Kia Seltos VS Holden Acadia
Kia Seltos
Likes
Dislikes
Holden Acadia
Likes
- Truck-like exterior
- Third row spacious for class
- Good value
Dislikes
- Truck-like interior
- V6 needs to be pushed hard for results
- Handling not as good as CX-9
Summary
Kia Seltos
One thing Australia seemingly has no shortage of at the moment is small SUVs.
Well, this isn't entirely true. If you wanted to get your hands on a Toyota Corolla Cross, for example, there is a shortage.
But amongst some of the other most recently released models, which you might be able to actually drive away in, which one will suit your lifestyle the best?
To find out we've grabbed three of the most recently released or updated small SUVs (but not the Corolla Cross, which is attracting a 12 month waiting queue) to help you narrow your shopping list down.
We've assembled the recently facelifted Kia Seltos, the new-generation Nissan Qashqai and the Subaru Crosstrek, which is essentially a deep update of the XV before it, to put them through their daily paces and find out if we can determine a clear winner, or at least what kind of buyers these small SUVs would best suit.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.3L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 6.1L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Holden Acadia
The Acadia is now here and finally Holden has a proper seven-seat SUV in its range. Yup, the now redundant Captiva can rust in peace because the Acadia is bigger, safer, more practical and high tech.
The thing is, there are some excellent seven-seat SUVs out there already – Mazda’s CX-9 is outstanding in terms of its cabin refinement and on-road dynamics, while Kia’s Sorento is great value and there’s the popular Toyota Kluger.
Made in Tennessee in the US of A, the Acadia has some serious competition. So, can the American with a Holden badge do anything the others can’t?
We attended the launch of the Holden Acadia and learned a lot. Let us tell you…
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.6L |
| Fuel Type | Regular Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 8.9L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Verdict
Kia Seltos/10
This has been a tough test. On paper, these cars are closely matched, and while we'll call out an overall winner, it's not quite that simple.
The truth is, each car will ultimately suit a different buyer. An adventurous couple or a single person? The Subaru Crosstrek R is almost a no-brainer, with its all-wheel drive and superior ground clearance, as well as a very worthy slew of upgrades over its XV predecessor, especially if you don't need extra space.
If you're a value-conscious family buyer, however, it's hard to walk past the Kia Seltos Sport+. This car impresses with its huge cabin and storage space, bargain price and stellar ownership terms, but is let down by its so-so equipment list and plasticky cabin.
The car which I feel brings the best attributes to this test, though, is the Nissan Qasqhai ST-L. It lands in a nice middle ground between the two others, with a contemporary design, the most modern drive experience of our choices here, and a plush cabin.
While it's also the most expensive car on this test to buy and own, it's clear where your money is going with this one, and so, by a narrow margin, it's our winner.
Overall scores:Â
Subaru Crosstrek R: 7.1
Nissan Qashqai ST-L: 7.9
Kia Seltos Sport+: 7.6
Holden Acadia7.6/10
The Acadia offers a tough-looking American take on the seven-seat SUV which won’t be appealing to everybody but will be loved by others. While the interior quality and design falls short of rivals such as the CX-9 and the handling isn’t as sharp as that SUV either, the ride is comfortable, the features list is extensive, the cabin space is outstanding and the level of advanced safety equipment is impressive.
The sweet spot for the range is really the base grade LT, but the best car is the LTZ-V.
What do you think of the Acadia's tough truck looks? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Design
Kia Seltos
With small SUVs beauty will always be in the eye of the beholder, as each offers a significantly different look and feel.
The Seltos gives off a complex, futuristic vibe, suiting its Korean origins, although it's let down by a lot of plastic cladding on the outside, and its dorky yellow-tinged halogen headlights dress down the otherwise-nice design.
The same vibe continues on the inside for better or worse, with a slick, modern design lifted by its neat digital suite, but let down by the abundance of hard plastics and more than a few cheap touches. In this sense, it is the least expensive-feeling car on this test.
The Subaru builds on the chunky off-road ready formula established by its XV predecessor. This time around, though, it looks more curvy and contemporary.
There's a lot of cool functional detailing in its bodywork, and the LEDs lift its presence on the road.
Inside it feels cosy and ready for action with its chunky steering wheel and seemingly hard-wearing cloth seat trim. The new portrait touchscreen, as part of a major digital overhaul, is welcome, but somehow the brand has managed to make this system too busy, with a lot going on, in terms of buttons and segmented display items.
