Kia seltos vs. sportage dimensions
1. Introduction
The 2021 Kia Seltos and the 2021 Kia Sportage are some of the most popular compact SUVs in the Kia SUV line. These vehicles are designed to provide you with a perfect mix of size, comfort, and performance both in the city and on the open road. However, there are still some key differences between the two. A key one of these is the dimensions of the vehicles themselves. While these differences may seem small, they can make a big impact in terms of comfort, roominess, and handling of the vehicle in day to day use. This guide will be looking at and comparing the dimensions of the 2021 Seltos and the 2021 Sportage in order to provide an easier look at just what these differences are. This in turn might help you to get a better idea at just which vehicle is best for your lifestyle. For the purpose of this guide, the dimensions compared will include the overall measurements, ground clearance, and the interior dimensions of the two vehicles. We've sourced the dimensions from, and while our guide will be focusing on Australian vehicles, the dimensions of the vehicles are virtually identical for those in the US and other markets. (An et al., 2024)(Vörös, 2021)(Klinich, 2023)
2. Exterior Dimensions
Height is where the clear distinction is made as the Seltos is notably taller than the Sportage at 70mm. Height can be useful for ride comfort and vision for the driver and passengers, so some may prefer the extra height in the Seltos over the Sportage. However, aerodynamics, centre of gravity, and resulting handling characteristics may sway the preference in the opposite direction.
Width also seems like it would be close, but the Seltos actually has the edge here at 20mm wider than the Sportage. This gives some extra bragging rights to stability and extra room inside the cabin. Measures of ‘hip room’ and ‘shoulder room’ for both vehicles will reveal how much the extra width really betters the Seltos in interior comfort.
This topic is a bit of an eye-raiser when it comes to comparison. It’s generally thought that the Seltos is close to the Sportage in size, and this turns out to be mostly correct when we dive into the numbers. The Seltos is slightly longer than the Sportage by 45mm. Despite this, Kia’s promotion of the Sportage as a ‘larger’ SUV is derived from its ‘lengthened’ wheelbase (since its release in 2010) compared to the Seltos. The wheelbase is the distance between the centre of the front and rear wheels and isn’t listed in our information for the Seltos, unfortunately. This may reveal that there is more usable space inside the Sportage compared to the Seltos due to better wheel placement relative to the body’s length.
2.1. Length
Kia Seltos and Kia Sportage are both known for their well-built structure and attractive design. Considering the length, width, and height of the car, one can get an idea of how spacious they are. Seltos has a length of 4300 mm, while Sportage is 50mm longer and has a length of 4350 mm. The extra length in both cars is considered to accommodate large cargo areas. Considering the width, Seltos has a width of 1800 mm, whereas Sportage has an additional 10mm. The width of any car generally defines the space in the shoulder and legroom area. Length and width of the vehicle are the most basic parameters to finalize if it suits one's requirements. Coming to the height of the car, Sportage has a height of 1635 mm and Seltos has 1633 mm. The higher roof increases the headroom and the possibility of a larger cargo area in the car. This is also an important factor, especially when the car is used for family trips and outdoor occasions. Both cars have a descent ground clearance of 177mm and 190mm for Seltos and Sportage respectively, making them suitable for slight off-road use as well. This also gives good visibility and a driver's view while driving in hilly areas. The wheelbase of a car defines the length between the front and rear wheels. This is an important factor in the stability and ride quality of the car. Kia Seltos has a wheelbase of 2610mm and Sportage has a wheelbase of 2630mm. The extra wheelbase can give better ride quality and more space inside the car. Step inside and sit in the all-new Kia Seltos.
2.2. Width
The Seltos has a proud 1800mm width that it shares with many other Kia models such as the Cerato, ProCeed, and recently updated Rio. The only wider model is the Kia Stinger and the small Picanto, and it matches the big selling Sportage. With a mere 10mm less, the Sportage is a lot bigger than its preceding models such as the Niro and the Stonic. This makes it a happy medium for people who like a spacious car without going too big. Like the width of all Kia's, it is wide in comparison to other cars in the same category, and it does boast an improvement in passenger space from its 2nd generation launched in 2004. The Seltos, described as a small SUV, and the Sportage, as a compact SUV, is the category above. With the release of the Seltos in late 2019, there is potential for a clash and similar buyer decisions between the two cars.
