Like many automakers, Kia has so many SUVs these days that it can be hard to keep them all straight. So here's one way to think about the refreshed 2024 Kia Seltos. It's the little sibling to Kia's larger and more expensive Sportage crossover SUV. Yet it provides impressive utility and offers available all-wheel drive. For 2024, Kia has made some light changes three years into the Seltos' run. These include updated styling, updated display screens, and more power for the available turbocharged engine. Kia has also introduced a more rugged X-Line trim.
The Seltos is bigger on the inside than you might think. Like Mary Poppins' bag, this SUV seems to swallow items that simply shouldn't fit. The Seltos is one of the class leaders, boasting 62.8 cubic feet of max cargo capacity. Moreover, the liftgate is wide and there's plenty of trays, pockets, and cubbies for your smaller items. People fit, too, and so long as you're under 6-foot-2, there's plenty of headroom for passengers. For an affordable family-oriented SUV, the Seltos easily satisfies.
Other worthy picks for an extra small crossover include the Chevrolet Trailblazer and Mazda CX-30. The Trailblazer offers comparable value to the Seltos, while the CX-30 stands out with its upscale cabin and quick acceleration. You might also consider checking out the popular Honda HR-V and Toyota Corolla Cross. For more information on the Kia Seltos' best attributes, check out our test team's Expert Rating.
The Seltos X-Line trim offers a pleasing balance of pricing and features. For 2024, Kia has made all-wheel drive optional on the EX trim to the tune of $2,200. As a result, it's worth stepping up to the X-Line for its rugged styling, more powerful engine, and comfort features like heated seats. Other niceties include black roof rails and accents, a 10.25-inch display, and scores of standard safety features.
The 2024 Kia Seltos is available in five trim levels: LX, S, EX, X-Line and SX. You'll generally get progressively more features on each one, plus a more powerful engine for the X-Line and SX. Keep reading for our breakdown of the significant standard and optional features you get with each trim.
Like many automakers, Kia has so many SUVs these days that it can be hard to keep them all straight. So here's one way to think about the refreshed 2024 Kia Seltos, which starts at $24,390 sans destination fee: It's the affordable SUV for people who wish the even more affordable Soul had all-wheel drive.
The 2024 Seltos will continue to come standard with the 146-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the LX, S and EX trim levels. This familiar engine has failed to impress us in any Hyundai/Kia application, though as noted, we haven't driven a Seltos so equipped. It's paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission that Kia likes to call an "intelligent variable transmission."
We were hoping that the turbo engine's added horses and new transmission would cure its lack of punch off the line, but no dice. Floor it from a stop and there's still some hesitation before the powertrain gets the message. Once the turbo kicks in, though, there's enough punch to put a smile on most SUV shoppers' faces. The eight-speed transmission does its job without drama, though we said the same of the discontinued seven-speed. Overall, the turbocharged Seltos is a rare treat in this segment, delivering the kind of acceleration that won't make you feel like maybe you should have sprung for a pricier SUV.
The primary thing to know about the Seltos' comfort credentials is that four 6-footers can easily fit inside. We classify the Seltos as an extra-small SUV due to its pricing and competitive set, but the reality is that there's plenty of passenger space in this rig unless you need three seating rows. Seat comfort, unfortunately, has been an issue for some of our testers, so that's something to pay attention to on your test drive. Otherwise, it's hard to find fault with how the Seltos treats its occupants. It's a pleasant vehicle to spend time in.
All models now come standard with dual displays up front, consisting of a digital instrument panel and a central touchscreen housed in a single frame. The base LX trim gets smaller screens but still boasts digital gauges, while the rest of the Seltos lineup rolls with twin 10.25-inch screens. Additionally, the Seltos gains an extra USB port in the rear (for a new maximum of four ports), while the SX Sunroof package now counts ventilated front seats, a power liftgate and phone-as-a-key functionality among its upgrades. The Seltos has always traded on its generous feature content, but these enhancements for 2024 make it even more of an outlier in a typically frill-free segment.
Edmunds saysThe 2024 Seltos has many strengths, especially if you spring for the turbocharged engine. The jury's out on the standard powertrain, but the turbocharged trims (X-Line and SX) still sneak in under $30,000 without destination. That's a lot of value, particularly in these inflationary times. Is it enough to unseat segment leaders like the Volkswagen Taos, Chevy Trailblazer and Mazda CX-30? Stay tuned for our full instrumented test of the 2024 Seltos, which will give us the answer to that question.
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2024 Kia Seltos:
The least-expensive 2024 Kia Seltos is the 2024 Kia Seltos LX 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $24,390.
Other versions include:
