Compare the2026 Lexus UXVS 2026 Kia Seltos

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus UX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Seltos doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Lexus UX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Seltos doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the UX deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The UX’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Seltos’ side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The UX has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Front Seatbacks, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Front Seatbacks system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Seltos doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

With its standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, the Lexus UX is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Kia Seltos, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	UX	Seltos
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
25 MPH	AVOIDED	-20 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-1 MPH
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-13 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-3 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
37 MPH Brights	-31 MPH	-21 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	2.4 sec	1.4 sec
37 MPH Low beams	-30 MPH	-5 MPH
Warning Issued-Low beams	2 sec	.3 sec

The UX has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Seltos doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The UX offers an optional Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Seltos doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The UX offers optional Intuitive Parking Assist to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The Seltos doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

The UX has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. Only the Seltos S/EX/SX offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the UX has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert to warn the driver of approaching traffic and automatically engage the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the Seltos S/EX/SX offers Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning.

Both the UX and the Seltos have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Lexus UX is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	UX	Seltos
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	290	308
Neck Injury Risk	36%	38.4%
Neck Stress	163 lbs.	239 lbs.
Neck Compression	94 lbs.	135 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Lexus UX is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	UX	Seltos
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	52	79
Chest Movement	.8 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	149 lbs.	167 lbs.
Hip Force	323 lbs.	346 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	96	177
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	63 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Lexus UX is much safer than the Seltos:

	UX	Seltos
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	166	234
Neck Tension	223 lbs.	268 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.83 in	1.42 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.02 in	1.18 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	POOR
Pelvis Force	892 lbs.	1383 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	150	258
Neck Compression	67 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	1.69 in	2.17 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.46 in	2.01 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	14 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the UX is 1.1% to 2.9% less likely to roll over than the Seltos.

Warranty

The UX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year and unlimited miles longer than the Seltos’ (6/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

Reliability

The battery on the UX is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the UX’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Seltos’ battery is in the hot engine compartment.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the UX’s reliability 33 points higher than the Seltos.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the UX second among small premium suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Seltos isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 8th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in reliability, above the industry average. With 56 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 11th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 9th.

Engine

The UX’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 49 more horsepower (196 vs. 147) and 20 lbs.-ft. more torque (152 vs. 132) than the Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The UX’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 6 more horsepower (196 vs. 190) than the Seltos SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lexus UX is faster than the Kia Seltos 4 cyl.:

	UX	Seltos
Zero to 60 MPH	8 sec	8.3 sec
Quarter Mile	16.1 sec	16.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	85.9 MPH	85.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the UX gets better mileage than the Seltos:

			MPG
UX
	FWD	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	45 city/41 hwy
	AWD	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	44 city/40 hwy
Seltos
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/34 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/31 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/27 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the UX’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Seltos doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the UX’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Seltos:

	UX	Seltos
Front Rotors	12 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	11.1 inches	10.3 inches

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don’t press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The UX has standard Brake Assist to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The Seltos doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the UX has larger tires than the Seltos (225/50R18 vs. 215/55R17).

The UX’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Seltos’ standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the UX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Seltos.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the UX can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Seltos doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Lexus UX has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Seltos 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The UX has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the UX flat and controlled during cornering. The Seltos 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The UX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Seltos’ suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The UX AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Seltos S pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The UX 300h F Sport Design AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Seltos S (28 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the UX’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Seltos’ (34.2 feet vs. 34.8 feet).

Passenger Space

The UX has .6 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front hip room and 3.5 inches more rear hip room than the Seltos.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the UX. The Seltos doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Lexus second in service department satisfaction. With a 60% lower rating, Kia is ranked 27th.

Ergonomics

When three different drivers share the UX F Sport Handling, the memory system makes it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, steering wheel position (with optional power wheel adjuster) and outside mirror angle. The Seltos doesn’t offer a memory system.

The UX F Sport Handling’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Seltos doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The UX Premium/F Sport offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Seltos doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The UX’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Seltos has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The UX’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Seltos’ standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

If the windows are left open on the UX the driver can close all of them at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Lexus service department.) The driver of the Seltos can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The UX has standard Smart Access that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Seltos S/EX/SX offers a Smart Key.

The UX Premium/F Sport’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Seltos’ manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The UX’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Seltos’ standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The UX’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Seltos’ headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The UX offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Seltos doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the UX F Sport has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Seltos doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The UX’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Kia only offers heated mirrors on the Seltos S/EX/SX.

When the UX F Sport Handling is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Seltos’ mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The UX’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Seltos offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Lexus UX and Kia Seltos offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The UX offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Seltos’ foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

On extremely cold winter days, the UX’s optional (except Base) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Seltos doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The UX’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Seltos doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Compared to traditional radio, the Lexus UX’s standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio is only offered on the Seltos S/EX/SX.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Lexus UX and the Kia Seltos, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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