At the top of the tree, the Nissan manages to look understated and classy, with a slick, coherent design language from the outside, consisting of clean integrated light fittings and tidy piano gloss highlight pieces, with a tasteful smattering of silver and chrome.
Little details like the Qashqai badges strewn about its bodywork are a clever attention-to-detail touch. To me it's the most consistent design on this test, and it feels it on the inside.
Unlike the other two cars on this test, there's little about it which tries to dazzle you with over-the-top tech, with the screens in this car feeling comparatively laid back but still functional.
It also has the nicest materials throughout the cabin, and arguably the most supportive seat trim (although the cloth material which runs down the centre of each seat feels a bit odd.)
Do we have a winner? Again it will depend on what you're looking for to a degree, but I think the Nissan looks and feels the nicest, inside and out.
Score
Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
| 7 | 8 | 7 |
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Holden Acadia7/10
Made in Tennessee in the United States, the Acadia couldn’t look more American, with that blocky profile and truck-like face. Only the Toyota Kluger comes close to matching its macho design, while Mazda’s CX-9 and Kia’s Sorento have sleeker and more curvaceous styling.
Some people aren’t going to be fans of those bold, angular looks, but this is a large seven-seat SUV that’s obviously not trying to please everybody, and that will probably be part of the appeal to its fans – the Acadia is unapologetically tough looking.
The swapping of the GMC lettering (it's called GMC Acadia in North Amercia) for a Holden badge and subtler grille treatment give the Acadia a more refined and upmarket look.
However, refined isn’t a word you’d use to describe the interior, because while its truck-like looks make the Acadia appealing on the outside, the commercial styling in the cabin is disappointing.
Moulded plastics around the doors and hard plastics on the dash and centre console feel cheap and look tacky. The Acadia’s cabin lags behind the more stylish cockpit of the CX-9 with its excellent fit and finish.
Buying a higher grade in the Acadia range won’t really improve the cabin scenery much either. The LTZ-V is the top-of-the-line Acadia and while it comes with ventilated leather seats, the rest of the cabin looks almost identical in styling and materials as the base-grade LT.
The exterior differences between the grades isn’t that obvious either. While all grades come with rear privacy glass and LED tail-lights, the LTZ-V comes with square exhaust tips, aluminium roof rails and a dual-pane sunroof.
What are the Acadia’s dimensions? The Acadia is just under 5.0m long, while the CX-9 is 5.1m end-to-end. The Acadia is 2.1m wide (to the mirrors) and 1.8m tall.
The colour range is fairly limited with 'Glory Red', 'Mineral Black', 'Blue Steel', 'Summit White', 'Scorpion' (brown), 'Nitrate Silver', 'Dark Shadow' (a dark blue) and 'Abalone White' your only choices.
Practicality
Kia Seltos
An SUV in this class needs to be practical, as most family buyers who don't want a big mid-sizer still need a small SUV to be up for all of their family challenges.
On this test, two SUVs perform, while one falls short.
Kicking off with our budget player, the Seltos Sport+, and things are very good. The front seat offers a commanding view of the road, with a great seating position, and the largest rear window of our choices here, handing it an automatic win for overall visibility from the driver's position.
It also offers plenty of room for someone 182cm tall like me, as well as good adjustability of both the seat and steering column, even if it's the only car without an electric driver's seat.
Like most Kia products, storage in the cabin is great, with a big bottle holder and map pocket combo in the door trim, a pair of large but non-variable bottle holders in the centre console, a two-tier shelf below the climate unit good for wallets and phones, and an additional tray behind the electronic parking brake good for the same sorts of objects.
While it scores USB-A, USB-C and a 12-volt connector up front, it is the only car with no wireless charging.
Thankfully, the software on its big multimedia screen is fast and slick and well laid out, and there is a sufficient number of buttons and dials for adjusting climate and volume functions for relatively distraction-free driving.
The back-seat in the Seltos is, by a close margin, the best on this test, with superior headroom compared to the Nissan and the Subaru, and good legroom, even behind my own driving position.
There's cheap plastic trim on the back of the driver's seat, to match the cheap plastic trim in the doors, lowering the ambiance of the space, but it's all hard wearing, which is good for those with kids.
