Ford EcoSport vs KIA Seltos

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Ford EcoSport Discontinued model
Ford EcoSport in South Africa

Ford EcoSport

1.0 EcoBoost Titanium Automatic Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Discontinued model
ZAR 395,000 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 92 kW 🔧 170 Nm ⛽ 17.2 km/l
VS
KIA Seltos in South Africa

KIA Seltos

1.5D EX+ Auto Diesel 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 599,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 85 kW 🔧 260 Nm ⛽ 19.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Seltos
Fuel Economy Seltos
🛡 Safety Seltos
📦 Practicality Seltos
🔑 Ownership Seltos
Recorded price context EcoSport: last listed from ZAR 310,000 · Seltos: current from ZAR 389,995

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec EcoSport Seltos
Maximum Power 92 kW 85 kW @ 4000 rpm
Maximum Torque 170 Nm 260 Nm @ 1500 rpm
Engine Size 998 cc 1493 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 17.2 km/l 19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 200 mm 190 mm
Boot / Load Bay 352 l 433 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1290 kg 1430 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 4 7 Years / 150,000 km

= leads in this spec

Archived vehicles remain available for comparison. Verified specs stay visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

EcoSport and Seltos are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Seltos +5 pts
Efficiency Seltos +8 pts
Safety Seltos +7 pts
Practicality Seltos +2 pts
Ownership Seltos +16 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

EcoSport

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
  • Lower published ownership cover
Best suited to: General Use
Catalogue-index leader

Seltos

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
  • Stronger published ownership cover
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

EcoSport

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Seltos

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec EcoSport Seltos
Model Introduced Year 2013 2020
Generation Single generation on Ford B2E platform. Produced in India for global markets. SA received the facelift model with improved interior quality and revised safety kit. First generation (SP2); SA launch 2020; 2023 facelift model current
Facelift History Facelift in 2017 — revised front fascia and SYNC 3 infotainment introduced 2023 facelift with revised front and rear styling, updated ADAS suite and interior upgrades
Facelift Launched Since 2017 2023
Tare Mass Kg 1290 kg 1430 kg
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Dealer Stock Note Not confirmed Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Color Note Not confirmed Clear White, Aurora Black Pearl, Steel Grey, Gravity Blue, Intense Red, Pewter Olive, Glacier White Pearl (dual-tone on GT-Line)
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Production Status Not confirmed active
Spec EcoSport Seltos
Length 4325 mm 4370 mm
Width 1765 mm 1800 mm
Height 1653 mm 1640 mm
Wheelbase 2519 mm 2610 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 200 mm 190 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 52 l 50 l
Boot/Cargo Space 352 l 433 l
Kerb Weight 1290 kg 1430 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1740 kg 1920 kg
Towing Capacity 950 kg 1100 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Minimum Turning Radius Not confirmed 10.6 m
Doors Not confirmed 5 doors
Front Headroom Not confirmed 990 mm
Rear Headroom Not confirmed 950 mm
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1030 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 860 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not confirmed 190 mm
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 456 kg
Number of Rows Not confirmed 2 rows

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Seltos leads by 7 points

EcoSport and Seltos are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 68 /100
Lead 7 points
Data 99% source coverage
68
#1 Index leader

Seltos

99% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 45
Performance 45
Efficiency 73
Safety 93
Practicality 60
Ownership 71
Leads by 7 points
61
#2

EcoSport

83% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 86 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 65
Safety 86
Practicality 58
Ownership 55
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Seltos +5 Efficiency Seltos +8 Safety Seltos +7 Practicality Seltos +2 Ownership Seltos +16

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Seltos

Performance 45/100
Efficiency 73/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 60/100
Ownership 71/100

EcoSport

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 86/100
Practicality 58/100
Ownership 55/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 KIA Seltos leads the catalogue index with 68 pts vs 61 pts for EcoSport

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Seltos leads. However, EcoSport may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This EcoSport and Seltos comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: EcoSport 40 vs Seltos 45.

Efficiency index: EcoSport 65 vs Seltos 73.

Safety-equipment index: EcoSport 86 vs Seltos 93.

Practicality index: EcoSport 58 vs Seltos 60.

Ownership-cover index: EcoSport 55 vs Seltos 71.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.