Kia Seltos v Mazda CX-30 v Skoda Kamiq | Best Small SUV | Drive Car of the Year 2021

[@jakehands]

Just received my Skoda Kamiq 1.5 TSI and am very happy with it.

[@mattbryan8535]

In 2024 I'm still all in with the Kamiq - just bought one and very happy🎉

[@larpy]

Kamiq is overall the best just wish the ride height was higher, more like a proper suv. To me it’s more like a hatchback. People buy small SUV’s to be a suv not a hatchback. I’d choose the seltos since it’s a proper SUV.

[@cityplanner3063]

Mazda also feels like a hatch. Kamiq reminds me of a station wagon lol

[@julzyin]

Well done skoda! Happy Kamiq owner here.

[@michaelfirman2746]

Same here.

[@kacoxxx]

Same !

[@neila7144]

Come back in 3 years Julz. Then you can tell us how you feel about reliability and after sales care.

[@stendecstretcher4983]

@@neila7144 All dealers are poor these days even Toyota.

[@JuliusMunda-zb8ig]

@@neila7144 after nearly 4 years of ownership its still the best car i've ever owned still drive the same way when i drove it out from the dealership.Skoda is known for their reliability.

[@MeirCohen.kingbibi]

Love my skoda kamiq style 1.5 litre black magic. An excellent suv.

[@lobosolo3310]

Kia recalls 147,000 Seltos and Soul vehicles for fire risks, new engines needed

[@alanjabs6935]

In the USA and only affects the 2ltr engine...

[@joseppiezna]

Same crap bad engines consuming oil and fires Year after year

[@gslapp]

​ @CarAdvice / Drive Which variant of the Kamiq did you test?

[@StevenG89]

Looks like they used the base 85TSI model. Bit unfair to compare that to a Seltos GT-Line with the 1.6T

[@aaaaplay]

@@StevenG89 It is also the MY20 because it has the older style steering wheel and still has the boot netting and removable touch. MY21 miss both of those features.

[@andrewmee8136]

Skoda starting from $26,990? Where do you find that? I can’t see anything under $35k after on road costs. On roads would not account for $8k.

[@dragospahontu]

Proces have gone up for cars. Don't buy a car now unless you've crashed something

[@paulyD62]

Why not state what type of fuel these cars use? There is a big difference in price between say E10 and 98 octane/ron.

[@dragospahontu]

I only use 100 for turbo cars

[@skandhkapoor6472]

Good point, Skoda require 98 octane fuel

[@dragospahontu]

@@skandhkapoor6472 you can run 95 no problem on TSI engines.

[@satoshinakamoto3342]

Kamiq really scores high in design. I have rarely seen a car designed so well from every angle. I would go for a Kamiq based on design only. But being a Skoda, I know it will not disappoint in other areas

[@larpy]

Kamiq is overall the best just wish the ride height was higher, more like a proper suv. To me it’s more like a hatchback. People buy small SUV’s to be a suv not a hatchback.

[@dragospahontu]

@@larpy it is enough

[@naggorniy]

Thanks

[@martinbowler9749]

Love my Kamiq LE

[@JimboJones99]

CX-30 ftw 🏁

[@risogbanan]

The kamiq is just the best. Love it and will soon own one.

[@ethanwd]

Interesting conclusion... Funnily enough, we looked at these cars back in Feb, and last month placed an order for a Seltos. While we loved the space and finish quality of the Skoda, we found that the 1L engine was just too gutless and thirsty. We also couldn't justify the additional $4k asking price over the Seltos now that Skoda have upped the prices (since we first started looking in Feb).

[@dragospahontu]

1.5 TSI is so good and economical

[@ethanwd]

@@dragospahontu We seemed to only have the option of the 1L turbo triple... Not sure if the range has changed since we looked at the Kamiq (about 1yr ago), but I seemed to recall there being no other option. Or maybe it was simply unaffordable for us (i.e. circa $40k for what is essentially a small hatch on stilts).

