The Kia Seltos is stylish, roomy, and available with plenty of the latest technology and safety features. It's rather quick, too, as long as you get the optional turbocharged engine. Comfort is lacking, however, and it's not particularly fun to drive. But overall this little Kia SUV is worth a look.
Chase Bierenkoven has been writing about cars in his head since he was a child. Now, he does it for real, covering automotive news and producing reviews for outlets like Edmunds, Forbes Wheels and CarBuzz. Chase's career as an automotive journalist began in 2020, and he has already written scores of road tests. Some favorites of Chase's include the Dodge Challenger 392, Mazda Miata, Kia EV6 and Bentley Bentayga. Outside his work with cars, Chase is often found justifying his latest broken German sports car to anyone that will listen or enjoying the outdoor spaces of his native Colorado.
Josh Sadlier has worked in the automotive industry since 2008. He has written or edited thousands of expert car reviews and road-tested hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Josh is director of content strategy at Edmunds and has also contributed to Autotrader and Automobile. Under his stewardship, Edmunds' own 1989 Yugo GVL won first place at the Concours d'Lemons, taking home a jar of borscht, a can of beets, a cutting board and a pint of VIP vodka.
Pros
Plenty of cargo space
Upscale interior design and materials
Paint choices add personality
Cons
Front seats aren't very comfortable for long drives
Less than athletic handling
What's new
Updated grille, bumpers and lighting elements
New wheel designs
New dual-screen instrument panel
Part of the first Seltos generation introduced for 2021
Overview
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.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2024 Kia Seltos LX 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.56 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.
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.
Competitors to consider
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.
Edmunds Expert Rating
average
7.6/10
Edmunds Rating
Our VerdictThe Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.
The Kia Seltos is stylish, roomy, and available with plenty of the latest technology and safety features. It's rather quick, too, as long as you get the optional turbocharged engine. Comfort is lacking, however, and it's not particularly fun to drive. But overall this little Kia SUV is worth a look.
How does the Seltos drive? We tested a top-of-the-line Seltos SX, which comes with the turbocharged engine. Acceleration is sluggish from a stop, but after that this little SUV is pretty punchy. It's pretty easy to quickly get up to highway speeds. The transmission shifts smoothly and quickly. The Seltos is less impressive once the road bends, however. The responsive steering and taut suspension tuning should be beneficial, but drive with some enthusiasm and the Seltos just feels overly nose-heavy and ill-suited for enthusiastic driving.
Comfort
7.0/10
How comfortable is the Seltos? The Kia Seltos is comfortable enough for your daily routine and short road trips. It absorbs most bumps without trouble and isn't overly floaty on the highway. The front seats are OK, but they don't have enough thigh support and cushioning to make them truly comfortable on long drives. The rear seats are actually pretty comfortable for an extra-small SUV.
There's a fair amount of road noise that enters the cabin, and the climate control system is a little weak when it comes to thoroughly cooling the cabin down on hot days.
*Starting MSRP of $24,155 for a 2023 Volkswagen
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How’s the interior? The Seltos' interior is simple, practical and roomy. As one of the larger extra-small SUVs (yes, that's kind of an oxymoron), the Seltos has enough room for most people. As long as you're under 6-foot-2, you should find the Seltos pretty accommodating in both front and back. The Seltos is also pretty easy to get in and out of.
Visibility is somewhat hampered by thick roof pillars. It's always good practice to glance twice to make sure there are no pedestrians walking toward you from the right side. The wide-angle rearview camera is definitely beneficial when you're backing up.
Technology
8.0/10
How’s the tech? The Seltos' 10.25-inch infotainment screen, which comes on most trims, has crisp graphics and is easy to use. We were also impressed with our test vehicle's Bose audio system; it produces clear sound and punchy bass. In our testing, the Seltos' advanced driver aids work well and aren't overly intrusive with warnings. But the available adaptive cruise control is very conservative with its following distances.
Storage
8.0/10
How’s the storage? You can hold a lot of stuff in the back of the Seltos. It's one of the leaders in its class with a maximum cargo capacity of 62.8 cubic feet. Leave the rear seats up and there's still 26.6 cubes. Loading cargo isn't a hassle either thanks to a wide liftgate opening and decent cargo depth.
