The 2023 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 a particularly fun SUV to drive. But overall the Seltos is worth a look along with other popular models such as the Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-30.Read full review
Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the Edmunds YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.
Pros
Plenty of cargo space
Upscale interior design and materials
Distinctive styling and paint choices add personality
Cons
Front seats aren't very comfortable for long drives
Less than athletic handling
What's new
New standard safety features added to S trim
Acoustic glass windshield added to all models to reduce road noise
Part of the first Seltos generation introduced for 2021
Overview
The Kia Seltos may be suffering from middle-child syndrome, receiving less attention than its Kia siblings on either side. On one hand, it's priced higher than the funky-cool Kia Soul. On the other, the all-new Kia Sportage is making a splash with its crisp, aggressive styling that will likely dictate the look and feel of the brand's future lineup.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 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 $3.05 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.
Being stuck in the middle is not the only reason you might pass on the Seltos. As much as we like the Seltos for its large cargo capacity and distinctive styling, its front seats could stand some improvements to make them more comfortable over long distances. It's also not all that inspiring to drive on a winding mountain road, and even the turbocharged engine upgrade can feel underpowered from a stop.
We expect Kia will update the Seltos styling next year, following other recent Kia redesigns (Sportage, Niro) and possibly even adding a hybrid engine option. If the seats and suspension are also upgraded, it could go a long way to lifting the Seltos out of its rather low standing in the extra-small SUV class, as documented in the Expert Rating below. As it stands, it's a ways off from challenging Edmunds' top-ranked Volkswagen Taos, Chevrolet Trailblazer and Mazda CX-30.
Edmunds Expert 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.
Average
7.6
out of 10
edmunds TESTED
The 2023 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 a particularly fun SUV to drive. But overall the Seltos is worth a look along with other popular models such as the Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-30.
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. In Edmunds' testing, the Seltos sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds. That's great for this class and means you can 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 to the task.
Comfort
7/10
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.
Interior
7.5/10
How’s the interior? The Seltos' interior is simple, practical and roomy. Special mention goes to the available 10.25-inch infotainment screen; it has crisp graphics and is easy to use. The bottom screen, which displays the single-zone climate settings, is equally sharp.
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.
Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below
Save as much as $3,381 with Edmunds Click on the trim you’re interested in to see what Edmunds suggests you should pay to get a good deal. Savings vary by trim; $3,381 refers to estimated savings off of MSRP for the SX trim.
How’s the tech? The Seltos comes with a pleasing number of features. The Bose audio system (SX trim only) produces clear sound and punchy bass. The navigation system is easy enough to use. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is standard across the board but works best on the available 10.25-inch infotainment display. Our test car had two USB ports, a 12-volt power port and a wireless charging pad in front. Rear passengers will fight over the single USB port.
The advanced safety and driver aids in our top-of-the-line Seltos SX worked well and weren't overly intrusive with warnings. But the adaptive cruise control is very conservative with its following distances.
Storage
8/10
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.
Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below
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 27 mpg combined (25 city/30 highway). That's below the class average, though a base Seltos with front-wheel drive gets a more respectable 31 mpg combined.
We recorded 27.9 mpg on our 115-mile mixed-driving evaluation route. Overall, 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?
We think the Seltos EX trim has an optimal balance of features and price. Standard equipment includes all-wheel drive, faux leather upholstery, heated seats, and a larger touchscreen with navigation. You could opt for the S trim instead and add the touchscreen and navigation for still less than the EX. But the EX's additional features make it a stronger value. And if you need all-wheel drive, the price gap shrinks even more.
Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart
Kia Seltos models
The 2023 Kia Seltos is available in five trim levels: LX, S, EX, Nightfall Edition and SX. You'll generally get progressively more features on each one, plus a more powerful engine for the Nightfall Edition and SX. Standard feature highlights include:
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
One USB port
Six-speaker audio system
Automatic headlights
Every Seltos also comes with:
Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
Driver attention warning
Lane keeping assist (steers the car back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
Automatic high beams (can brighten or dim automatically)
S Comes standard with front-wheel drive, though all-wheel drive is an option. The S trim also adds:
Roof rails
Foglights
Heated outside mirrors
LED daytime running lights and taillights
Proximity keyless entry and push-button start
Cloth and simulated leather upholstery
Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
Automatic climate control with rear vents
12-volt power port
Front and rear USB ports
Rear center armrest
Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
Options for the S include:
Heated front seats
10.25-inch touchscreen
Navigation system and satellite radio
Two-tone paint and roof
EX Gains back standard all-wheel drive and also gets you:
Sunroof
Full faux leather upholstery
Heated front seats
Power-adjustable driver's seat
10.25-inch touchscreen
Wireless phone charger
Nightfall Edition Lacks the leather upholstery, sunroof, power-adjustable driver's seat and wireless charger of the EX. But in return the Nightfall Edition has:
175-hp turbocharged engine
Seven-speed automatic transmission
18-inch wheels
Unique blacked-out exterior trim and wheels
SX Tops off the Seltos line with the features of the EX and the more powerful engine and bigger wheels of the Nightfall Edition. It also has:
LED headlights and foglights
Bose premium audio system
Upgraded driver information display
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
Sport steering wheel
Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the Seltos and the car in front)
Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
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.