[@dragospahontu]

@@ethanwd yes only now the 1.5l is available. How is the car holding up?

[@ethanwd]

@@dragospahontu We're still waiting for delivery! 😆 Only ordered it late-last year in the end, by which time Skoda had also upped the drive-away price of the Kamiq by about $3k locally... (Probably also worth noting that we were further put off the Skoda by the fact that the dealer really pushed their finance deal, but refused to give actual figures to us until we signed the dotted line. The deal sounded appealing (less than 1% interest), but they refused to give us info about exact dollar figures until after we signed a contract, so we walked away.)

[@dragospahontu]

@@ethanwd yes cars are expensive now because of the chip shortage.

[@ndie8075]

Kamiq first choice....

[@venturii29]

zy brakes! 5 of 5. And the car is not heavy (1.0tsi 85kw dsg)so the side wind likes to shake and wiggle this es you weeee.... 3cyl. turbo revs sweet and with race stile s wheel + sport-ergo seats you can have some fun

[@peterpanousis8458]

Dry-clutch DSG on the Kamiq is a deal breaker. Otherwise an awesome car. Yes I know the Kia GT-Line also has a dry-clutch DCT but it doesn’t have a chequered history.

[@mixalis6168]

Ahahahahahahahhaha

[@dantebg100]

Yeah..😂 but you are wrong 😂 Because Kia has a garbage engine and a garbage transmission at the same time 😅

[@peterpanousis8458]

@@dantebg100 Update now has 8-speed torque converter automatic. Also new Smartstream (was Gamma) turbo 1.6 producing around 143kW.

[@dantebg100]

@@peterpanousis8458 Kia is much more expensive than Skoda in Europe And Kia engines are still mega trash . For the same price you can get 2.0 tsi with 200hp or much more reliable 2.0 TDI diesel engine by VW

[@dantebg100]

We don't even have Seltos is Europe because it can't compete

[@stendecstretcher4983]

The presentation and camera work on your videos are top draw as is the narration. I will check out your videos first from now on.

[@Mikjcal]

Although not reviewed, my pick for this compact SUV segment would be the Volkswagen T-Cross... which is pretty much the same as the Skoda Kamiq

[@neila7144]

Big no. It's a VW. Enough said.

[@stendecstretcher4983]

@@neila7144 VW have come a long way don’t write them off. MG looking good too.

[@hendrik9443]

You said it, it’s a VW, so it’s way better than every other In it’s class, doesn’t care if America, French or Japanese competitor.

[@timw4432]

Too expensive to justify

[@larpy]

The kamiq is also not like a suv it’s more like a hatchback. It’s not high enough. That’s the only problem.

[@Nick-Gye]

The Kia has a full size spare

[@neila7144]

The real problem with these awards is that reliability and customer service is not even discussed. I understand that car makers pay a lot for advertising, but it surely influences opinion. On this basis alone, the VWGroup could never make any top 3 list, let alone win top gong. Their customer service is just lamentable, and this from a current VW driver. Kia would win hands down in customer service and for the first time in history, beat Toyota in the latest reliability survey by JT Power. The Power survey may not be perfect, but it's the best we currently have. On this basis, the Seltos would easily twin top spot and that's before factoring in the 7 year warranty.

[@stendecstretcher4983]

Interestingly enough. All dealers even the top ones just follow the dollar not interested in customer service. The independent mechanics are poor too. There is a training need in both customer care and mechanical skills in this country.

[@dantebg100]

You are dreaming bro. Kia engines are complete trash. Use it for the warranty period and get rid of it.

