2024 Volkswagen Atlas vs. Kia Seltos

Are you in the market for a brand-new crossover SUV? Several options are currently available, making it a challenge to decide on the right one. An SUV with great cargo and seating capacities, a dynamic engine, and roomy cabin space is ideal for San Juan Capistrano drivers. The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Kia Seltos are both excellent options for your next SUV purchase. These first-generation SUVs receive a facelift for the 2024 model year. See how they stack against each other in our Capistrano Volkswagen team’s side-by-side comparison.

Cabin Space

Whether it’s your daily driver or ideal road-trip vehicle, you want your new SUV to have ample space for your family and friends. The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas features three rows of seats, allowing the midsize crossover SUV to seat up to seven people, making it perfect for cruising with your family, carpooling, or traveling with friends. The 60/40-split second-row seats make it easy to get into the third row, while the 50/50-split folding third-row seats ensure you can haul cargo.

The 2024 Kia Seltos is a compact crossover SUV that’s more maneuverable in tight parking spaces. However, the cabin space is smaller. The Kia SUV can only seat five people in its two rows of seats. Still, the Seltos presents an accommodating cabin space with folding and reclining rear seats for optimal passenger comfort.

Generous legroom in a crossover SUV ensures no one feels cramped after a long drive through Orange County. Fortunately, both the 2024 Atlas and Seltos provide comparable legroom dimensions. The Volkswagen SUV offers 41.7 inches of legroom in the front and 37.6 inches in the rear. The Kia SUV offers 41.4 inches and 38 inches, respectively.

If you need help deciding between the two new SUVs, the Volkswagen Atlas is your best bet for a roomier cabin. It offers ample shoulder room with 61.5 inches in the front row and 60.5 inches in the rear, perfect for giving you and your passengers plenty of elbow room. The new Kia Seltos only provides 55.5 inches of shoulder room in the front and 54.7 in the rear.

Cargo Capacity

Relish one of the perks of owning a brand-new SUV: bountiful cargo space. This benefit is ideal for hauling groceries, sporting equipment, camping gear, and other travel essentials without compromising your available passenger capacity. With the rear seats up, the 2024 Kia Seltos provides 26.6 cubic feet of cargo volume, which is better than the Atlas’ 20.6 cubic feet. For the best overall cargo volume from a crossover SUV, the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas is the optimal choice. Fold all the seats down for an impressive cargo volume of 96.6 cubic feet.

Technological Features

Step into the future with the innovative technological features of the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Kia Seltos. The new Kia SUV comes standard with an 8-inch touch screen on the base trim; all the other trims have a 10.25-inch display with navigation and Kia Connect. Do you want a larger display for your daily San Juan Capistrano commute? The new Volkswagen SUV has a standard 12-inch touch screen with the Discover Pro option on higher trims.

Regardless of your chosen brand, you’ll appreciate either SUV’s standard smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Plus, you’ll get Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free calling and messaging so you can keep your eyes on the road.

Keep all your devices charged throughout the Volkswagen Atlas cabin with six conveniently placed USB-C ports. Unfortunately, the Seltos only offers one or more USB-C ports on select trims, leaving your passengers to decide who charges their phone next. Still, wireless phone charging is available on both SUVs, depending on the trim.

Another impressive available technological feature on the 2024 Atlas is the Volkswagen Digital Cockpit Pro. It enhances the instrument cluster with state-of-the-art features, such as high-resolution driving information, customizable options, and a full-screen navigation view with a map. The 2024 Seltos only offers an LCD instrument display in 4.2 or 10.25 inches.

Engine Performance and Towing Power

Tackle any obstacle ahead with the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas’ powerful engine. This midsize crossover SUV offers a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivers 269 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque for quality force and response, translating to an exciting drive.

The 2024 Kia Seltos has a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine producing 146 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque. A turbocharged engine option delivers 195 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, but the Volkswagen Atlas is more powerful. All-wheel or front-wheel drive is available on both new SUVs, depending on the trim.

Its impressive towing capacity is a unique element that sets the Atlas apart from the Seltos. The new Volkswagen SUV can tow up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped, making it excellent for hauling horse trailers, off-roading vehicles, or a large travel trailer for your next family adventure. Kia hasn’t confirmed whether the 2024 Seltos will offer towing capabilities, so if you prefer an SUV with this element, purchase the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas.

Fuel Economy

Saving money on gas is ideal for daily commutes to school or work in San Juan Capistrano. The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas gets decent gas mileage with an EPA-estimated 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway with front-wheel drive. Opting for all-wheel drive lowers it slightly to an estimated 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.

The 2024 Kia Seltos gets better gas mileage with an EPA-estimated 28 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway with front-wheel-drive trims. Select Seltos trims with all-wheel drive get 27 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. While there’s room for improvement with the Volkswagen’s fuel economy, the Atlas is a larger vehicle. The Kia’s compact size enables it to achieve higher fuel efficiency.

Shop New Volkswagen SUVs at Capistrano Volkswagen

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas is the clear winner in this head-to-head comparison against the Kia Seltos, especially for cargo and seating capacity, cabin spaciousness, and engine specifications. See the new Volkswagen SUV at Capistrano Volkswagen and get an up-close look at its exciting technological features. Contact one of our sales experts at 949-493-4511 to schedule a test drive today. Are you interested in a different Volkswagen vehicle? Browse our new car inventory for awesome Volkswagen cars, SUVs, and more.