. I'm only 168cm tall but had plenty of leg- and headroom. However, if you had a car full of adults, you might have to get Tetris-ey with seat positioning.

Individual storage is excellent for the class and there are a total of 12 cupholders throughout the car, with six of them in the middle row. There is a drink bottle holder in each door, and the front also gets large storage bins.

In the front row there are two glove boxes, a shallow storage shelf in the dashboard, an extra-large middle console (with removeable shelf) and a drawer middle rowers can access.

On top of that you get a large centre console with two dedicated phone spots and a large undershelf storage area (which fits two handbags).

Amenities throughout are great with heated front seats, two USB-C ports and reading lights per row, directional air vents in the rear rows and the third row enjoys individual fan control, as well.

Technology is well-rounded and the multimedia system is fairly easy to use but it may take a while to get used to all the customisations available. There are enough buttons, dials and touchpads to satisfy those who like that sort of thing and the digital instrument cluster is easy-to-read.

The wireless Apple CarPlay is simple to connect to and maintains the link, which is great. There's also wireless Android Auto as well as Bluetooth connectivity. Despite a 'Map' button there's no built-in satellite navigation and you have to rely on your smart phone's navigation app.

Another practical element delivered by the new larger shape is a very large boot aperture, which makes it easy to slide bigger items in and out. With the third row folded, you get 628L of capacity but you can bump it to 1949L with all rear rows folded.

The boot features a level loading space, retractable cargo cover and a powered tailgate. The tailgate is massive and also provides ample rain cover - perfect for when you have to do nappy changes on a road trip with the kiddies.

And the biggest feature of all - you can fit five child seats in this model because it has five top-tether points and four ISOFIX child seat mounts! Hurrah for large families.

There are three Santa Fe variants with the base model having the option of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The model on test for this review is the base FWD hybrid variant which is priced from $55,500, before on road costs.

This makes it almost $10K more than the model it replaces but compared to its rivals, it's the most affordable. The closest rival is the Toyota Kluger GX hybrid at $60,920 MSRP and then the Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid FWD at $70,330 MSRP.

Despite being a base model, the Hybrid FWD is well-specified and comes with lots of standard features and some luxury highlights are the heated front seats, powered driver's seat (with adjustable lumbar support), rear privacy glass and a suite of LED external lights.

Practical features include keyless entry, push-button start, a powered tailgate, remote start (via the key fob), a full-size spare wheel, three drive modes ('Eco', 'Sport' and 'My Drive') and dual-zone climate control.

Technology is robust throughout the car and the base model comes with dual 12.3-inch technology screens, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the Hyundai 'Bluelink' app, over the air updates, Bluetooth connectivity, a wireless charging pad, six USB-C ports and two 12-volt sockets.

Bluelink connected car services brings features like ‘Automatic Collision Notification’ an emergency call (SOS) function, geo-fencing, valet, speed and time alerts and more.

The Seltos range has two engines to choose from: a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine making 110kW/180Nm and a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine producing even more grunt at 146kW/265Nm.

The 2.0-litre engine comes with a CVT which is a type of automatic transmission and the 1.6-litre engine has an eight-speed auto.

CVT stands for Continuously Variable Transmission and some people (me included) find the droning they cause the engine to make to be annoying. They also come with a feeling of less acceleration. 

The good news is the eight-speed auto that comes with the 1.6-litre is a great transmission with smooth shifts and a sporty nature that matches the punchy engine. 

This eight-speed auto is welcome because it also replaces the jerky dual-clutch transmission that had been paired with the 1.6-litre engine in the previous Seltos.   

All-wheel drive is only available with the 1.6-litre engine while front-wheel drive comes solely with the 2.0-litre.

So, if you’re after great acceleration and better traction then the 1.6-litre is the way to go. If you’re not after a sporty driving experience then the 2.0-litre engine will suit you, and it costs less.

The Hybrid FWD features a hybrid powertrain that combines an electric motor with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine.

They combine to produce 172kW of power and 367Nm of torque. This replaces the diesel and V6 petrol engines of the previous model, which fans may see as a sad passing. 

This particular variant has a front-wheel drive drivetrain and a six-speed auto transmission, which is mostly smooth.