Again, there's a bottle holder in the door on each side, and a further two small ones in the drop-down armrest, and the Kia offers USB-A connectors and adjustable air vents for rear passengers.
Boot space is also a clear win for the Kia. Not only does it have the largest volume (refer to the table below), but it's also a big, square, accessible space, and the easiest to fit our three-piece demo luggage set, or pram.
It is also the only car on this test to offer a rare full-size matching spare wheel under the floor, but is also the only car missing a luggage cover.
Next up, the Subaru. It looks the most like a hatchback of our set here, and feels it in the cabin.
Up-front it's notably the most closed-in and cosy space, which comes with the downside of having the least visibility of our trio, particularly out its small rear window.
It feels purposeful, though, with the chunky wheel and seats suiting the off-road-ready vibe and there are enough high-quality materials throughout the cabin to keep it soft and comfortable.
Despite its more diminutive interior dimensions, it still has sufficient space for someone 182cm tall in the front, and adjustability isn't bad, either.
There are decent bottle holders in the doors, a further two fixed ones in the centre console, and a tray below the media screen with power outlets and a wireless charger.
Interestingly, the wireless charger is almost useless because Subaru has chosen to make it a smooth plastic finish, so your phone slides out of the area in the first corner you encounter.
It's easily fixed with a BYO rubber mat, but still, why was this not thought of in development?
The back seat is a surprise. While it is harder to climb into thanks to a descending, hatch-like roofline, the roof itself has an extrusion in it to grant rear passengers a little extra headroom, and it works.
I was also surprised to see the rear seat has been cleverly engineered to maximise knee room, although the centre position is all but useless for an adult due to the centre raise required for this car's all-wheel drive system taking up all the legroom.
The Subaru also has the least rear-seat amenity, with the smallest door bottle holders and drop-down armrest holders, no adjustable air vents, with only a USB-A and USB-C connector as luxuries for those riding in the back.
The real deal-breaker for family buyers, though, will be the Crosstrek's boot. Despite boot space being a key criticism of this car's XV predecessor, the Crosstrek manages to crop some 20 or so litres from the space this time around, down to just 291L, by far the smallest on this test.
It was the only car which couldn't fit the whole demo luggage set, although it could still accommodate the pram.
The Subaru's final party trick is its impressive 220mm ground clearance to go with its all-wheel drive system, by far the most capable of the choices here if you're venturing beyond the tarmac, although it still only has a space-saver spare under the boot floor.
The Nissan lands between the others when it comes to practicality, but it's still within striking distance of the Seltos in terms of overall space.
Up front, passengers are treated to nice plush seats, the most extensive list of trims in the doors and across the dashboard, and even soft materials for your knees.
These add up and go a long way towards making the Nissan feel as though it has the most upmarket cabin of the choices on this test.
Adjustability, like the other cars here, is good, although visibility over the nose is more limited, as you sit lower and the dash-line is higher. Good thing the Nissan is also the only car with a handy 360-degree parking suite.
Bottle holders include a massive one in the doors, two more with variable edges in the centre console, and a nice big rubberised charging bay for your phone under the climate unit.
The rear seat continues the plush treatment, with soft materials on the backs of the front seats, and into the doors.
I found I had plenty of space behind my own driving position, roughly on-par with the Seltos, and the Qashqai serves rear passengers with large bottle holders in the doors, a further two small ones in the drop-down armrest, adjustable air vents, as well as USB-A and USB-C charging ports.
The boot is a tad smaller than the Kia's, and a little less square, but offers soft claddings for all the surfaces, so your luggage won't scratch hard plastics.
The Qashqai easily consumed the whole CarsGuide luggage set or the pram, and under the floor there is a space-saver spare. The Qashqai also has the highest towing capacity of our choices here, refer to the table below for more.
 | Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
Boot space | 291L | 429L | 433L |
Rear amenity | USB A + C | Vents, USB A + C | Vents, USB A |
Dimensions (L x W x H - mm) | 4495 x 1800 x 1600 | 4425 x 1835 x 1625 | 4385 x 1800 x 1635 |
Towing capacity unbraked/braked (kg) | 650/1400 | 750/1500 | 600/1100 |
Ground clearance | 220mm | 193mm | 170mm |
Turning circle | 10.8 | 11.1m | 10.6m |
Spare | Space-saver | Space-saver | Full-size alloy |
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Score
Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
| 6 | 8 | 8 |
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Holden Acadia9/10
All Acadias are seven-seaters, but not all seven-seater SUVs in the world really fit seven adults. I can’t sit comfortably in the third row of the CX-9 – the sloping roof line destroys headroom back there and my legs are wedged into the seat back.
