2021 Hyundai Kona vs Kia Seltos

What's the difference?

If there was one small SUV that needed improvement, then that’s the old Hyundai Kona. And job well done. The Highlander is now a well-equipped, economical, easy to drive, safe and dynamically capable example of its crossover breed.

But is it class leading? No, far from it. Are there still issues? Urban streetscape and rough-road ride comfort remains poor, there isn’t as much space or versatility as the Highlander’s hefty $38,000 price tag suggests and the styling is starting to tired, especially inside.

So, the latest Kona goes from a segment straggler to a solid mid-field contender. If you like what you see and can see past the failings, then by all means… enjoy. It's finally the small SUV Hyundai should have launched back in 2017.

Small SUVs tend to come with their fair share of drawbacks. They’re more expensive than their hatchback cousins and tend to be half as practical as they might look. This is not the case with the Seltos, which offers great value, top-shelf practicality, and a reasonably entertaining drive experience, too.

If nothing else, the Kona is a showy piece of kit. So, how altered is new over old? More than the facelift title might suggest.

Gone is the old nose’s triple-layered lighting and grille treatments dominated by a hexagonal grille and large H-oval, for a sleeker if also fussy twin-grille design, but still with a trio of completely contrasting all-LED clusters, giving the 2021version a somewhat perma-smile look that some people prefer but others may find gormless.

Polished alloy wheels and a reshaped rear bumper complete the visual changes outside, while the Highlander grade boasts the aforementioned digital instrumentation, big 10.25-inch touchscreen and higher-quality interior trimmings.

Size-wise, the Kona still seems a little squeezy for its pricing and positioning, feeling not that much bigger than the boxy but roomy Venue, yet quite a lot littler than the larger new Tucson. It remains a fairly tightly packaged small SUV, and in some eyes, lacks the style-driven appeal of more coupe-like crossovers such as the CX-30 and C-HR.

I think the Seltos looks pretty neat. There’s a youthful flair about it and even the plasticky bits which make up its bold face remind me of an age of small SUVs past, with echoes of things like the first-generation RAV4.

There’s nice angular detailing, unexpected amounts of small patternwork to add a sense of depth to its textures, and a fun sporty side profile, accentuated by its two-tone alloy design.

One thing the Seltos doesn’t look is small. Even parked next to a Kona, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Seltos is in the class above, as it’s significantly taller, perhaps even enough to step on the Sportage’s toes.

Inside things are typically Kia, but there’s a bit of give and take when it comes to the materials. The massive multimedia screen is incredible in a car like this, but its glossy panelwork which enshrines the dash and includes the climate module is somehow at odds with the otherwise nasty plastics surrounding it.

Every other surface around it is in a hollow, hard finish. It’s not just the dash either, with the hard plastics continuing into the doors.

Other important touchpoints are pretty good, with Kia’s latest steering apparatus looking and feeling great while hosting ergonomic buttons and toggles for the most important functions.

The seats, which are in an odd grey seat trim with a pattern which again, somehow reminds me of the ‘90s, are reasonably comfortable and adjustable, even if they are only six-way manual on this grade.

The Kona isn’t as spacious as you might expect of an SUV based on the i30. It’s not bad, but the Seltos seems to have it licked dimensionally, feeling way roomier. Indeed, a HR-V, too, seems larger, lighter and airier inside.

But in Highlander guise at least, the little luxury touches and improvements to the quality of materials fitted do make for a more-convincing (and certainly better equipped) crossover.

You might not be a fan of the $275 beige perforated leather seats and matching lower-dash and door-card contrasts upgrade (that have a supernatural ability to attract dirt and grime), but it looks premium, with a head-up display (albeit on an old-fashioned plastic screen that rises from behind the binnacle), leather-clad wheel, electrically-adjustable vented and heated front seats, toasty rear outboard seats and large touchscreen.

But while the MY21 changes have brought the modish electronic instrument display, it only changes in colour and not in design or layout of the dials, meaning the whole set-up seems a bit half-baked compared to, say, a Peugeot or VW equivalent. In fact, the whole dash is now looking old and derivative, betraying the Kona’s advancing age. In default white ‘normal’ mode, the speedo and tacho combo are reminiscent of the 2002 Corolla’s.