Interior storage for front passengers is sufficient. There are plenty of water-bottle-size pockets, a small cellphone tray in front of the gear shifter, a small console box and a glovebox. As for child safety-seat installation, the Seltos' car seat anchor points are clearly marked and easy to access. You'll be able to install a rear-facing safety seat without too much trouble.
Fuel Economy
7.5/10
How’s the fuel economy? The Kia Seltos has a few powertrain combinations. We tested the SX, which has the more powerful turbocharged engine, and our vehicle had all-wheel drive too. The EPA estimates that combo will get 26 mpg combined. That's below the class average, though a base Seltos with front-wheel drive gets a more respectable 31 mpg combined. In real-world driving, we believe you should be able to match the EPA's numbers without much trouble.
Value
7.5/10
Is the Seltos a good value? The Seltos is a better than average value for the class thanks to its pleasing number of standard features. The top SX trim is pricey, but it adds a lot of stuff, including the turbocharged engine. Build quality is solid, but the interior materials lack substance and the abundant plastic makes it feel a tad cheap.
Kia's limited and powertrain warranties are fantastic. You get five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage.
Wildcard
7.5/10
The Kia Seltos looks a little bit like a Land Rover Evoque SUV, and you can enhance its style with contrasting roof and body paint colors. It definitely stands out in the extra-small SUV class. The rest of the package isn't very inspiring. But is it practical? Definitely.
Which Seltos does Edmunds recommend?
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.
Kia Seltos models
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.
A month ago, I traded in my 2013 base Soul for the 2022 Seltos EX, and love it. I've put just over 400 miles on it, most of it cross town commuter driving. I'll start my review discussing what I've read in other reviews, then finish up with some general observations.
I agree with most of the reviews concerning front seat head and leg room. I'm 6' tall and find both to be substantial, … even with the sunroof, which is standard with the EX. Some reviewers were also impressed with back seat legroom, but I beg to differ there. If you're a 6 footer and will be carting around 2 or 3 other large adults, you should probably opt for a larger vehicle. The back seat passenger(s) will not be very comfortable in the Seltos. That's a non-factor for us, as it's usually just my wife and me. If we'll be taking anyone else, we'll take her Equinox.
One of the "cons" from expert reviews is that the standard engine is under powered. I find that it has plenty of pep. Unless you want a car to take to the drag strip or the Indy 500, the base engine will do just fine. When I have taken it on the highway, I've had plenty of power to merge into traffic and pass slower vehicles.
One complaint, primarily on owner reviews, is that if you don't want to use ISG (Idle Stop Go), you need to turn it off every time you start the car. Well, that's not unique to the Seltos, or even Kia in the whole. Most modern cars have that feature, and most of them default to "on" every time the car is started. More about ISG later.
Now for my general observations. I find the Seltos extremely comfortable. I'm a 70 year old six footer, and have no trouble getting in and out of it. I've got plenty of driver's head and leg room, and my foot goes easily between the accelerator and brake - unlike some cars I've driven. The leatherette seats in the EX are plenty comfortable for short local driving, but may leave a bit to be desired for longer trips. I like the leather padding on the steering wheel. I've put a cover on the wheel of most of the other cars that I've owned, but didn't need to do it with the Seltos.
I had never before driven a car with either CVT or all wheel drive. I fully expected that they would take some getting used to, but that has not been the case. If anything, the CVT is smoother and quieter than some of the cars I've had with traditional automatic transmission. When I first got the car, I had the display on that shows how much power goes to each wheel. It showed that under normal situations, all power went to the front wheels. It rained on a couple days and on those days, there was a bit of power going to the back wheels as I was accelerating, the switched to front wheel only once I got up to speed.
I've gotten excellent gas mileage. Most of my driving has been in town, and I've been getting 28-29 MPG regularly.
The infotainment system, navigation, and driver displays all took a little effort to learn, but they make sense. For the size car, there is ample cargo space - even more when we fold the back seats down. And we can drop the back floor down a bit and give even more space. I like the fact that the Seltos actually came with a spare tire. A lot of cars sold today just have a tire repair kit - no spare.