[@dantebg100]

The only good Kia engine is the diesel. But the VW diesel is still better

[@dantebg100]

Is the warranty 7 years unlimited mileage for the Kia or it's limited? 🤔 In my country it is limited to 150 000 km

[@andrewgreen215]

Just reminds me of when the Leyland p76 won car of the year 😂😂😂

[@mattbryan8535]

I remember that - Making of a Legend🎉

[@cptobvious8428]

Unfortunately SKODA local has jacked up rices by 50 to 150% due to pure greed and to take advantage of Australians during pandemic. The factory increased prices by only 3% Local distributor has also deleted standard features, decreased engine size, offering old engines and transmissions and eliminated entry level vehicles Really sad to see a great brand go to shit because of unabashed greed

[@ofri6309]

the mazda CX30 is NOT equivalent to the seltos, but to kia xceed... this comparison is not in place

[@dragospahontu]

Well spotted

[@dragospahontu]

The Kamiq is not in this class. The Karoq competes with them.

[@hawkesworth1712]

The Kamiq base model is probably not $8700 better than the Seltos base model in 2022.

[@glentetley3495]

Seltos

[@harpapmac]

Kamiq

[@james6969]

oh shit it incudes paid promation that means its a paid advimantend from skoda!!!!

[@stefentango]

Ahahaha. What absolutely does my head in, is that they never talk about it from an ownership proposition. Rather deal with Kia/Hyundai or Mazda Group any day of the week over VW group.

[@james6969]

@@stefentango yep i would have eiher kia or hyundiai or mazda but out of those 3 which would you choose tbhi would choose either kia or hyundai

[@stefentango]

@@james6969 Likewise, the Seltos. It's really spacious at the back and boot. Engine is in a fair few cars of the Kia/Hyundai group, so I suspect should be reliable.

[@james6969]

@@stefentango yep

[@lamborghini0610]

@@stefentango Kia servicing is extremely expensive, far more than my VW was. Clearly sounds like you haven't dealt with VW group or perhaps you had 1 bad experience?

[@TagSpamCop]

Shkoda Kameeq. Not Sskoda Kamick.

[@SuperEdge67]

CX30 by a country mile.

[@u2santi]

These are cars in different segments, the Kamiq is 15.5cm shorter

[@kbling2946]

Lol...I knew which one you were choosing at the start by the way you were talking. The truth is the Skoda is ugly as hell and the interior is plain Jane. It’s a toss up , the Mazda has a more upmarket interior but the Kia takes it out IMO.

[@stimac92]

the interior in Skoda is far more superior, no plastic dashboard etc, did you go inside of one actually or even test one? if not I can't take you seriously

[@aaaaplay]

@@stimac92 I agree, you couldn't consider the Kamiq down market. The CX-30 does feel more premium however, it is far from spacious. I think the Kamiq offers a good balance between space, comfort and quality, which is probably why the judges picked it. While I haven't been in a Seltos, I have been in the current Cerato upon which it is based. My impressions were that it was one of the best Kia interiors I'd seen (not having seen a Sorrento or Stinger in person) but you could tell where they cut costs. The headlining in particular felt thin and made the car feel tinny. The red lighting in the climate controls also aged the vehicle. But that's just my impression.

[@kienfung3045]

Mazda would be my choice! Skodo is quite ugly. And definitely not more reliable then the Mazda and Kia. And Skoda's boring interiour with hard cheap plastic.

[@julzyin]

You got absolutely no idea what you're talking about do you.

[@kienfung3045]

Looks like you have no clue what you're talking do you. If you have seen a Mazda interior then you know what i'm talking.

[@StevenG89]

Skoda interior is far from hard and cheap. Maybe not as good as Mazda but definitely better than a lot of other cars in this class. One thing that the Kamiq does better than the CX30 though is interior packaging. Heaps of room inside the Kamiq compared to the CX30. And even the base model gets leather steering wheel and shifter and rear air vents with USB-C ports

[@stimac92]

the Skoda interior is sublime, no hard plastic snd other cheap feel materials, get your facts first

[@kienfung3045]

@@stimac92 So you never had sat in a Skoda. Even latest Audi's interior are cheaper and used more hard plastic then the previous generation. It's not me saying that. Why? Because all the scandals that Vag recently had. And everyone know Skoda and Seat are more budget then audi an wv. And you can definitely feel that. So you get your facts straight please. And every test they complain that the plastic used in the vw ID series are hard cheap plastic.