The smaller engine actually uses more fuel, but not a great deal more. Kia says the 1.6-litre engine with all-wheel drive uses 7.4L/100km after a combination of open and urban roads. The 2.0-litre engine according to Kia will use half a litre less at 6.9L/100km.  

Both engines only need 'standard' 91 RON petrol, too - that’s the cheap one.

Where is the hybrid variant? Good question. The answer is, there isn’t one. And neither is one coming, I’ve asked. That’s disappointing considering the Corolla Cross comes with a hybrid version of each grade in its line-up.

It’s for this reason the Seltos range scores a lower mark for fuel efficiency.

The official combined fuel-cycle consumption figure is a low 5.6/100km and my real-world usage came out at 11.1L/100km!

Now, a special note for this section. My consumption figure could be a result of my particular driving style and the fact that I do so much open-roading. That's when a hybrid is at its least efficient. So bare that in mind, but that figure is surprising and disappointing.

Based on the official combined fuel cycle and 65L fuel tank, expect a theoretical driving range of up to 1196km which is great for families who like to do big road trips.

The Kia Seltos has two personalities. The laid back Seltos with a 2.0-litre engine and the enthusiastic sporty Seltos with the 1.6-litre engine.

Regardless of which Seltos you pick, the ride is comfortable, the handling is good, and the steering is excellent. 

Kia says it's worked to make the Seltos’s cabin more insulated from road noise, but having driven it on country roads for hours I think it could do with more sound dampening.

If you’re considering the Sport+ grade and are not sure if the $3500 premium for the 1.6-litre engine is worth it, my answer would be absolutely, if you can afford it.

That 1.6-litre turbo petrol is a great engine and the new eight-speed transmission is excellent. Even as a daily driver I think anybody would enjoy driving this version of the Seltos more, and for those who like sporty driving then it’s definitely the powerplant for you.

The new Santa Fe doesn’t let you forget its new dimensions and if you’re too quick to accelerate from a full stop, the FWD reminds you by losing a bit of traction. 

Power delivery is good, though, and you can easily keep up with traffic or overtake when you need to. The switch between electric and petrol components is very smooth, which is not always the case with a hybrid.

The suspension is firm enough to feel the road surface but it’s cushioned enough that a long journey is pretty comfortable. Cabin noise is at a minimum, no matter the speed, which makes the driving feel quite refined.

Steering can feel a little spongy at lower speeds but its agile on the highway. 

The new Santa Fe has a great 360-degree view camera system that is super clear but it is a unit to manouevre and it fills out a space. In a tight car park, it can feel big to move around.

At the time of writing the new Santa Fe hadn’t been assessed by ANCAP, so it is unrated but it does feature a hefty safety features list that rivals a lot of competitors. It also has 10 airbags which is great for a family car.

Standard items include blind-spot monitoring, LED lights, driver attention alert, leading vehicle departure alert, safe exit assist, rear occupant alert (first two rows only), rear collision warning, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert and lane keeping aid.

There's also lane following assist, traffic sign recognition, an intelligent seatbelt warning (first two rows only), adaptive cruise control (with start/stop), the 360-degree view camera system and front and rear parking sensors.

It's also nice to see the blind-spot view monitor on the base model, which is a system that pops a video feed of your blind spot onto your dashboard.

However, some of the safety features, like the driver attention monitor and traffic sign recognition, are very intrusive to daily driving. If you could permanently disable the sound alert, it would be a lot more enjoyable to drive.

The Seltos is covered by Kia’s seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. 

Servicing differs between the two engines.

A Seltos with a 1.6-litre engine needs to be serviced every 12 months or 10,000km and over seven years the average service cost comes to $497 per year.

A Seltos with the 2.0-litre engine needs to be serviced every 12 months or 15,000km and over seven years the average service costs comes to $434 per year.

Capped price servicing is good, but the prices can get higher than $600 for some visits.

The new Santa Fe comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is a normal term for the class.

You can pre-purchase servicing plans. Three-year or up to 30,000km is $1487 (averaging $495 per service).

Four years or up to 40,000km is $1946 (averaging $486.50 per service) and five years or up to 50,000km is $2405 (averaging $481 per service).

All plans are competitive for the class but servicing intervals are a bit annoying at every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first rather than the more common 12 months/15,000 period.