In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Seltos are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CX-5 doesn't offer a back seat reminder.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Seltos' standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-5 doesn't offer Downhill Brake Control.
Both the Seltos and CX-5 have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Seltos S/EX/X-Line/SX has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The CX-5's Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn't automatically brake.
Compared to metal, the Seltos' plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Mazda CX-5 has a metal gas tank.
Both the Seltos and the CX-5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, daytime running lights and blind spot warning systems.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Seltos is safer than the Mazda CX-5:
|
Seltos |
CX-5 |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Neck Stress |
237 lbs. |
274 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
23 lbs. |
23 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Seltos is safer than the Mazda CX-5:
|
Seltos |
CX-5 |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
225 |
449 |
Hip Force |
433 lbs. |
435 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.