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Here’s the big news: even at 191cm tall I can sit in the Acadia’s second row (behind my driving position), and then behind that in the third row all without my head touching the roof or knees hitting the back of the seat in front. That is exceptional.
The dual sunroof in the LTZ-V limits headroom, so think about the LTZ if you’re going to be carrying tall freaks like me all the time, but it’ll be plenty spacious for kids.
Climbing into that third row is easier than the CX-9 thanks to the Acadia’s tall roofline, although being American-made the larger folding section of the second row is on our kerb side (not the case with CX-9).
Still, the second row slid far enough forward to make getting into the back easy enough for me.
Cabin storage and utilities are excellent. Third-row passengers have two cupholders, a hidey hole for loose items, air vents and a USB port. Second-row dwellers have two USB ports, a large storage drawer, two cupholders in the fold down armrest, climate control dials and air vents, plus decent-sized door pockets.
Up front, the centre console bin is large and deep, the storage compartment in front of the shifter fits my iPhone 8 (in the LTZ and above there’s wireless charging in there), you’ll also find two large cupholders, a large glove box and door pockets. There are two 12-volt power outlets – one in the cockpit and the other in the cargo area.
Boot capacity with the third row in place is 292 litres, but that is measured to the roof (Mazda measures to the cargo cover). With the third row folded flat the luggage space of the Acadia is 1042 litres, and with the second and third rows folded you have 2102 litres of cargo room.
Price and features
Kia Seltos
As mentioned, we've grabbed upper mid-grade models of each of our cars here. Theoretically, they should represent the best value in their respective line-ups, offering the most kit for a reasonable spend.
To kick it off, the most affordable car here is the Kia Seltos Sport+. Wearing a before-on-roads price-tag of $35,800, the Seltos seems to instantly be a value pick amongst our choices, although it has had the most minor recent update, a mild nip-and-tuck with tweaks to its equipment level.
It has some appealing attributes, including a fully digital instrument cluster to match its multimedia screen, built-in navigation, and partially synthetic leather seats, as well as having the largest boot capacity.
However, it is lacking in some significant areas. It's the only car here to have halogen headlights, the only car without power adjust for the driver's seat, it's missing dual-zone climate, and it's also missing wireless phone mirroring or charging.
Priced in the middle is the Subaru Crosstrek R. Its price comes in at $38,490 and the equipment is impressive. The obvious value stand-out is standard all-wheel drive, but it's not the Crosstrek's only trick, with it also featuring 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, and a massive 11.6-inch portrait touchscreen.
But it's also the only car here to miss out on partial leather seat trim, built-in navigation, and front parking sensors.
Finally, we have the Nissan Qashqai ST-L. Priced at $42,190 it's by a significant margin the most expensive car on this test, but it's also the best equipped.
It has the largest set of wheels (19-inch), it's the only car here to feature heated front seats and steering wheel, it scores a similar digital suite to the other two, with wireless phone mirroring and charging, and has the most extensive amount of soft-touch materials on the inside.
We've covered the highlights here, if you want a full summary of key equipment items, check the table below.
Before we move on, though, it's worth noting the Seltos complicates this test because of the sheer number of variants it is offered in.
For similar money to the Nissan, you can choose the Seltos in top-spec GT-Line form, but with the same front-wheel drive layout, which goes some way to compensating for its missing equipment.
Alternatively, for similar money to the Subaru, you can get the same Sport+ grade, but with a turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive.
While we'll keep impressions on this test restricted to the car we have here, it is worth considering if you were looking to test drive and buy one of these cars.
