2021 Kia Seltos vs 2021 Lexus GX

The 2021 Kia Seltos, despite being a subcompact SUV, offered a surprisingly spacious feel. Its upright design provided a commanding view of the road, and the headlight design, though busy, seamlessly integrated with the grille. While not intended for off-roading, the aggressive approach angle of the lower front bumper hinted at a rugged capability. The red accents around the wheel centres added a sporty touch, complementing its on-road dynamics. The interior boasted a straightforward design, with clean lines and tech features reminiscent of more upscale brands. The LCD screen for climate controls and the touchscreen atop the dash provided visual symmetry, while the handle framing the tray below the centre stack emphasized its utilitarian yet sporty nature.

In contrast, the 2021 Lexus GX retained its decade-old body shell with minor updates over the years. The spindle grille, updated in 2020, and triple-beam LED headlights gave it a distinctive look. However, the interior did not meet modern luxury SUV standards. The wood trim felt like plastic, and there was an abundance of actual plastic. Despite this, the GX's tough, aggressive exterior appealed to SUV shoppers. The interior ergonomics, with an upright dashboard and high centre console, limited legroom and made the driving position feel bus-like. The dashboard shape and boxy profile provided excellent outward visibility, though forward visibility was hindered by the tall hood.

The 2021 Kia Seltos offered two engine options. The LX, EX, and EX Premium trims featured a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT. This engine was adequate for city driving but lacked power at higher speeds. The SX Turbo trim, however, came with a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine delivering 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. This engine provided ample power for quick acceleration and highway passing. The Seltos handled well, with minimal body roll and a smooth ride, especially in Sport Mode, which enhanced throttle response and steering feel.

The 2021 Lexus GX featured a 4.6-litre V8 engine producing 301 horsepower and 329 lb-ft of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. While the V8 provided strong acceleration from a stop, the GX's weight of 2,349 kilograms made high-speed maneuvers challenging. The body-on-frame construction resulted in a less refined ride compared to unibody SUVs. However, the GX excelled in off-road capability, with a Torsen centre differential, low-range 4WD, and features like Crawl Control and Multi-Terrain Select. It offered 20.5 centimetres of ground clearance and respectable approach, departure, and break-over angles, though it was outperformed by the Land Rover Discovery in some metrics.

The 2021 Kia Seltos impressed with its spacious interior, offering 752 litres of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 1,778 litres with the seats folded. This made it one of the most spacious subcompact SUVs, even surpassing some compact models. The cabin featured numerous storage compartments, including large cubbies and bottle holders in the doors, a spacious centre console, and a tray between the front seats. Rear-seat passengers enjoyed ample head- and legroom, a rarity in subcompact SUVs.

The 2021 Lexus GX's interior reflected its age, with limited legroom due to the upright dashboard and high centre console. The steering wheel's odd angle and tall seating position contributed to a bus-like driving feel. While the dashboard shape and boxy profile provided excellent outward visibility, forward visibility was limited by the tall hood. The centre-console storage bin, cupholders, and in-door bottle holders were small, and the third row was best suited for children. The GX offered 1,833 litres of cargo space with the second and third rows folded, less than the Land Rover Discovery. With the third row up, cargo space was minimal, making the GX more suitable as a two-row SUV.

The 2021 Kia Seltos featured a range of tech options. The base LX and EX trims came with a 3.5-inch TFT digital screen and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The EX Premium and SX Turbo trims upgraded to a 7-inch digital display and a 10.25-inch touchscreen, which could display Apple CarPlay/Android Auto alongside other data. The SX Turbo also included a Bose premium sound system. However, the infotainment system had quirks, such as defaulting to phone audio when connected via USB and only one data-capable USB port. Despite these issues, the system was intuitive, with a helpful home button and hard buttons for easy navigation.

The 2021 Lexus GX, being an older design, lacked modern tech features. While Bluetooth was standard, it did not offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The infotainment system's graphics appeared outdated, and the functions were limited. A 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system was standard, but the touchscreen interface was primitive. However, Lexus provided analog controls for most functions, offering a refreshing alternative to screen-centric interfaces in other luxury SUVs.

The 2021 Kia Seltos came equipped with a comprehensive array of safety features, including front- and side-impact airbags, electronic stability control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. In Canada, the base LX trim included blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims offered a full suite of driver-assistance features, such as collision avoidance assist, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. The Seltos received a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS and a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.

The 2021 Lexus GX included the Lexus Safety System+ as standard, featuring a pre-collision system, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. It also offered blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a 360-degree camera. However, it lacked some safety features found in other Lexus and Toyota models, such as traffic-sign recognition and Lane Tracing Assist. The GX had not been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS.