New Seltos vies for class-best honors
Kia’s all-new Seltos is here. Looking very much like a shrunken Sportage or Telluride, the 2027 Seltos is still the most affordable Kia crossover you can buy. It starts at $24,990, undercutting rivals like the Honda HR-V, Toyota Corolla Cross, and Mazda CX-30. Larger than before and with one of the nicest interiors in the segment, the Seltos may just be the subcompact crossover to beat, but which one should you buy? We used the online configurator to configure what we believe is the most sensible Seltos package.
Range Overview and Pricing
Kia
Before we get into our preferred trim, it’s worth looking at the lineup as a whole. There are five 2027 Kia Seltos trims and these are priced as follows:
- LX: $24,990
- S: $26,390
- EX: $28,390
- X-Line S: $28,990
- X-Line SX: $32,790
The lower three trims have standard all-wheel drive but can be optioned with all-wheel drive for an additional $1,700. X-Line variants have AWD fitted as standard.
The lower five trims have a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with a CVT. Only the top-spec X-Line SX gets the more powerful 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder mill, which produces 190 hp and 195 lb-ft. This model is the only one with a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission.
A hybrid model is due to arrive late in 2026, which we already had the chance to drive in South Korea. It pairs a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor and six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. For now, we’ll focus on the currently available gas variants.
The Kia Seltos Trim We’d Pick
Adam Lynton/Autoblog
Although we drove the range-topping Seltos X-Line SX with the turbocharged engine, its starting price of $32,790 is expensive for a subcompact crossover. One of the main reasons to choose a small SUV is to save on costs. Besides, if you have over $30,000 to spend on a new Kia, the larger and more refined Sportage is a better option.
With pricing being front of mind, the Kia Seltos trim we’d go for is the S, which starts at $26,390. This still leaves some daylight between it and the Sportage, which starts at $28,790. The Seltos S adds the following features over the base LX:
- Larger 18-inch alloy wheels
- Auto pop-put flush door handles
- Gloss black exterior trim
- 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
- Wireless phone charging
- Steering-mounted audio and cruise controls
- Blind-spot warning
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Safe exit warning
These upgrades are a combination of genuinely useful amenities and some that lend the Seltos a more premium feel. They’re on top of the crossover’s already generous standard spec, which includes a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, smart cruise control with Stop and Go, and front/rear parking sensors.
Kia
Yes, the 2.0-liter engine isn’t the most powerful, but it gets up to 30 mpg combined with FWD, which is 4 mpg better than the turbo engine can manage.
We configured a Seltos S in Iceberg Green, one of the more attractive shades in a rather conservative color palette. The interior color can’t be customized, but the two-tone Saturn Black and Gray woven cloth is at least airy and practical.
The Seltos S keeps the crossover’s value proposition intact but doesn’t feel like a spartan rental car, either. If you absolutely need AWD, the X-Line S is the best option. It’s $900 more than the Seltos S with optional AWD, but with some rugged extras thrown into the mix.
Related: Kia Seltos vs Sportage Reliability: The Bigger SUV Wins
Final Thoughts
Kia
We found little to complain about when we drove the new Kia Seltos, which boasts a comfortable interior, robust specification, and smooth ride. But as alluring as the turbocharged range-topper is, this subcompact SUV makes more sense at a lower price point, where it isn’t competing with the Sportage. The Seltos S feels more modern than most rivals, while delivering performance and efficiency that’s roughly on par with them. It’s a high-tech option with real substance in the small SUV segment.
Related: 2027 Kia Seltos Is Pricier—Should You Get a 2026 Model Instead?
