Compare the2026 Acura RDXVS 2026 Kia Seltos

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

Safety

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The Acura RDX 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The RDX offers optional Low Speed Autonomous Emergency Braking 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the RDX. But it costs extra on the Seltos.

The RDX Advance has a standard Surround-View Camera System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Seltos only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Acura RDX comes with a standard Surround-View Camera System and it also offers an optional rear camera washer to make backing always safe, regardless of road dirt or grime, while the Kia Seltos doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

The RDX 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. Only the Seltos S/EX/SX offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the RDX has standard Rear Cross Traffic Monitor, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Seltos S/EX/SX offers Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning.

Both the RDX and the Seltos have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and rearview cameras.

The Acura RDX weighs 766 to 1121 pounds more than the Kia Seltos. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

	RDX	Seltos
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	30%	38.4%
Neck Stress	99 lbs.	239 lbs.
Neck Compression	84 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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Acura RDX is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	RDX	Seltos
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	63	79
Chest Movement	.6 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	130 lbs.	167 lbs.
Hip Force	217 lbs.	346 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	124	177
Spine Acceleration	52 G’s	63 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	12 inches
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	41 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 Acura RDX is much safer than the Seltos:

	RDX	Seltos
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	200	234
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.26 in	1.42 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	290 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	POOR
Pelvis Force	692 lbs.	1383 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	206	258
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	112 lbs.
Neck Compression	156 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	1.18 in	2.17 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.69 in	2.01 in
Torso Deflection Rate	11 MPH	14 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	736 lbs.	759 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Warranty

The RDX’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Seltos runs out after 100,000 miles.

Reliability

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 RDX’s reliability 20 points higher than the Seltos.

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

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Acura vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Acura 4 places higher in reliability than Kia.

Engine

The RDX’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 125 more horsepower (272 vs. 147) and 148 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 132) than the Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The RDX’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 82 more horsepower (272 vs. 190) and 85 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 195) than the Seltos SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Acura RDX is faster than the Kia Seltos:

	RDX	Seltos 4 cyl.	Seltos SX
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	8.3 sec	7.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	16.5 sec	15.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94.7 MPH	85.5 MPH	88.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The RDX has 3.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Seltos (17.1 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The RDX has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Seltos doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	RDX	Seltos	Seltos AWD
Front Rotors	12.4 inches	11 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	12.2 inches	10.3 inches	11.2 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 RDX 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.

The RDX stops shorter than the Seltos:

	RDX	Seltos
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	123 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	129 feet	133 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the RDX has larger standard tires than the Seltos (235/55R19 vs. 215/55R17). The RDX A-Spec’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Seltos (255/45R20 vs. 235/45R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the RDX has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Seltos. The RDX A-Spec’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Seltos SX.

The RDX has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Seltos doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

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

The RDX 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.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the RDX’s wheelbase is 4.8 inches longer than on the Seltos (108.3 inches vs. 103.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the RDX is 2.7 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Seltos.

The RDX A-Spec handles at .82 G’s, while the Seltos S pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The RDX A-Spec executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the Seltos S (27 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the RDX has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Seltos (8.2 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the RDX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The RDX uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Seltos doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The RDX has 5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Seltos (104 vs. 99).

The RDX has .2 inches more front legroom, 2 inches more front hip room, 4.2 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear legroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Seltos.

Cargo Capacity

The RDX has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Seltos with its rear seat up (31.1 vs. 26.6 cubic feet). The RDX has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Seltos with its rear seat folded (79.8 vs. 62.8 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the RDX’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Seltos doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

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

Towing

The RDX has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Seltos has no towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The RDX uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Seltos uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Acura service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Acura 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 45% lower rating, Kia is ranked 27th.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the RDX, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations. The Seltos doesn’t offer a memory system.

The RDX’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Seltos doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The RDX Advance has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction 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 RDX’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 RDX’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 RDX the driver can close all of them at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Seltos can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The RDX has standard Smart Entry that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open 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 RDX’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Seltos’ passenger power window and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The RDX’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Seltos’ manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The RDX Advance’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

The RDX’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 RDX’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Seltos’ headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

The RDX’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 RDX 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.

Both the Acura RDX and Kia Seltos offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The RDX 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.

The RDX has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Seltos, and aren’t available on the Seltos LX. The RDX Advance also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Seltos.

On extremely cold winter days, the RDX Advance’s standard 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 RDX’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.

The Acura RDX has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Kia charges extra for Homelink® on the Seltos.

Compared to traditional radio, the Acura RDX’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

The Acura RDX has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	RDX	Seltos
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	TRUE

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