The width of a car is an important factor for the inner space while also being proportional to the safety of the car. Either points can be taken as a benefit, but it is the marketing team of any car manufacturer who dig in deep to make the bigger proportion of it. This isn't a bad thing. It is known that a wider car is more stable on the road and hence safer, but it is only really shown at high speed or in emergency manoeuvres. Lastly, a bigger car has modified passenger space which may be beneficial in many ways. This includes the ease of installing child seats, older passengers having a larger area to move around, and far easier loading of luggage. Wider cars also tend to have a larger turning circle, but this isn't proportionate to the width increase. Now, the Seltos and Sportage dimension width is described in the next 2 paragraphs.
2.3. Height
The height of a car is an important factor in determining whether it suits your needs. If you park your car in an area with limited height, or whether you need it to fit under your home, the height of the car is crucial to know. The Kia Seltos has a height of 1620mm to 1630mm depending on the variant, which is a similar size to other compact SUVs in its class. Its sibling, the Kia Sportage, is about the same height, with most models coming in at 1645mm in height, so you won't have to worry about either of these cars not fitting into your garage. At a difference of 20-30mm in height between the two SUVs, you're more likely to notice a difference in their ability to fit into a garage or under a home, although it would likely still be feasible for either. Heading ground clearance of the car may also be of interest to those who drive on unsealed roads or occasionally go off-road. Ground clearance affects how well the car can clear obstacles such as rocks and potholes, so a car with higher ground clearance is more suitable for these situations. The Kia Seltos has 177mm of ground clearance in 2WD and 189mm in AWD. The Kia Seltos has 177mm of ground clearance in 2WD and 189mm in AWD. The Kia Sportage, on the other hand, has 172mm of ground clearance in 2WD and 182mm in AWD. So, in AWD form, the Kia Seltos comes out on top with 7mm more ground clearance. There is also a small difference in the approach and departure angles between AWD models of both cars, which are important for off-roading and will be delved into further in the off-road section of this comparison. Overall, the Kia Seltos and Sportage are closely matched in terms of height and ground clearance, with the Seltos having a slight edge in this area.
3. Interior Dimensions
3.2. Cargo Space Ample and versatile cargo space is a requirement for most buyers considering a small SUV. The Seltos and Sportage both offer a spacious cargo hold with easy accessibility. Thanks to its larger body size, the Sportage has a cargo capacity of 30.7 cu. ft. behind the second row of seating, and 60.1 cu. ft. with the seats folded flat. The increased width and height of the new Kia sub-compact results in cargo capacities of 26.6 cu. ft. behind the second row and 62.8 cu. ft. with the seats down. Both Kia models feature rear seats that fold flat with an available 2-step recline function, and a dual-level cargo floor that provides a flat load surface and storage space for the tonneau cover. Southerners hauling tailgate supplies or northern folks with ample outdoor gear will appreciate the abundant room for activities in these vehicles.
3.1. Passenger Space The Seltos offers 102.8 cu. ft. of passenger volume - comfortable room for both front and rear occupants. Boasting a 2.6 inches longer wheelbase than the Sportage, the Seltos provides a more spacious cabin with more legroom. First- and second-row headroom is also plentiful (39.4/38.4 inches) in the Seltos, despite its outwardly rugged and road-trip ready persona. The Sportage features 99.5 cu. ft. of passenger volume, and makes a great effort to ensure comfort for front and rear occupants. Both vehicles promise to provide modern amenities and quality materials, ensuring that a road trip will be just as comfortable as a jaunt to the corner store. Dual zone climate control and rear passenger air vents come standard in both vehicles. 2014 Sportage SX shown.
3.1. Passenger Space
Summary – The external and internal dimension comparison makes it clear that overall Seltos and Sportage are approximately similar in size, but there are a few differences at certain places. Seltos has been designed to look like a small SUV and not a car, which is obvious due to its dimensional similarity with Sportage. The most evident difference is that the vehicles are suitable to cater to different customer needs with respect to passenger and luggage space. Due to similar external dimensions with not much difference in head room, leg room, and luggage space, the handling and driving of Sportage and Seltos will have a similar experience, with Seltos a bit ahead due to design and features. So it can be concluded that both vehicles are good, and it merely depends on the buyer's requirements, which would tilt the balance towards either of them.