Do we have a winner for pricing and spec? Not really. It's a story of getting what you're paying for at each level, so as far as we see it they're reasonably evenly matched.
 | Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
Price (MSRP) | $38,490 | $42,190 | $35,800 |
Wheel size | 18-inch | 19-inch | 17-inch |
Multimedia screen | 11.6-inch (portrait) | 12.3-inch | 10.25-inch |
Digital instruments | No | 7.0-inch Semi-digital | 10.25-inch |
Apple CarPlay/Android Auto | Yes, wireless | Yes, wireless | Yes, wired |
Sat-nav | No | Yes | Yes |
Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | No |
LED headlights | Yes | Yes | No |
Keyless entry/push-start | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Climate control | Dual-zone | Dual-zone | Single-zone |
Seat trim | ‘Premium Cloth’ | Synthetic leather/cloth | Synthetic leather/cloth |
Power adjust | Driver | Driver | No |
USB ports | USB C, USB A | USB C, USB A | USB C, USB A |
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Score
| Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
| 8 | 8 | 8 |
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Holden Acadia8/10
The Acadia range has three grades to it – the entry level LT which lists for $43,990, then the mid-spec LTZ for $53,490 and at the top of the range is the LTZ-V for $63,490. These are the prices for the front-wheel drive Acadias and you can have them in all-wheel drive, but it’ll be an extra $4000 on top.
The LT comes with a mountain of standard features, including an 8.0-inch touchscreen with sat nav, reversing camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, three-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, proximity key, rear privacy glass and 18-inch alloy wheels. There’s also an impressive array of advanced safety equipment which I’ll take you though further down this review.
The LTZ gets all the LT’s features and adds leather seats, power adjustable and heated front seats, rain sensing wipers, wireless charging for phones, power tailgate, front parking sensors, and this will make some people very happy – automatic parking.
The LTZ-V comes with all the LTZ’s features and more including ventilated seats, 20-inch wheels, dual-pane sun roof, 8.0-inch virtual instrument cluster, eight-speaker Bose stereo with amplifier and subwoofer, and adaptive suspension.
That’s great value and it’s on the same level as the CX-9, although the Mazda comes with a head-up display on all grades. You can’t get one even on the top-of-the-range Acadia.
Under the bonnet
Kia Seltos
While each vehicle on this test has a different approach under the bonnet, they all end up with similar power outputs.
The Seltos is the most traditional of the bunch, with a big old 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder engine and no turbocharger. It is also the lightest car on this test, but produces the least power, at 110kW/180Nm.
The Crosstrek uses Subaru's signature flat ‘boxer' engine layout with a 2.0-litre capacity and is the only car here with all-wheel drive (it's real, permanent all-wheel drive, too!).
With 115kW/196Nm on tap, it has the most kilowatts out of the choices here, but still has less torque than the Nissan and is by far the heaviest vehicle on-test.
Finally, the Nissan is the only vehicle here to have a down-sized turbocharged engine, with a 1.3-litre four-cylinder unit producing 110kW/250Nm.
All cars drive the wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission, and with relatively even power outputs it's hard to make a call on a winner in this department, but to me the Nissan at least feels more modern than the dated set-ups in the other two choices.
 | Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
Engine size | 2.0L four-cyl NA | 1.3L four-cyl turbo | 2.0L four-cyl NA |
Drivetrain | AWD | FWD | FWD |
Power | 115kW | 110kW | 110kW |
Torque | 196Nm | 250Nm | 180Nm |
Transmission | CVT | CVT | CVT |
Weight (Tare) | 1493kg | 1452kg | 1375kg |
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Score
Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
| 6 | 8 | 7 |
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Holden Acadia7/10
Now the engine – it’s a V6 petrol that makes stacks of power at 231kW and plenty of torque at 367Nm. The problem here is the maximum torque comes in at 5000 rpm. Torque is the force that’s sent from the engine and turns the wheels and it’s preferable to have all the torque come in low in the rev range.
See, most of the time I drove the Acadia the revs never got above 3000rpm. If I wanted to overtake I needed to hammer it. The CX-9 makes 420Nm of torque at 2000rpm – it’s under your right foot almost always. It’s preferable to have low-end torque for towing, too.
Talking of that, the braked towing capacity of the Acadia is 2000kg.
The transmission is a nine-speed automatic – a torque converter. It’s an excellent transmission, that shifts intuitively and smoothly. The Acadia offers a choice of front-wheel drive or the optional all-wheel drive.
Efficiency
Kia Seltos
Fuel consumption should be pretty straightforward here, a function of weight and engine design, however all was not as it seemed on our 100km mixed conditions controlled test.
Officially, the Subaru consumes the most fuel, stated at 7.2L/100km, which would make sense given it is the heaviest, with the added burden of all-wheel drive.
Next down is the Seltos, with its older engine giving it a claimed consumption of 6.9L/100km. While the Nissan claims to be the most trim, with its high-tech small capacity engine granting it an official consumption of 6.1L/100km.