The car came with a complementary 1 year subscription to UVO. It was kind of glitchy at first, specifically using it to remote start the car. However, I was able to get it fixed after a couple of emails to tech support. An interesting note is that for a week or so after I got the car, each time I got home and parked the car in the garage, I got an email reminding me that my doors were unlocked. After that, the emails stopped coming. Maybe the app "learned" my habits and determined that it was the normal situation
Back to ISG. I like it. The engine always starts up again as soon as I take my foot off the brake pedal, and it's smooth and quiet. The only way I know that the engine has started again is the tachometer and the engine stopped symbol is not illuminated. I frankly do not understand why anyone would NOT want to use it. One argument I've heard is that more gas is burned each time the engine is started. That is false. It may have once been the case, but not with modern fuel injection engines. Another argument is that it's hard on the starter and the engine. Again, both have been improved. For example, 30 years ago, a starter could typically last 50,000 start events before failing. Now, that's been increased 10 fold - up to 500,000. And motor oils have also been improved. Also, it's COLD starts that put more pressure on the starter and engine - not warm starts where the oil is already circulating. True, ISG does not result in a huge fuel savings, but every little bit helps. And ditto with reduced pollution.
Great Car
4 out of 5 stars
Brandon, 10/25/2021
2022 Kia Seltos EX 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
Pros:
The infotainment system works well and has a lot of features. The touchscreen is one of the biggest I've seen for a car. The Apple CarPlay feature works great. The safety features are also great and not intrusive while driving. The interior is synthetic leather and gives this small SUV an upscale feeling. I love the exterior appearance of the vehicle. The audio sounds good, even … though it's not the Bose system. The cargo space can hold quite a bit despite the car's size.
Cons:
There's quite a bit of wind and road noise while driving. The acceleration is lackluster, but that's to be expected when you don't get the turbocharged engine. The front seats can be a bit uncomfortable on long rides, especially for your lower back.
Fantastic gas mileage for SUV
5 out of 5 stars
DrJJloveman , 04/04/2022
2022 Kia Seltos S 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
I love this vehicle. It's the perfect size and mine with the 2.0 4 cylinder engine with AWD gets roughly 28 mpg. It's unbelievable. I have the S AWD trim. It has heated seats and mirrors with a nice 10 inch infotainment screen. The infotainment is a little finicky and I wish there were a few more options to tweak it but it's pretty cool. Has remote start and surprisingly a lot of space … inside for cargo. Driver space is actually decent. I'm a 350 pound male and feel very comfortable in it. It will ding forever if you don't buckle up so I just put the passenger seatbelt in the driver slot to stop that. Really annoying and loud. Seats are easy to fold down for more storage space. A blotch on it is the driver seat is manually adjusted which is a little disappointing for $26000. AWD works great so far living up north of USA where we get a lot of snow. One thing is the vents are very lackluster as far as air flow. They just don't seem to produce a very good stream of air where you want it. My biggest gripe by far is that if any water gets on the car and you crack your window a bit to smoke or just want some fresh air water will come pouring into the cabin all over the door instrument panel. I have ordered window shields to hopefully reduce this problem. As far as power goes. It has power. Great acceleration. Especially in sport mode. The lane assist and lane keeping work alright. It's a little disappointing compared to an older model forte I rented. It will turn off randomly especially in the middle of a turn. It's anal about keeping your hands on the wheel but you just have to be touching it with skin so a knee does work if your in shorts. Reverse camera is a nice feature that I have gotten used to now and really appreciate. The door has a button so if you push it with the key nearby you can lock or unlock all the doors. The gdi engine is a bit loud and sounds like a regular car that has a valve issue and there is a noticeable hissing sound from underneath by the back driver wheel that I am told is the fuel pump. All in all I really love the vehicle and especially the great gas mileage.
The car I didn't think I would want
5 out of 5 stars
Cindy, 08/17/2022
2023 Kia Seltos SX 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
I test drove a 2023 white Kia Seltos with plum interior and fell completely in love. It is a turbo, so it is peppy and a very comfortable ride. My boyfriend, who has a 2020 Lexus RC350, and is hard to please became smitten with it after he drove it. Great car.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2024 Kia Seltos, so we've included reviews for other years of the Seltos since its last redesign.
Warns you of vehicles in the Seltos' blind spot and illuminates a light in the mirror as an alert.
Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning
Alerts you of vehicles or objects crossing the Seltos' path when reversing.
Intelligent Speed Limit Assist/Warning
Detects the speed limit of a given road, alerting the driver if the limit is broken, and will decelerate the vehicle in some situations depending on settings.
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.
But the Seltos is more than that, of course. It's a small SUV that can seat four 6-footers in comfort. It's a star on the tech front with standard dual LCDs for the instruments and infotainment. It also offers a strong turbocharged engine with nearly 200 horsepower, although roughly 70% of buyers will end up with the 146-hp base engine, according to Kia. We have only driven the turbo Seltos to date. With that in mind, let's proceed.