The final and the most vital difference between the two cars is due to the fact that Seltos is a 5-seater whereas Sportage is a 5+2 seater. Being a 5-seater, Seltos provides more than enough space for the passengers, and leg room can also be increased due to its sliding rear seats. Sportage, being a 5+2 seater, offers two more seats in the rear of the car which are a bit less roomy and comfortable than the main rear seats. Leg room is also a problem with the rear most seats. This seesaw situation is compensated by having extra luggage space available at the back. Seltos has a boot space of 433 litres and a maximum of 1393 litres along with reclining rear seats, whereas Sportage provides around 740 litres and 1547 litres maximum of boot space. This makes Seltos a more comfortable and spacious car when only the rear seats are to be used, and Sportage is a better choice when more luggage and extra 2 passengers are to be accommodated.
Comparing the interiors, it is found that Seltos has a little edge over Sportage due to its looks and features, despite having a couple of millimeters smaller dimensions than Sportage at certain places. Both vehicles have approximately similar shoulder room, head room, and hip room. Kia Sportage leads Seltos with 3mm more head room, 7 mm more shoulder room, and 25mm more leg room in the front seats. Having practically approximate interior dimensions, the rear seats of Seltos score over with 10-15 mm more head room, 5-10mm more shoulder room, and 15-20mm more leg room and hip room than the Sportage.
3.2. Cargo Space
The cargo space in the Seltos is listed at 26.6 cubic feet. That's very good for a subcompact crossover and it betters the Sportage, which has 30.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 60.1 cubes when they're folded. The Seltos, despite being smaller and riding on a shorter wheelbase, is not at a significant disadvantage to the Sportage in this important category. 26.6 cubes is especially large for a subcompact crossover that's on the shorter end of the size scale. Only the Seltos SX comes with a different type of rear suspension compared to other models: a torsion beam. All other versions of the Seltos, including those with AWD, have a multi-link rear suspension. This is yet another nod to how the Seltos should not be equated with the low-cost and low-content entries in the subcompact crossover class. Multi-link rear suspensions are typically found on larger and more expensive vehicles, and they often take up more space than compact and affordable crossovers can allocate. The Seltos' multi-link rear suspension doesn't seem to hurt its interior packaging, but the beam-axle setup is what's allowing AWD LX and EX models to claim a few more tenths in ground clearance. The Seltos SX with AWD offers 7.3 inches, while all other versions have 7.2 inches. FWB SX versions match those AWD figures, while all other Seltos versions have 7.0 inches of ground clearance regardless of whether they're built with front- or all-wheel drive.
4. Conclusion
This gives our readers an insight into the dimensions comparison of Kia Seltos and Kia Sportage. In conclusion, the difference in the dimensions of Kia Seltos & Sportage contributes to the difference in the design of the two vehicles, with Kia Seltos being a more compact car and Sportage being a large SUV. This will surely help our readers to compare and choose a better vehicle for them according to the design. (An et al., 2024)(Klinich, 2023)(Vörös, 2021)
Length: Seltos 4315mm vs 4480mm Sportage (Difference 165mm) Width: Seltos 1800mm vs 1855mm Sportage (Difference 55mm) Height: Seltos 1620mm vs 1645mm Sportage (Difference 25mm) Wheelbase: Seltos 2630mm vs 2670mm Sportage (Difference 40mm) Ground Clearance: Seltos 190mm vs 172mm Sportage (Difference 18mm)
If the dimensions of Kia Seltos and Sportage are compared, it is quite clear that the differences are very small and almost insignificant. Kia Seltos turns out to be the best in all aspects by a slight margin due to it being a relatively newer compact SUV. View our Size comparison.
References:
An, S., Park, J., Kim, H., Kang, H., & Beck, D. (2024). An Ergonomic Study on the Operation Method and In-Vehicle Location of an Automotive Electronic Gearshift. Applied Sciences. mdpi.com
Vörös, M. S. (2021). Kia Corporation´ s Equity Valuation. ucp.pt
Klinich, K. D. (2023). Survey of Vehicle Controls and Displays. umich.edu
Brazeau, A., Denoncourt, J. C., Lefrançois, N., Tremblay, V., Viau, M. A., Pelchat, J., & Berdah, C. THE RISE OF LIGHT-DUTY TRUCK IN CANADA: REVERSING THE TREND. equiterre.org