In reality, though, the results were almost flipped around. Over 100km of combined testing, the Subaru consumed the least fuel, at 6.2L/100km measured at the pump, the Nissan landed in the middle at 6.6L/100km, while the Seltos was the thirstiest, consuming 7.1L/100km.
While the results are surprising, they are still very close and well within margins of error and driving style of each other.
It is worth noting, the Nissan's turbocharged engine is the only one to require more expensive 95RON fuel, while the other two are happy to consume 91.
 | Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
Official/combined | 7.2L/100km | 6.1L/100km | 6.9L/100km |
On-test (100km measured at pump) | 6.2L/100km | 6.6L/100km | 7.1L/100km |
Minimum RON | 91 | 95 | 91 |
Fuel tank size | 63L | 55L | 50L |
Theoretical range between fills | 875km | 902km | 725km |
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Score
Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
| 8 | 8 | 8 |
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Holden Acadia6/10
It’s a V6 so it’s going to be thirsty right? Yes, but this engine can deactivate two cylinders to run on four when not under load. That said even on the country roads that the Acadia launch was held on, the mileage the trip computer was reporting ranged from about 10.0L-11.0/100km for both the all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive Acadias.
You can bet that will head higher in the traffic of the suburbs and city. Holden says that after a combination of urban and open roads the FWD Acadia should use 8.9L/100km and the all-wheel drive will need 9.3L/100km. Those are pretty optimistic numbers and the real-world fuel economy will certainly be higher.
Driving
Kia Seltos
One thing I should get out of the way before we launch into driving impressions, is none of these cars will be a deal-breaker from behind the wheel.
They are all very competent for the segment, and each respective recent update has made them significantly better than they were prior.
Kia Seltos Sport+
Starting with the Kia, and the benefits of its extra visibility are evident straight away, particularly out its large rear window.
The digital suite also feels nice, with a customisable interface and plenty of information on offer, and it's reasonably easy to adjust things on-the-fly, whilst concentrating on the road.
Interestingly, the Kia has the firmest ride, and the heaviest steering, but despite this feels settled over bumps and corrugations, and surprisingly planted in the corners.
The engine, despite having the least power on offer, feels the strongest of the bunch, and the transmission is smooth and linear when it comes to applying power to the ground, making it a surprise stand-out.
The biggest downside of the Kia is its infuriating safety suite. While its lane-keep system is a tad overzealous and heavy-handed, it's the speed alert feature which ruins it.
This feature pairs with the traffic sign detection to warn you if you creep over the speed limit, and does so by sounding an irritating alarm.
Not only does it default to on every time you start the car, it's also often incorrect with the speed it picks up, including out-of-time school zones, picking up 40 zones off the back of buses, picking up signs from parallel roads and exit ramps, the list goes on. Software update please, Kia.
Subaru Crosstrek R
Next, the Subaru. As mentioned, the Crosstrek has the poorest visibility out of the cabin, with a more letterbox windscreen, tiny rear window, and a hatch-like seating position in a car with an SUV-like ride height.
Still, the Crosstrek has great visibility out the side for looking into the lane next to you, and it's by far the most organic feeling vehicle to steer, with well-tuned electric assistance on the rack.
It also has the most forgiving ride with the most suspension travel, making it surprisingly comfortable in the front and back seats, even over bumps, undulations and corrugations.
Thanks to its weight and all-wheel drive system, the Subaru also feels the sturdiest and safest in the corners, sticking to the road with determination, even on loosely-sealed surfaces.
The update which changed it across from XV to Crosstrek has also brought with it numerous quality of life improvements, including a big jump in refinement, removing a significant amount of road, tyre, and wind noise from the cabin at freeway-speeds, once a major Subaru downside.
The area where the Crosstrek is most let down is its engine. While it has sufficient power on paper, getting up to speed is a noisy, thrashy affair, with the CVT not helping the situation at all by holding the car at high revs and leaving the driver with uneven feedback when accelerating.
At least the Subaru's safety suite is functional and unobtrusive to the driving experience.
Nissan Qashqai ST-L
Finally, the Nissan. Somewhat unsurprisingly, the car which looks and feels the most modern and has had the most comprehensive suite of upgrades from its predecessor is also the most modern-feeling car to drive.
Visibility is a decent middle-ground between the other two options here, and low-speed manoeuvring is a breeze with its light steering and 360-degree camera view.