Never mind. The Highlander’s squishy front seats are really quite comfy, with plenty of support (including lumbar) over longer distances, backed up with the aforementioned powered adjustability (including for height) on both sides, for added luxury appeal. Most rivals – hello Toyota – seem to forget about providing the latter functionality for the front passenger on higher series grades.

There are no complaints about the Kona’s driving position, either. A fine relationship exists between the operator and nicely-grippy steering wheel, that also adjusts of course for both reach and height to provide an unencumbered view of those not-so-new looking dials. Ventilation is first class, there’s sufficient storage for most small items (including a larger bottle in the door pockets), and once you familiarise yourself with the various scattered buttons around the console, they’re in easy reach. Nothing at all intimidating here.

Rear-seat entry is surprisingly good, and there’s ample space for two 178cm-tall people sat behind a same-sized driver and passenger. The backrest is fixed but well placed, while the cushion is sufficiently comfy over short distances.

If you’re game a third person can just fit in between but it will be tight and hair or scalp will scrape the Kona’s ceiling. There’s plenty of storage, a single USB outlet, overhead grab handles, reading lights, a centre armrest with cupholders and one map pocket.

But the boot remains shallow and small for the size of the Kona even though there are improvements to be gleaned here, with a high floor over a space-saver spare reducing normal capacity to just 374 litres (it was 13L less pre-facelift). There isn’t much in the way of versatility either, beyond the prerequisite split/folding rear backrest. Doing this ups the load area availability to 1156L. Nothing slides or removes, unlike a Skoda Karoq's divided trio of rear seats.

All-up, then, the Highlander’s interior is compact, extremely well-screwed together, and of acceptable quality, without a squeak or rattle to be heard. It’s also quieter than before, but there’s no denying that it’s beginning to seem old and dated now, despite the changes brought in by the facelift.

Speaking of which, let’s look underneath the bonnet.

As you’d expect from a current Kia or Hyundai product, every thought has been given to maximizing stowage space in the cabin. Front occupants get big chunky bottle holders in the centre console and doors, a large two-tiered shelf under the climate controls, and large binnacles with bottle holders in the doors.

The console arm rest box isn’t massive and void of amenities, but is useful nonetheless. The Sport grade adds a second USB port for a total of two (USB 2.0) for front passengers and a 12V power outlet.

Despite its imposing size, the multimedia system isn’t placed so high it will distract the driver, and the ergonomics are backed by easy access dials for things like volume and climate temperature.

On the topic of climate controls, I have to spare a moment to note the automatic defog feature which was downright magic.

The major annoyance in the cabin is the abundance of hard plastics where elbows normally rest. This is common to some of the more affordable Hyundai products, too, so Kia is far from alone here.

In terms of overall cabin space, the Seltos falls short of the trickery employed by Honda in its brilliant HR-V, but makes up for it with sheer size.

Front and rear passengers have leagues of leg and headroom, making the Seltos easily one of the most spacious places to be in the segment.

Rear passengers benefit from large binnacles in the doors, but no pockets on the back of the front seats (instead, a hard-wearing plastic cover. Good for kids). There are also no directional air vents or power outlets either, a mark against the otherwise practical package.

Boot space is at the top end if not the largest in the small SUV segment, too, with 498-litres (VDA). Not only is this much larger than its Kona cousin, it’s even a much larger boot than Kia’s own Sportage in the size above. My usual equipment set of a duffle bag, tripod case and largest 124L CarsGuide travel case had so much room they slid about freely in corners. Impressive.

The Seltos Sport we have here is the second-rung up in the Seltos line-up and it wears an MSRP of $30,490. This places it squarely against the Nissan Qashqai ST ($30,290), Honda HR-V VTi-S ($30,390), and the Hyundai Kona Elite ($30,600).

To be precise, because I know this particular market segment is crowded and confusing, the Seltos is a smidge larger than the Kona and HR-V, but a tiny (we’re talking a handful of mm) bit smaller than the Qashqai.

This first-rung-up variant is in the most competitive price segment – you’ll note its major rivals are all similarly specified (front-wheel drive, non-turbos) and are all within a few hundred dollars of one another, but this has also created the annoying side-effect of making the must-have 'Active Safety Pack' a $1000 option.

So really, with the specification it should have, the Seltos is $1000 more than equivalents in the segment.

