Auto Showdown: 2021 Kia Seltos vs. 2020 Subaru Crosstrek

SUVs often dominate product news coming out of auto shows, and at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show the focus is on small, city-friendly ones. The 2021 Kia Seltos is one of the big stars, and it promises practicality, capability, and fun with looks to match. Subaru‘s Crosstrek has long been a major player in the subcompact SUV segment, and now it has a new rugged-looking competitor from Korea.

A full comparison will have to wait until we get both subcompact SUVs together next year. For now, let’s compare the 2021 Kia Seltos and 2020 Subaru Crosstrek on the show floor.

Immediately you’ll notice that the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek looks more like a rugged hatchback with extra ground clearance than an SUV, unlike the 2021 Kia Seltos. With its exterior design derived from the Subaru Impreza hatchback, the Crosstrek gives you the impression that it’s a modified derivative of a compact car. In comparison, the 2021 Kia Seltos takes cues from the three-row Telluride, giving it more presence. The Seltos also has cool design cues such as the textured grille surrounds, LED daytime running lights that extend into the grille, and a special bumper to improve the approach angle.

From the side, the 2021 Kia Seltos further distinguishes itself with its upright greenhouse, giving it more of an SUV look. In comparison, the 2020 Subaru Crosstrek looks more car-like with its rounded greenhouse that descends faster toward the rear end. Out back, we see the same differences; the Seltos continues with the boxy theme versus the Crosstrek’s more rounded rear. However, both cars have large rear windows, which should provide great outward visibility.

Both the 2021 Kia Seltos and 2020 Subaru Crosstrek feature simple but logically laid out interiors. The latter features a vertical layout and can be had with a touchscreen up to 8.0 inches in size. Tech lovers should gravitate more toward the Seltos because it’s available with a massive 10.25-inch touchscreen and a 7.0-inch gauge cluster display. With the available Bose audio system on the Seltos, you also get cool three-dimensional triangle-shaped patterns on the speaker grilles that light up with the available ambient lighting, giving the SUV’s interior a more youthful feel.

Other key differences on the Seltos are the reclining rear seats and the two-level load floor, providing extra flexibility. Plug-in hybrid variants of the Subaru Crosstrek have less cargo capacity than the gas-only model because of the battery raising the cargo floor. You get 60/40 split-folding rear seats in the Seltos and Crosstrek, but the latter’s rear window is less upright, limiting how much you can stack up to the roof when all seats are in place.

If power is what you’re looking for, the 2021 Kia Seltos has you covered with its optional 1.6-liter turbo I-4 with 175 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. That comes paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. A 146-hp 2.0-liter I-4 comes standard and is paired to a CVT. Should you opt for a Seltos with the optional all-wheel-drive system, it’ll also swap out the standard torsion beam rear suspension found in front-drive models in favor of a multilink setup.

The 2020 Subaru Crosstrek comes with a 152-hp 2.0-liter flat-four paired to your choice of a six-speed manual or a CVT. Plug-in hybrid models take the standard powertrain and pair it to an electric motor and lithium-ion battery for 148 hp combined. It can also travel up to 17 miles in EV mode. All-wheel drive comes standard on the Crosstrek, just like all Subarus except the BRZ sports coupe.

The Subaru Crosstrek is one of the most popular subcompact SUVs among MotorTrend staffers thanks to its blend of practicality, fuel efficiency, safety, and respectable road manners. In fact, many of us would even buy one with our money if given the opportunity, and it was a finalist for the 2018 MotorTrend SUV of the Year award two years ago.

We haven’t driven the 2021 Kia Seltos, but since it rides on the same platform as the Hyundai Kona but with a longer wheelbase, our expectations are high. Its Hyundai cousin is one of only two subcompact SUVs to become a finalist for MotorTrend’s SUV of the Year award, the other being the Subaru Crosstrek.