The Nissan feels the lightest and springiest of the lot, with its light steering being a little twitchy but very reactive, and its responsive little turbo engine adding a some fun to the mix.
I was surprised to find it didn't feel majorly peppier than the other choices here, with engine response dulled slightly by its doughy but sufficient continuously variable automatic transmission.
The ride also falls in a happy middle ground between the firm springs of the Seltos and the soft ride of the Subaru. The Qashqai dispatched bumps and undulations very well, but did reach its limits more abruptly on larger hits.
Its safety suite also largely ran in the background, with the only (very small) annoyance coming from the way the car slows itself down in corners and if you drift to the edge of your lane when using adaptive cruise control.
Most importantly, the Nissan didn't have a single significant downside which would annoy a driver every day like the Subaru's thrashy engine, or the Kia's invasive safety equipment, whilst providing a good middle ground of the more appealing traits of its rivals.
Score
Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
| 7 | 8 | 8 |
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Holden Acadia7/10
If you’re a fan of SUVs because they can make you feel like you’re a hundred feet tall wearing a Transformers suit, then you’re going to like driving the Acadia. Yup, it looks like a truck and feels like one when you’re looking out over that high, broad bonnet.
The dashboard is also tall, and this combined with the truck-like bonnet meant I had to raise my seat higher than the setting I’d normally use, just to see clearly over. Even then visibility isn’t great thanks to long and wide A-Pillars framing the windscreen.
There are other ergonomic issues you’ll face in this cabin. I found the centre console armrest way too high and my elbow kept hitting it as I turned the steering wheel it also made changing the drive modes on the rotating dial in front of it awkward using your left hand to scratch your left armpit. Made you do it, didn’t I?
The indicator and wiper stalks are also positioned at a high angle and on the highest wiper setting I had to take my hand off the wheel to turn them off. If my hands aren’t big enough to reach them while holding the steering wheel, there’s no way Donald Trump could.
So how does the Acadia drive? Well there are two very different feeling Acadias in the range. There’s the one Holden brought to Australia to test rigorously around its test track and Australian roads, tuning the adaptive suspension to offer a comfortable ride that suits our conditions – it’s the LTZ-V.
Then there’s the LT and LTZ, which didn’t get the full Holden suspension work-over. Sure, Holden went to the US and helped develop a suspension system for these two grades, but they had to make a compromise and agree on a tune that would make the American drivers happy, too. In the US drivers prefer a softer, more cushioned ride, while in Australia we tend to like a firmer sportier one with better handling.
That means the LT and LTZ just don’t handle as well as the LTZ-V. Not only do those lower grades have a softer ride that feels almost like you’re bouncing on a space hopper at times, they also don’t have the great adaptive suspension of the top grade LTZ-V. The adaptive suspension can not only be set in a sport setting, for better handling but is constantly adjusting itself to the driving style.
On the highway all grades cruise beautifully, like battleships ploughing through the miles of road – this is where they are really in their element. You’ll also find them all comfortable for suburban adventures, too – even on patchy streets with bad surfaces the ride is composed and compliant.
But when I took the LT with AWD along a fantastic bit of familiar road with a great surface and plenty of twists, I could feel that suspension doing everything it could to rein in the body roll, but not winning. This is a 2.0-tonne and tall SUV and I don’t expect it to behave like a sports car, but Mazda’s CX-9 feels more agile with quicker steering and better handling than the Acadia.
The LTZ-V has an exceptional ride – almost limo like with adaptive suspension ironing out the road ahead.
Even as a passenger in the second row the journey was comfy and serene, the cabin well insulated, although those rear seats are unsupportive and in the corners I felt myself sliding around back there. And that’s the thing, even in the corners the Aussie-developed LTZ-V still struggled to control its heft, and when pushed more the tyres began to chirp in the bends. The LTZ-V wears Continental ContiCrossContact high performance all-terrain tyres (235, 55 R20) if you’re wondering.
Still I didn’t feel the Acadia lacked grunt, the V6 is smooth and there was an instant connection between the accelerator pedal and the acceleration that you don’t get with the turbo-charged CX-9.
The thing is you really need to get the Acadia up to 5000rpm to really get good oomph – and that’s going to harm your fuel economy.
