Most of the times I climb into the driver's seat of a new SUV, I'm impressed by how large it is. At six feet tall I'm actually climbing in, for one thing. Then even the midsize SUVs seem to get bigger every year. That's what makes a week in the Kia Seltos a welcome break. The Seltos is larger than Kia's smallest SUVs like the Soul and Niro, but still smaller than the current Sportage and the rest of Kia's SUV models.
The Seltos occupies a great space because you get all the Kia features, warranty, and reliability, and it's big enough to be comfortable, but small enough to be easy to park and navigate urban and suburban streets. You also have a great choice of costs and trims with the Seltos. The base trim Seltos with a 2.0-liter engine and all-wheel drive starts at $24,490, making it one of the best values on the market. You can purchase a front-drive Seltos in a couple trims and get about 34 MPG fuel economy on the highway, but the AWD basic version is still good at 27 city MPG and 31 MPG on the highway.
The version we tested is the top SX trim, which uses a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine rated at 195 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. This model also comes with an 8-speed automatic as opposed to the continuously variable transmission on lower trims. All-wheel drive is also standard on the SX trim. The best part is, the Seltos SX starts at just $30,090, so you're not looking at a huge extra expense if you want to buy up the trim ladder.
Inside the Seltos SX, you get all the latest features. Kia calls their advanced safety and driver assistance package "Kia Drive Wise" and it's got everything that far more expensive SUVs have. Blind spot monitoring, forward collision avoidance, lane keeping, and adaptive cruise control made smart by integrating the cruise control with the navigation system. There's even a speed assist that keeps the Seltos at the posted speed limit.
On the dash, you'll find a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, mated with the 10.25-inch driver information display in a single panoramic pane of glass. There's a Bose premium audio system with eight speakers. Android, Apple, and SiriusXM are all supported, and there's a wireless device charger on the console. Slide into the seats and you'll find they're heated, with ventilation as an optional extra. Most of the year in Portland you'll be grateful for the heat, but ventilation is nice in the summer, too.
On the road, the Seltos delivers what I've started to call the Kia Experience. It does everything well, but nothing is excessive. It's fast enough, but not a hot rod by any means. It's quiet inside, but not obsessively silent. The Seltos handles very well, but it's not a sports car ride.
Put it all together and what you get is a small SUV that you will enjoy every day of the year. And you will also enjoy it for many years, because Kia delivers the Seltos with a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty. My wife drives a 10-year-old Kia and I can testify that apart from regular maintenance, her Kia just goes and goes without drama, until well past that 100,000 mile mark.
The bottom line on the Kia Seltos is that it's a great value on a truly enjoyable small SUV that delivers the features and technology of a much more expensive SUV. Quality and comfort are there, which makes the Seltos a great buy whether you're looking to spend as little as possible, or whether you want to finally plus up your ride with the top trim levels.
2024 Kia Seltos SX Turbo AWD
Base price: $30,090
Price as tested: $33,085
Type: Compact SUV
Engine: 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (195 hp, 195 lbs-ft)
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
EPA estimated mileage: 25/27
Overall length: 172.6 inches
Curb weight: 3,362 pounds
Final assembly: Gwangju, Korea
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