Compare the2027 Kia Seltos VS 2026 Chevrolet Trax

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 Chevrolet Trax 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 Trax 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 Trax 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 Trax 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 Trax 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 Trax 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 Trax’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 Trax doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Seltos and the Trax 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 Trax’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 Chevrolet covers the Trax. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Trax 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 Trax’s camshafts. If the Trax’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 Trax’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 7 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

The Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 10 more horsepower (147 vs. 137) than the Trax’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 Trax’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 Chevrolet Trax:

	Seltos	Trax
Zero to 60 MPH	8.2 sec	8.8 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	23.7 sec	30.5 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	9 sec	9.5 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	4.7 sec	4.8 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	5.8 sec	6.4 sec
Quarter Mile	16.4 sec	16.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86 MPH	81 MPH
Top Speed	132 MPH	115 MPH

On the EPA test cycle the Seltos 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder CVT FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Trax (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 Trax. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

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 Trax.

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 Trax doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

	Seltos AWD	Trax
Front Rotors	12 inches	11.8 inches

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 Chevrolet Trax 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 Trax’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 1.4 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Trax.

For better maneuverability, the Seltos’ turning circle is 2.8 feet tighter than the Trax’s (35.2 feet vs. 38 feet).

The Seltos is 4.2 inches shorter than the Trax, making the Seltos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Seltos has 5.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Trax (103.4 vs. 98).

The Seltos has .9 inches more front headroom, 3 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, .3 inches more rear legroom, 8.2 inches more rear hip room and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Trax.

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

The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Trax with its rear seat up (27.8 vs. 25.6 cubic feet). The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Trax with its rear seat folded (64.2 vs. 54.1 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Seltos’ power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Seltos’ power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Trax doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

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 Trax doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

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 Trax 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 Trax 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 Trax’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 Trax 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. Keyless Start is an extra cost option on the Trax and only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

The Seltos’ standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Chevrolet charges extra for heated mirrors on the Trax.

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 Trax’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Seltos’ optional rear view mirror has an automatic dimming feature. This mirror can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on it, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Trax doesn’t offer the luxury of an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

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 Trax doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Seltos EX/X-Line S/X-Line SX has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Trax doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

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 Trax doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Seltos and the Trax 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 Trax doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Compared to the Chevrolet Trax, 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.