Choosing a front-wheel drive variant will save you a bit of money at the pump, and while the all-wheel drive adds some reassuring traction on wet roads and gravel, it’s not essential. Front and all-wheel drive Acadias had identical comfort levels in terms of ride.
Safety
Kia Seltos
All cars have impressive safety suites, with all the key up-to-date active items featuring.
All cars score high-speed auto emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist detection, and junction assist.
All cars also feature lane keep assist with lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, speed alert, driver attention alert, and tyre pressure monitoring.
Only the Subaru scores rear auto braking, although it misses out on front parking sensors, and the Nissan is the only car to score a full 360-degree parking camera, making it the best car for tight parking stations.
The Kia is the only car to miss out on LED headlights, annoying for regional buyers who have to deal with more poorly lit roads.
The Nissan and Kia have up-to-date, maximum five-star ANCAP safety ratings, scored in 2021 and 2019 respectively, while the Subaru Crosstrek is yet to be rated.
One good omen for the Subaru is its impressive suite of nine airbags, outranking the Nissan's seven, and Kia's six.
It's hard to establish a winner here, but the Kia is the least well equipped of the bunch by a small margin, and it's also marred by its annoying lane keep and speed warning systems.
 | Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
Auto emergency braking | High-speed with car, pedestrian, cyclist detection and junction assist, reverse auto braking | High-speed with car, pedestrian, cyclist detection and junction assist | High-speed with car, pedestrian, cyclist detection and junction assist |
Lane keep assist/departure warning | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Blind spot monitoring/rear-cross traffic | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Adaptive cruise control | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Driver attention alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Traffic sign recognition | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Tyre pressure monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Adaptive high-beam | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Parking cameras | Reverse | 360-degree | Reverse |
Parking sensors | Rear | Front, rear | Front, rear |
Number of airbags | Nine | Seven | Six |
ANCAP safety rating | Not rated | Five-star (2021) | Five-star (2019) |
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Score
Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
| 8 | 8 | 7 |
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Holden Acadia8/10
The Acadia has yet to be given an ANCAP crash rating, but the level of advanced safety equipment is outstanding. All grades come with AEB (on the LT and LTZ it’s a city speed version, while the LTZ has higher speed AEB), there’s blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, lane keeping assistance and lane departure warning, plus lateral impact avoidance which will swerve to avoid a vehicle that drifts into your lane.
Also excellent is that the side curtain airbags extend all the way back the entire third row – the CX-9’s do, too, but not the Kia Sorrento’s.
The chink in the Acadia’s safety armour is a low-tech but essential item – the spare wheel; it’s a space saver, which is not ideal in Australia where distances between towns can be vast. Also, to get the space saver out requires a stack of effort – it’s under the boot floor but you’ll need to remove the storage under the floor to get to it. We tried it on the launch and the process was overly difficult.
Ownership
Kia Seltos
An easy win can be handed here to the Kia Seltos, which has the longest warranty at seven years/unlimited kilometres, longest roadside assist which can be extended to up to eight years with genuine servicing, and the most affordable capped price servicing program.
Meanwhile, the Subaru and Nissan have the standard five-year and unlimited kilometre warranty, with the Subaru offering only one year of roadside assistance, and the Nissan offering five.
Capped price servicing extends to six years or 90,000km for the Nissan, seven years and 105,000km for the Kia, and up to 15 years or 225,000km for the Subaru.
Over a five-year period for a fair comparison purpose, the Seltos is easily the most affordable, with an average cost of $414.40 per year, the Subaru falls in the middle, with an average cost of $474.64, while the Nissan is the most expensive car to keep on the road, costing an average of $583.20 per year over the same period.
 | Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
Warranty length | Five years/unlimited kilometre | Five years/unlimited kilometre | Seven years/unlimited kilometres |
Roadside assist | One year | Five years | Up to eight years (renewed with genuine service) |
Capped price servicing | Up to 15 years/225,000km | Six years/90,000km | Seven years/105,000km |
Average annual cost (5yr) | $474.64 | $583.20 | $414.40 |
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Score
Subaru Crosstrek R | Nissan Qashqai ST-L | Kia Seltos Sport+ |
| 7 | 7 | 8 |
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Holden Acadia9/10
The Acadia is covered by Holden’s five-year/unlimited km warranty. Servicing is recommended annually or every 12,000km. Servicing is capped at $259 for the first service, $299 for the second, $259 for the third, $359 for the fourth and $359 again for the fifth.