But given its standard equipment, and, as you’ll read about shortly, it’s generous cabin and safety inclusions with that box ticked, it’s easily worth the small extra spend.

The Sport grade is the first rung in the line-up to include 17-inch alloy wheels, an impressive 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen with digital radio and built-in nav, climate control, auto folding mirrors, leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob, and fog lights.

Less impressive are the halogen headlights (which cheapen an otherwise good-looking car), lack of keyless entry or push-start ignition, and the unusual down-grade to a continuously variable automatic transmission from Kia’s usual six-speed torque converter auto. More on that in the engine and transmission section.

The screen in particular, dominates the dash in this car and is a real star feature which the Seltos gets over rivals at this price. There’s also the plus of a large interior space to offset some items that are (annoyingly) missing.

The 1999cc 2.0-litre Nu Smartstream features twin cams, 16 valves, dual continuously variable valve timing and a new Atkinson cycle combustion process and two-step variable induction system, to dramatically improve fuel efficiency. More on that a little later.

A maximum of 110kW of power at 6200rpm and 180Nm of torque at 4500rpm is delivered to the front wheels via a CVT, while the latter’s sequential ‘manual’ mode offers what Hyundai calls eight “virtual” gears, accessible with a push forward to go up and a pull of the lever back to go down. We wouldn't bother.

Weighing in at a hefty 1383kg (kerb), the Highlander’s power-to-weight ratio is 79.5kW per tonne.

Why CVT? For a claimed 14 per cent drop in fuel consumption compared to before.

There are two engines in the Seltos range, but the Sport here is powered by the lesser 2.0-litre non-turbo four-cylinder petrol engine which produces 110kW/180Nm.

The same engine appears in lesser variants of the Hyundai Kona with identical power outputs. The 2.0-litre versions of the Seltos are front-wheel drive, but interestingly forgo the Kona’s six-speed torque converter automatic in favour of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) solution instead.

The old Kona 2.0L FWD was not a very economical engine, so the move to the new combustion process and CVT promised advances. And, for once, the end result did not let us down.

Hyundai claims a combined average of 6.2 litres per 100km – or 8.3L/100km around town and a frankly-outstanding 5.0L/100km in the extra-urban route – for a carbon dioxide emissions average of 148 grams per kilometre. Fitted with a 50L fuel tank, this means a theoretical 800km-plus range between top-ups.

We managed an entirely reasonable 7.4L/100km at the pump. That was a mix of air-con-on two-person inner-city high-density traffic commuting, open-road cruising and some very spirited performance testing. Not bad at all.

This Kona will run on 91 RON standard unleaded as well as a 94 RON E10 ethanol mixture.

The Seltos Sport has a claimed/combined cycle fuel consumption rating of 6.8L/100km which is down from the same engine’s 7.2L/100km in the smaller Kona.

Kia would, perhaps, put this down to the CVT auto, but in a week of combined testing including daily urban drives with some freeways thrown in for good measure, our car returned a computer-reported 8.0L/100km.

This is about the same as I scored in the Kona on my recent range test.

The Seltos has a 50L fuel tank which can be filled with base-grade 91RON unleaded fuel.

That’s much better.

Unlike the previous, bouncy Kona, our Series II Highlander is smoother, quieter and more civilised, but still quite punchy. It’s like driving the old version but with ear muffs on. We wonder how much of that is down to the better-quality tyres, since the Australian road tuning that Hyundai undertook in 2017 carries over. There are no changes to the MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension set-up, as far as we can ascertain.

Additionally, you might think that swapping out a six-speed torque-converter auto for a CVT might detract from the driving experience enjoyment. But, surprisingly, no. The latter works especially well with the 2.0L engine. Acceleration from standstill is instant and smooth – if still a bit on the loud side – with speed building up strongly as required. The old boomy exhaust is gone, though you’d never mistake the sound the Smartstream emits for, say, a Honda VTEC unit.

That local Aussie tune continues to pay dividends whether you’re happy to potter about town, schlepp to and from work on a boring old motorway or power up a mountain road.  From a steering and handling point of view, it’s difficult to fault the Highlander on Continental PremiumContact6 235/45R18 rubber. Even on damp roads, it corners faithfully, holds it line as requested and isn’t prone to rack rattle or bump-steer. This is progress, folks. The old Kona was a groaner in such conditions.

Plus, there’s a reassuring feeling of control and feedback from the way the Hyundai corners so confidently, making it a good choice if you’re a keen driver. If you're in the mood, the Kona will grow a set of horns and come out to play.

And while the ride is still too firm around town, it’s nowhere near as punishing, or as jittery, as before. The whole chassis set-up is more in keeping with the Highlander’s upmarket positioning. We’re not saying it’s the last word in refinement or quietness – take a spin in a C-HR or Peugeot 3008 if you want to experience real suspension suppleness – but the revamped Kona is definitely improved.

Coarse highways still send an ever-present drone through to the cabin, though, and like we said, bumps and potholes are still very definitely felt.

Back in the urban jungle, the Kona’s compact dimensions, light steering, big mirrors and helpfully large camera screen make parking this a doddle. It’s easy to place, a cinch for manoeuvrability and responsive enough to throttle requests for zipping into traffic gaps.

Overall, then, big steps forward for Hyundai's small SUV, though the class best like the CX-30 can still rest easy.

The Seltos is generally a winner behind the wheel, with a few shortcomings which could come down to driver preference.

For a start, visibility out of its wagon-like body is excellent, with large windows and generous wing mirrors giving you a great awareness of your surroundings. The driving position, while not sporty, is quite upright granting a commanding SUV view, and not all cars in this category do.

Despite a dated sounding engine, power is more than adequate, with even this 2.0-litre version proving quick off the mark, the transmission clearly calibrated to give the Seltos an immediacy in traffic.

As you might expect with an engine like this though, the power delivery becomes less impressive as you work your way up to higher revs. The CVT surprised me by not imparting too much of the lackluster rubber banding feeling common to many rival CVTs.

While I was surprised to find this engine much quieter at low revs than it was in the Kona, once you’re up above 3500rpm it is still making a racket. Road noise is also a minor issue with the large wheels, and thin tyres, especially above 70km/h.

The Seltos does feel light and surprisingly responsive in the corners, with more sporty and direct steering than most cars in this class. The suspension tune adds to this sporty feel, but I would argue it's overly firm (a criticism which is becoming easy to make of many Kia products).

This small SUV crashes over even small bumps, leaving you to cringe at the larger ones. Even freeway rumble strips send vibrations shuddering through the body and steering wheel.

While it’s one of the more engaging handling combinations in the class, its certainly a bit less comfortable than something like a Subaru XV or Toyota C-HR. Kia’s local suspension tuning program would suggest this is to Australian tastes though, so perhaps it’s just not for me.

While the more comprehensive share of active safety items are a $1000 option, every Seltos gets the now must-have auto emergency braking (works at city speeds and detects pedestrians), basic driver attention alert, and lane keep assist with lane departure warning.

Ticking the Active Safety Pack box upgrades the AEB to include cyclist detection, adds 'lead vehicle alert' to the driver attention alert system, and introduces adaptive cruise control. There is no way to get blind spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert on the S or Sport Seltos grades.

Not a bad safety suite by any means. The option pack is worth it for the upgraded auto braking and adaptive cruise.

On the 'expected' front the Seltos packs six airbags, as well as the usual brake, traction, and stability controls. There are two ISOFIX and three top-tether child seat mounting points across the second row.

The Seltos carries a maximum five-star ANCAP rating from a 2019 assessment.

Hyundai offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty as well as 12 months of roadside assistance, with scheduled servicing at every 12-month or 15,000km intervals.

Published online, the prices for the N-Line service is $319 for each of the first five annual services, then rises to $380 (year six), $305 (year seven), $370 (year eight), $320 (year eight), $365 (year nine) and $660 (year 10). Accurate at the time of publishing, prices vary after that – between $275 and $380 – right up to the 51-year/510,000km service mark!

As always, ownership continues to be a strong proposition when picking Kia over rivals, with its stellar seven year/unlimited kilometre warranty promise.

The tried and tested 2.0-litre engine, which the brand has relied on for a long time, shouldn’t give you any problems, but the CVT is new so you might want to keep an eye on it.

Service costs are fixed for the life of the warranty (up to seven years or 105,000km). The small SUV require servicing in 12 month or 15,000km intervals which cost between $261 and $593 for a yearly average of $402.57. Not as astoundingly cheap as Toyota servicing, but hardly expensive.