Dashboard goes blank
1 out of 5 stars
Chan, 09/19/2022
2022 Kia Seltos SX 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)
I purchased my 2022 Kia Seltos in November of 2021. I didn’t have any issues until recently. I was casually driving in mid-day traffic and all of a sudden my dashboard goes completely blank as if I had turned the car off. A few seconds later the dashboard illuminated all the caution signs. The check engine, check oil, transmission light, windshield fluid light just to name a few. the … speedometer and RPM all disappeared.
Before this issue, my radio display went blank and would not come on. I had to park the car, turn it off and crank it back up in order to listen to my radio.
For this car to be brand spanking new, it’s having some huge issues already.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 Kia Seltos, so we've included reviews for other years of the Seltos since its last redesign.
The Volkswagen Taos is a class leader thanks to its smooth ride, confident handling and abundance of tech features. The Taos' transmission can be slow to react when more power is needed, but it still feels more responsive than the base Seltos engine at low speeds. Road noise is noticeable in both, but we're confident you'll prefer the Taos by a sizable margin.
If long drives are a fixture in your life, the Trailblazer is a much better choice than the Seltos, primarily because of its more supportive seats and quieter interior. In our testing, the Chevy was more than a full second slower when accelerating to 60 mph. But around town, it feels just as quick.
The Mazda CX-30 represents the stylish sophisticate among the class, with its sleek body styling and comparably luxurious interior. It's also a strong performer, with standard all-wheel drive, sporty handling and an available turbocharged engine. That engine upgrade is costly, but even the CX-30's base engine is more enjoyable than either of the Seltos' choices. Read Edmunds' long-term road test of the Mazda CX-30.
The Kia Seltos may be suffering from middle-child syndrome, receiving less attention than siblings on either side. On one hand, it's upstaged by the funky-cool Kia Soul. On the other, an all-new Kia Sportage is about to debut, ushering in a new styling language for the South Korean carmaker.
Being stuck in the middle is not the only reason the Seltos is often overlooked, though. As much as we like the Seltos for its large cargo capacity and rugged styling, its front seats could stand some improvements in aid in long-distance comfort. It's also not all that inspiring to drive on a winding mountain road.
There are some rumors floating around the internet that a Seltos styling refresh is on the way and that a hybrid powertrain could be added to the lineup. If the rumors prove true, and the seats get reworked and suspension retuned, that might move the Seltos up out of its rather low standing in the extra-small SUV class. As it stands, it's a ways off from challenging Edmunds' top-ranked Volkswagen Taos, Chevrolet Trailblazer and Mazda CX-30. It's even outdone by its boxy Kia Soul sibling. Check back in the middle of the year to see if the Seltos is on track to receive an update.
Edmunds says
It wouldn't take much to make the Kia Seltos a more attractive proposition. If rumors prove correct and an update is on the way for the Seltos, we'd suggest waiting for the refreshed 2023 model.
FAQ
Is the Kia Seltos a good car?
The Edmunds experts tested the 2023 Seltos both on the road and at the track, giving it a 7.6 out of 10. Edmunds’ consumer reviews show that the 2023 Seltos gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 38 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 2023 Kia Seltos?
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2023 Kia Seltos:
New standard safety features added to S trim
Acoustic glass windshield added to all models to reduce road noise
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 2023 Kia Seltos a good car?
There's a lot to consider if you're wondering whether the 2023 Kia Seltos is a good car. Edmunds' expert testing team reviewed the 2023 Seltos and gave it a 7.6 out of 10. Our consumer reviews show that the 2023 Seltos gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 38 reviews). Safety scores, fuel economy, cargo capacity and feature availability should all be factors in determining whether the 2023 Seltos is a good car for you. Learn more
How much should I pay for a 2023 Kia Seltos?
The least-expensive 2023 Kia Seltos is the 2023 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 $23,340.
Other versions include:
LX 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $23,340
S 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $23,390
S 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $24,890
EX 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $26,640
Nightfall 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) which starts at $27,540
SX 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) which starts at $28,840
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), S 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT), and EX 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT). For a full list of Seltos models, check out Edmunds’ Features & Specs page. Learn more