What's under the Seltos' hood?
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."
Notably, the base LX gains standard all-wheel drive for 2024, offering a budget-friendly option for folks in colder climes who might otherwise buy a Subaru. Front-wheel drive comes standard on the midgrade S and EX trims, with AWD optional.
The turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder found in the new X-Line and carryover SX trims adds quite a bit more power, especially this year. That's because the 2024 Seltos' turbocharged motor packs an extra 20 horses for a healthy total of 195 hp, leaving some notable rivals like the Honda HR-V in the dust. Also new for 2024 is the turbo engine's eight-speed automatic transmission, replacing the previous seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. We expect this new combo to shave a few ticks off the old Seltos turbo's zero to 60 mph time of 8.1 seconds.
If you want front-wheel drive with your turbo engine, by the way, you're out of luck. All turbocharged Seltos models come standard with all-wheel drive, yielding an EPA fuel economy estimate of 26 mpg combined. Step down to the base 2.0-liter engine with front-wheel drive and you'll see 31 mpg combined, while adding AWD to the 2.0 nets 29 mpg combined. That's pretty good — the aforementioned Honda HR-V, which also has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, returns an estimated 28 mpg combined with FWD and 27 mpg combined with AWD.
How does the Seltos drive?
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.
At highway speeds, our Seltos SX test vehicle remained respectably quiet inside for an entry-level SUV. Sporty cornering? Yeah, that's not this Kia's forte, if you will, but we doubt most people will complain. The big question is how that base powertrain performs — the one with the non-turbo engine and the CVT. Most Seltos buyers will end up with that tandem, so we're eager to try it and see just how much they're giving up.
How comfortable is the Seltos?
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.
How's the Seltos' tech?
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.
Kia has also amped up the Seltos' driving aids for 2024. The forward collision system now detects both pedestrians and bicyclists, and the adaptive cruise control system can now react to changing speed limits. On the highway, we switched on adaptive cruise along with lane keeping assistance and found that the Seltos can drive itself just fine, keeping us centered in the lane and capably modulating our following distance. Unfortunately, adaptive cruise comes only on the top SX trim level, which is surprising given how Kia has spread so many other premium features across the roster.
Edmunds says
The 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.
FAQ
Is the Kia Seltos a good car?
The Edmunds experts tested the 2024 Seltos both on the road and at the track, giving it a 7.6 out of 10. Edmunds’ consumer reviews show that the 2024 Seltos gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 42 reviews) What about cargo capacity? When you're thinking about carrying stuff in your new car, keep in mind that the Seltos has 26.6 cubic feet of trunk space. And then there's safety and reliability. Edmunds has all the latest NHTSA and IIHS crash-test scores, plus industry-leading expert and consumer reviews to help you understand what it's like to own and maintain a Kia Seltos. Learn more
What's new in the 2024 Kia Seltos?
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2024 Kia Seltos:
Updated grille, bumpers and lighting elements
New wheel designs
New dual-screen instrument panel
Part of the first Seltos generation introduced for 2021
To determine whether the Kia Seltos is reliable, read Edmunds' authentic consumer reviews, which come from real owners and reveal what it's like to live with the Seltos. Look for specific complaints that keep popping up in the reviews, and be sure to compare the Seltos's 4-star average consumer rating to that of competing vehicles. Learn more
Is the 2024 Kia Seltos a good car?
There's a lot to consider if you're wondering whether the 2024 Kia Seltos is a good car. Edmunds' expert testing team reviewed the 2024 Seltos and gave it a 7.6 out of 10. Our consumer reviews show that the 2024 Seltos gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 42 reviews). Safety scores, fuel economy, cargo capacity and feature availability should all be factors in determining whether the 2024 Seltos is a good car for you. Learn more
How much should I pay for a 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:
LX 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $24,390
S 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $24,990
EX 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $25,790
S 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $26,490
EX 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $27,990
X-Line 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A) which starts at $28,690
SX 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A) which starts at $29,990
If you're interested in the Kia Seltos, the next question is, which Seltos model is right for you? Seltos variants include LX 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT), S 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT), EX 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT), and S 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT). For a full list of Seltos models, check out Edmunds’ Features & Specs page. Learn more