Compare the2027 Kia Seltos VS 2026 Buick Envista

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Seltos are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Buick Envista doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Seltos X-Line SX offers optional Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist-Reverse that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Envista doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Seltos offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Envista doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Seltos’ standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Envista doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

The Seltos X-Line SX offers an optional 360 degree parking monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Envista 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.

Both the Seltos and Envista offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the Seltos S/EX/X-Line S/X-Line SX has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Envista’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

The Seltos’ driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Envista doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Seltos and the Envista have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available blind spot warning systems.

The Seltos comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Envista’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Seltos 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Buick covers the Envista. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Envista ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Seltos’ engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Envista’s camshafts. If the Envista’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Seltos has a standard 150-amp alternator. The Envista’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Buick vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Buick is rated lower.

The Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 10 more horsepower (147 vs. 137) than the Envista’s 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder. The Seltos X-Line SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 53 more horsepower (190 vs. 137) and 33 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 162) than the Envista’s 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Seltos X-Line SX 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Buick Envista:

	Seltos	Envista
Zero to 60 MPH	8.2 sec	9.3 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	23.7 sec	32.3 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	9 sec	10.1 sec
Quarter Mile	16.4 sec	17 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86 MPH	80 MPH
Top Speed	132 MPH	112 MPH

On the EPA test cycle the Seltos 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder CVT FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Envista (28 city/33 hwy vs. 28 city/32 hwy).

The Seltos has a standard locking fuel door. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Envista. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

For more complete vehicle control the Seltos offers optional Shiftronic, with the available convenience of an automatic transmission and the complete gear control of a manual transmission without the inconvenience of a clutch. Shiftronic allows the driver to eliminate unwanted shifts and maximize engine braking by down shifting while cornering. The Envista doesn’t offer a transmission that allows complete gear control.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Kia Seltos X-Line SX, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Envista.

The Seltos has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Envista doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

	Seltos AWD	Envista
Front Rotors	12 inches	11.8 inches

The Seltos stops shorter than the Envista:

	Seltos	Envista
70 to 0 MPH	181 feet	183 feet	Car and Driver

For superior ride and handling, the Seltos 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 Buick Envista has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

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

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Seltos is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Envista.

For better maneuverability, the Seltos’ turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the Envista’s (35.2 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The Seltos’ turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the Envista w/18-19” Wheels’ (35.2 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

The Seltos is 8.2 inches shorter than the Envista, making the Seltos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Seltos has 5.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Envista (103.4 vs. 97.5).

The Seltos has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 2.8 inches more front hip room, .5 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear headroom, .3 inches more rear legroom, 8.2 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Envista.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Seltos’ rear seats recline. The Envista’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Envista with its rear seat up (27.8 vs. 20.7 cubic feet). The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Envista with its rear seat folded (64.2 vs. 42 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Seltos’ liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Envista doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Standard on the Seltos uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Envista doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Seltos has a higher standard payload capacity than the Envista (1223 vs. 1118 lbs.).

The Seltos has a higher maximum payload capacity than the Envista (1224 vs. 1118 lbs.).

When two different drivers share the Seltos X-Line SX, the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Envista doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Seltos X-Line SX’s optional easy entry system 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 Envista doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Seltos’ standard driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Envista’s power windows’ switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully. The Seltos EX/X-Line SX’s front power windows both open or close with one touch of the switches.

On a hot day the Seltos’ driver can lower the front windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Envista can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Seltos’ standard Smart Key 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 pocket or purse. Pushbutton Start standard on the Envista only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Seltos has a standard rear wiper. The Envista doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

When the Seltos X-Line SX with available tilt-down mirrors 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 Envista’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Seltos X-Line SX keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Envista doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Seltos’ optional 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 Envista doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Seltos and the Envista offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Seltos offers optional rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Envista doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Compared to the Buick Envista, the Kia Seltos eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.