In terms of initial costs, interior spaciousness, and base fuel economy, the Kia Seltos takes the lead over the Subaru Crosstrek. However, the Crosstrek offers a hybrid powertrain option that the Seltos currently lacks, as well as better off-road capability.

Both the Subaru Crosstrek and the Kia Seltos pack safety and versatile driving experiences into a tidy SUV package. But while each vehicle brings a distinct style and multiple engine options to the community of subcompact SUVs, there are key differences between the two.

Here to help walk you through them is

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, the trustworthy

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app. From ongoing expenses to safety, tech, and interior features, read on for an in-depth look into how the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek and 2023 Kia Seltos compare.

And if you’re ready to instantly lower your

Subaru Crosstrek

and

Kia Seltos insurance costs

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Subaru Crosstrek vs. Kia Seltos: which is more expensive?

To get an idea of what you’ll be paying up front on a Crosstrek or Seltos, let’s take a look at starting costs. Here, the 2023 Kia Seltos wins—with a starting MSRP of $22,820 compared to the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek’s $23,645 MSRP.

As a whole, the Crosstrek trims tend to run higher than the Seltos’ trims. A pricey hybrid powertrain sits atop the Crosstrek’s lineup at a cool $36,845. But at least a hybrid powertrain isoffered! Though there are rumors of a hybrid Seltos coming down the line, there are currently none.

Here’s a chart of how each model’s initial costs compare by trim. Note that all-wheel drive is standard on all trims in both models except for the Seltos S trim.

Model	Starting MSRP	Model	Starting MSRP
Crosstrek Base	$23,645	Seltos LX	$22,840
Crosstrek Premium	$24,795	Seltos S (FWD/AWD)	$22,890/$24,390
Crosstrek Sport	$27,995	Seltos EX	$26,140
Crosstrek Limited	$29,495	Seltos Nightfall Edition	$27,040
Crosstrek Hybrid	$36,845	Seltos SX	$28,340

Ownership costs

When purchasing a new vehicle, initial costs are only one part of the equation. Car insurance, taxes, fuel, maintenance and repairs, and depreciation are among many other ongoing expenses that come with car ownership.

Edmunds calculates that the 2023 Kia Seltos actually costs slightly more than the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek when it comes to long-term expenses. While total five-year ownership costs for the base Crosstrek model are estimated at $33,392, the Seltos LX’s estimates come to $35,751.

The Seltos’ ownership costs run higher due to greater depreciation and fuel costs. In fact, Edmunds calculates that the total five-year depreciation for the Seltos could be as much as $3,625 higher than the Crosstrek, which will greatly impact the Seltos’ resale value.

Of course, ownership costs for either vehicle will be higher for more expensive trim levels. However, the Crosstrek plug-in hybrid actually earns back some ownership costs if you

take advantage of federal electric car tax credits

. These credits can bring the hybrid Crosstrek’s total five-year ownership cost estimates to only $36,280—very close to the Seltos LX’s estimatesdespite the hybrid Crosstrek’s sticker price of over $10,000 more.

MORE:

The top 10 cheapest SUVs to insure

Insurance costs

The base model of the Subaru Crosstrek costs an average of $2,694 a year to insure while the Kia Seltos LX costs slightly less at $2,611. Interestingly, these values shift in higher trims.

Though the

Kia Seltos SX insurance costs

are about $2,726 a year on average, the

Subaru Crosstrek Limited insurance costs

are lower, at about $2,089 a year.

Why would a more expensive trim have cheaper car insurance than even the base model? The most likely reason is that the Subaru Crosstrek Limited has more safety features and better safety ratings than both the Kia Seltos SX and the base Subaru Crosstrek model. Enhanced safety usually means insurers will need to pay out less after a collision, which helps lower insurance rates in turn.

Winner: it’s a draw

The Subaru Crosstrek will save you more when it comes to long-term ownership costs, but the Kia Seltos saves you more up front. When it comes down to insurance costs, though, both the Crosstrek and the Seltos could cost you less depending on the trim you opt for.

Therefore, there’s no clear winner between the two models. The Crosstrek may have a slight lead if you’re worried about resale value and fuel expenses—especially if you opt for the hybrid configuration. But if you’re looking to

save on your down payment

and monthly lease or loan payments, the Seltos could be the more affordable choice.

MORE:

Car loans for Subaru 2022

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Subaru Crosstrek vs. Kia Seltos: in-depth comparison

The Subaru Crosstrek and the Kia Seltos are neck and neck when it comes to total costs, so how do they compare in terms of specs? Here, we’ll break down everything else you’re looking for in a vehicle—from interior dimensions to luxury bells and whistles.

Body style and size

The Crosstrek has a slightly larger exterior build than the Seltos and weighs about 100 pounds more. Add in the Crosstrek’s 8.7-inch ground clearance over the Seltos’ 7.3 inches, and you can see why the

Crosstrek is a more competent off-roading SUV

, though you still won’t be doing much heavy-duty trailblazing.

What the Kia Seltos lacks in exterior ruggedness, it makes up for in cargo volume. In fact, the Kia Seltos’ 62.8 cubic feet of total cargo capacity is one of the largest in the subcompact SUV class, running just behind the Volkswagen Taos’ 65.9 cubic feet.

At just 55.3 cubic feet, the Crosstrek’s maximum cargo volume is about average. But if you opt for the hybrid, cargo storage drops down to just 15.9 cubic feet behind the back seats to accommodate the battery pack.

Here’s a closer look at some of those interior and exterior specs:

Dimensions	2023 Subaru Crosstrek	2023 Kia Seltos
Wheelbase	104.9 inches	103.5 inches
Passenger volume	100.9 cubic feet	99.6 cubic feet
Headroom (front/rear)	39.8/38 inches	40/38.4 inches
Legroom (front/rear)	43.1/36.5 inches	41.4/38 inches
Cargo volume w/ seats up	20.8 cubic feet	26.6 cubic feet
Cargo volume w/ seats down	55.3 cubic feet	62.8 cubic feet
Ground clearance	8.7 inches	7.3 inches

MORE:

15 best SUVs for tall people

Engine and performance

The Subaru Crosstrek has more customization options than the Kia Seltos, though both vehicles have at least two different engines available.

While a mildly unimpressive 152-horsepower 2.0L flat-four engine outfits the base and Premium trims of the Crosstrek, the Sport and Limited trim come equipped with a 182-horsepower 2.5L four-cylinder with 176 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. This isn’t quite the horsepower and low-end torque you need to do any major rock crawling, but it’s enough to get you further off the beaten trail than most subcompact SUVs can manage.

The Kia Seltos doesn’t quite match this horsepower. Starting with a base 146-horsepower 2.0L inline-four for the LX, S, and EX trims, you’ll need to upgrade to the Nightfall Edition or SX trim to get the more powerful 1.6L turbocharged inline-four—capable of 175 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque at 1,500 rpm.

The Seltos’ better torque with its upgraded engine may give it an edge over the Crosstrek in terms of maximum towing capacity. Here, the Seltos can haul up to 2,000 pounds, while the Crosstrek is only capable of up to 1,500 pounds. Though 2,000 may not seem like a lot, it’s fairly impressive for a subcompact SUV, nearly catching the larger

Bronco Sport

crossover’s 2,200-pound maximum towing capacity.

The Crosstrek comes with

Subaru's symmetrical AWD

in every trim. AWD is standard on every trim of the Seltos except the Seltos S, where it's a $1,500 upgrade. A six-speed manual transmission is available on the Crosstrek’s base and Premium levels, while a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) serves as the standard. The Seltos doesn’t have a manual transmission available, favoring CVT transmission throughout.

The Subaru Crosstrek also comes with a plug-in hybrid powertrain option the Seltos lacks. We’ll get to the fuel-efficiency specs shortly, but you can expect a combined 148 horsepower from the 2.0L flat-four and dual electric motor system.

Key Takeaway The Crosstrek has much better transmission and powertrain options and slightly more horsepower. The Seltos has better torque and towing capacity.

MORE:The 10 best SUVs for towing

Fuel economy

When equipped with its base gas-powered engine and automatic transmission, the Subaru Crosstrek gets an EPA-estimated fuel-efficiency rating of 28/33/30 mpg city/highway/combined. Though the Kia Seltos’ base engine beats these numbers with front-wheel-drive models achieving 29/35/32 mpg city/highway/combined, its AWD drivetrain falls short with 27/31/29 mpg city/highway/combined.

