2025 Chevy Trax vs 2025 Kia Seltos
Subcompact crossover SUVs are a firm favorite amongst US car buyers, offering all the benefits of smaller passenger vehicles, such as affordability and good fuel economy.
There’s also the undeniable convenience of an elevated ride, plus cargo and passenger space is typically better than that of traditional sedans or hatchbacks.
Our article takes a comparative look at the 2025 Chevy Trax and the latest 2025 Kia Seltos.
So, stay with us as we take a closer look at what these subcompact crossovers have to offer prospective owners with tighter budgets.
2025 Chevy Trax
The Chevy Trax has been around since 2013 and is now in its second-generation model, as of 2023.
Buyers of the latest Chevy Trax will be pleased to know that this modern subcompact crossover continues to offer sporty styling, plenty of useful features, and a fun-to-drive factor all in an affordable package.
The 2025 Chevy Trax is available in five unique model options: LS, 1RS, LT, 2RS, and Activ.
2025 Kia Seltos
The Kia Seltos small SUV was first seen for the 2021 model year in the U.S. marketplace and sits between the Soul and Sportage in Kia’s lineup.
The Kia Seltos was a recipient of a refresh in 2024 with changes seen on the exterior and interior, plus the addition of more ponies to power the Seltos.
For 2025, Kia has chosen to add to the feature count with a new reverse parking distance warning added to the EX and SX trims, as well as a smart power liftgate and cargo cover to the upper trim levels.
The 2025 Kia Seltos trim lineup comprises LX, S, EX, X-Line, and SX.
Powertrain Comparison
For 2025, all Chevy Trax trims will continue with the standard 1.2-liter, turbocharged three-cylinder engine, which produces 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque.
Standard is the fitment of a modern six-speed automatic transmission across the range, with drive going to the front wheels only. There is no AWD option.
For 2025, the Kia Seltos LX, S, and EX trims are equipped with the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission.
The LX trim has standard AWD, while the S trim features FWD, and the EX trim is available with an AWD option.
A turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine pushing out 195 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission does duty in the X-Line and SX trims that also feature standard AWD
Exterior
The Chevy Trax’s modern and sporty exterior is built on a 106-inch wheelbase, with its body measuring 178.6 inches in length, 71.8 inches in width, and 61.42 inches in height.
Standout styling cues on the Chevy Trax are the front end, which features slim horizontal LED headlights with intelliBeam automatic headlamp control function, plus an automatic on and off function.LED Daytime Running Lamps are standard..
The Trax front grille features honeycomb insert accents and the familiar Chevrolet horizontal bar that splits the front grille.
The 2025 Chevy Trax has sporty-looking squared-off wheel arches finished with black trim, plus body-color door handles and all-around deep-tinted window glass are standard.
Key standout exterior items on the Trax also include:
- Black side windows surround moldings
- Extra-wide side and lower body-side moldings in black
- Rear intermittent wiper
- Rear spoiler
All trims are fitted with alloy wheels of 17 inches up to 19 inches in diameter, except for the base LS, which features stylised 17-inch steel wheels. Six exterior color choices are available.
The 2025 Kia Seltos rides on a wheelbase of 103.5 inches and is 172.6 inches long.
The bold exterior styling includes Projector Beam headlights and auto headlight control on all trims, with the top SX model getting LED headlights. LED tail lights are found on all trims aside from the most affordable LX trim.
Depending on the trim chosen, sleek 17 or 18-inch wheel designs are fitted across all the trims.
Shoppers get to choose from a palette of up to 10 exterior paint colors.
Interior
The Chevy Trax seats five passengers in its smart interior loaded with plenty of luxury and comfort equipment that includes a sunroof, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel on selected trims.
A few of the 2025 Chevy Trax’s key interior features include:
- 8-inch diagonal HD color infotainment touchscreen
- 3.5-inch diagonal Driver Information Center
- 4-speaker audio system
- 6-way manual driver seat
Despite a slightly shorter wheelbase, the 2025 Kia Seltos still offers plenty of space for five passengers plus their cargo.
The well-crafted interior is comfortable and refined, featuring sound-absorbing windshield glass and privacy glass. An automatic climate control system with auto defog features in all trims, aside from the LX, which offers standard air conditioning.
Seat adjustment is manual or powered, depending on trim levels. A leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear shift are offered on all trims aside from the LX.
An 8-inch touchscreen display is found on the LX trim, while all others receive a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen display with navigation.
Cargo Space
The generous wheelbase of the Chevy Trax allows for a spacious cargo area that swallows up to 25.6 cubic feet of luggage that grows to 54.1 cubic feet once the split rear seats are folded down.
The Kia will load up to 26.6 cubic feet of luggage, expanding to 62.8 cubic feet once the 60/40 split rear seats are in the down position.
Safety and Driver Assistance Technology
As expected of a thoroughly modern design, the full Chevy Trax range is fitted with Chevy’s Safety Assist suite that offers:
- Front automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Lane keep assist
- Lane departure warning
- Automatic high-beams.
Depending on trim level, features such as rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and rear parking sensors are available.
The 2025 Seltos received good safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, thanks to its generous standard driver-assistance features, including forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, and driver-attention monitoring.
Shop the 2025 Chevy Trax at Betley Chevrolet
Discover all that the desirable and affordable 2025 Chevy Trax lineup has to offer at Betley Chevrolet.
Visit with us and experience great customer service from our expert sales team, who will treat you like family.