The Seltos runs a 2.0-liter four with 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft through an intelligent variable transmission on most trims, and the X-Line SX steps up to a 1.6-liter turbocharged four with 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft paired to an eight-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is available.

The Corolla Cross uses a 2.0-liter four rated at 169 horsepower and 151 lb-ft with a CVT in its gas form, with front-wheel drive standard and all-wheel drive available. Its hybrid pairs the same displacement with three electric motors for 196 combined system horsepower and comes only with all-wheel drive, and Toyota does not publish a combined system torque figure for it.

Kia gives the new Seltos its dual-display architecture, pairing a 12.3-inch touchscreen with a 12.3-inch instrument display on upper trims, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and over-the-air updates.

The Corolla Cross fits an 8-inch touchscreen as standard on the L, LE, Hybrid S and Hybrid SE, with a 10.5-inch unit standard on the XLE and Hybrid XSE and available on the LE and Hybrid SE. Its 12.3-inch digital cluster is reserved for the XLE and Hybrid XSE and cannot be added to lower grades, and a nine-speaker JBL system is offered on those same two trims.

The Seltos carries Kia's collision-avoidance suite with Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and Lane Following Assist, with Highway Driving Assist on upper trims.

Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard on all nine Corolla Cross configurations, covering the Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Proactive Driving Assist, Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Lane Tracing Assist, Road Sign Assist and Automatic High Beams. Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert is standard on the LE, XLE, Hybrid SE and Hybrid XSE.

Cargo is where the Seltos makes its clearest case. It offers 27.8 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 64.2 cubic feet with them folded, with heated front seats standard from the X-Line S and available on the LX and S.

The Corolla Cross publishes 24.0 cubic feet behind the rear seats in gas front-wheel-drive form and 21.5 cubic feet on gas all-wheel drive and every hybrid, and Toyota does not publish a seats-folded maximum for it. Both seat five with a 60/40 split-folding rear bench.

The Seltos leans into the rugged end of the compact class with its X-Line treatment, which brings 8.1 inches of ground clearance on the X-Line SX along with its own styling and wheels.

The Corolla Cross measures 176.1 inches long in gas form and 176.8 inches as a hybrid, standing 64.9 inches tall with 8.1 inches of ground clearance on gas models and 8.0 inches on the hybrid. Both offer all-wheel drive, but only the Seltos pairs it with a turbocharged engine.