Of course, the Crosstrek plug-in hybrid outshines any of its fully gas-powered equivalents. Its combined fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 35 mpg, which shifts to 90 MPGe in hybrid mode.

Safety

The 2023 Crosstrek and the 2023 Seltos both have excellent safety ratings. In fact, when equipped with their full respective safety suites and LED headlights, each model earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Subaru’s safety suite, the EyeSight driver aid system, comes standard on Subaru Crosstrek models with a CVT transmission. This includes forward collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assist, with more safety features available in higher trim levels.

Kia’s standard safety suite features a similar repertoire, throwing in automatic high beams and driver attention warning, as well.

Though the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not yet rated the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek, the 2022 model received a five-star overall safety rating. The 2022 Kia Seltos, on the other hand, only received four out of five stars.

That said, both vehicles only got a four-star frontal crash and rollover rating—with the Subaru Crosstrek actually having marginally more rollover risk at 15.6% compared to the Kia’s 15.1%. Additionally, the Seltos maintained all five stars for front driver-side crash safety, whereas the Crosstrek lost a star for both the driver and passenger side.

The Seltos’ lower overall safety rating may boil down to its child seat anchors. In the IIHS’ safety evaluation of each vehicle, child seat anchors in the 2022 Kia Seltos only earned an “acceptable” rating, citing that the hardware was too deep in the seat.

The 2022 Subaru Crosstrek, on the other hand, received a “good plus” rating for child seat anchors, even earning extra points for having more child latch positions available.

Bottom Line The Kia Seltos has more standard safety features and better frontal crash safety ratings. But the Subaru Crosstrek earns better overall safety ratings with safer child seat anchor hardware.

MORE:

A complete guide to Subaru safety ratings

Tech

Though both vehicles boast reasonable tech features, you get more off the bat with the Kia Seltos. Each vehicle’s base trim comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, a USB port, and touchscreen infotainment. But the Seltos comes with a larger 8-inch touchscreen than the Crosstrek’s 6.5-inch screen. It also has two extra speakers over the Crosstrek’s four-speaker audio system.

If you want integrated navigation, you’ll have to upgrade to at least the S trim on the Seltos, which also throws in satellite radio and an even larger 10.25-inch touchscreen. The Crosstrek doesn’t open up integrated navigation until you hit the Limited trim, and even then, it’s bundled with an eight-speaker Harman Kardon audio system for an extra cost.

Interior and comfort

While the Subaru Crosstrek is praised for its lifted ride height and spacious front seats, the back row can get a bit cramped and materials can feel cheap in lower trims. (Makes sense as

Subaru's smallest SUV

.) The Kia Seltos evens out legroom between the front and back seats better and features interior styling that’s suave enough to give it a luxury vehicle feel.

However, you’ll need to upgrade to the S trim for automatic climate control and the EX trim for a power-adjustable driver’s seat in the Seltos, whereas automatic AC and a height-adjustable driver’s seat come standard in the Crosstrek. Luxury options, like leather upholstery, are also more limited with the Seltos. In fact, you can only upgrade a Seltos to simulated leather.

Winner: Subaru Crosstrek

It’s a very close battle, but with better engine and powertrain options, a fuel-efficient hybrid plug-in, and higher safety ratings, the Subaru Crosstrek comes out just ahead of the Kia Seltos. Despite costing more initially, the Crosstrek is also cheaper to maintain and depreciates less, which gives it more value over time.

Still, the Kia Seltos offers better standard tech and more standard safety features in its lower trims. Despite a lack of hybrid options, its FWD S trim has better fuel efficiency than either of the Crosstrek’s gas-powered engines, too.

At the end of the day, though, the Subaru Crosstrek simply has more to offer—especially if you’re searching for manual transmission, a hybrid powertrain, or luxury interior upgrades.

MORE:

Subaru Crosstrek 2023 vs. 2022: which model year is better?

How to save on Subaru insurance costs

The Subaru Crosstrek has a pricier MSRP while the Kia Seltos has pricier ownership costs. But no matter which vehicle you decide on, you can at least ensure that you’re paying the lowest

car insurance

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