2025 Kia Seltos SUV Consumer Reviews
Pricing
LX - $26,085 MSRP
Edmunds suggests you pay
$25,8593 for sale near you
Prices based on sales in NC thru 6/16/25
Final assembly in South Korea
Genuinely surprised by how much I enjoy this car
T., 01/24/2025
2025 Kia Seltos SX 4dr SUV AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A)
21 of 21 people found this review helpful
After almost a year of searching and test driving all sorts of new cars at different brands’ dealerships, I just purchased a brand new Kia Seltos at the highest level SX trim. Which is still somewhat crazy to me since I had never heard of the Seltos, nor would I have even considered a Kia even just a few weeks ago to replace my aging Jeep Liberty that was now 20 years old and in desperate need of retirement. This “SUV” is the perfect size for me, easy to park, has handled the terrible snowy Northeast weather roads with no issues, and has been overall FUN to drive with the surprising amount of “pep” this little 4cyl engine has. I have not seen anything else that looks remotely close to the Seltos in a market that’s oversaturated with enormous yet somehow still classified as “sub-compact” sized SUVs. Its unique design was another deciding factor for me and it really does look stunning inside and out. I was about to pull the trigger on a Mazda until the sales manager dropped the ball, so I decided to explore other options and was pleasantly surprised to find the Seltos. This Kia feels infinitely roomier; I have more than enough cargo space and at no point do I ever feel cramped in this car. I can’t say the same about the CX30 I test drove and I’m only 5’3. In fact, this is why I almost bought a CX5 even though it was “more car” than I needed when we already have a larger Honda SUV in this household. I’m getting just as good if not better MPG with this Kia at the highest turbo trim than I would have with the Mazda at a non-turbo trim. The lack of a heated steering wheel here in the US market is a total bummer, but I’ll probably resolve that issue with a sub-$20 cover from Amazon. I would have gladly paid extra for the heated wheel and ditched the “mood lights” as I am an adult now whose rave days are over. I do appreciate the premium Bose sound system however - definitely spring for that and the AWD turbo engine with additional safety features if your budget can swing it. If the “gentle brown” tan interior was available with my “pluton blue” exterior color, and the black roof could be combined with the sun/moonroof weather package, this would have easily been an over-10/10 vehicle for me. Even though the turbocharged Seltos doesn't have "great" gas mileage compared to its competitors, it's still significantly better than what I used to get from the Liberty’s awful 10-14 MPG. The Jeep wouldn’t even hit 200 miles on a full tank that also had more fuel capacity than the Kia’s! Overall I'm very happy with my purchase and consider this an absolute steal in terms of value, considering that I had never even considered anything other than a more expensive Honda, Toyota or Mazda for my next new car purchase. The only concern I have is reliability as I’m totally unfamiliar with Kia, but the 10-year limited powertrain warranty from the manufacturer is also way better than what I’ve seen from any of the other brands. And let’s face it, pretty much anything would have been more reliable than a Jeep (thanks for nothing, Stellantis! And RIP DaimlerChrysler) Honestly, the Honda CR-V Hybrid was probably the car I liked the most out of all the cars I test drove. However, it also cost about $15k more than the top trim Seltos I just bought. I wouldn’t be able to make up that difference in cost with gas savings in the way I drive. And the CR-V didn’t even come with a spare tire which just really, really bothered me for some reason. Because the Kia Seltos isn’t popular in the northern NJ/NYC metro area where I'm located (I’ve seen maybe 2 others on the road compared to hundreds of CR-Vs and CX-5s), I was able to negotiate a great OTD price at my local dealership which brought this to well within budget. This includes factoring in a “faster” brand depreciation factor which probably doesn’t matter in this case; I hope to drive this vehicle for a very long time. I do miss the additional height the Liberty had, and the absolute "VROOOMM!" it used to growl every time I fired up that V6 engine, but I don’t miss all the problems that came with an aging vehicle that outweighed its value. The advanced safety features on the Kia Seltos SX trim are a really nice upgrade. But then again, I drove a very low-tech Jeep that had a key ignition and no backup camera so take that with a grain of salt. Ultimately, the best way for you to decide if the Seltos (or any vehicle, really) is the right car for you is to go out and test drive it along with several other models and brands that have all the features you want within your budget. That’s how I stumbled upon this little gem despite putting hours of research into other cars by reading copious reviews online like you are right now. I hope this review will help you make an informed decision as you continue your car-buying journey and wish you best of luck with your new set of wheels!
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Perfect!
Julietta Parker, 11/23/2024
2025 Kia Seltos EX 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I traded my 2021 Seltos LX for the 2025 Seltos Ex in Pluton blue, it was love at first sight. After two months I have almost 2500 miles on it. I love everything about it. I especially like how easy it is to get in and out of it, makes running errands a breeze. I am 5ft 4 so I like that I can adjust the seat higher so I can see all around. I think the ride is really nice and the safety features works very well. I feel safer on the road now. I enjoyed the 2021 LX Seltos but I missed having a sunroof and the extra safety features. This is my perfect vehicle!
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2025 Kia Seltos for sale near you
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- LX 4dr SUVMSRP: $26,42543 mi away
- S 4dr SUVMSRP: $28,67019 mi away
- EX 4dr SUVMSRP: $31,17019 mi away
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A (literal) pain in my backside
Jay Elbee, 10/14/2024
2025 Kia Seltos EX 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
After my dearly beloved 2008 Kia Optima EX V6 in sparkling Deep Ocean Blue reached the end of its (affordably) repairable life in the third week of August this year, I was left with the challenge of finding a new vehicle to take its place. A ’25 Crosstrek was too cramped and too stylistically similar to its unimpressive Impreza sibling. A used 2022 Buick Encore GX in lovely dark blue had sweet exterior styling (so much more attractive than the goofy botched nose job on the current Encore GX models) and comfy leather seating but excessive road and wind noise - it actually whistled on the highway. So, I turned once more to Kia. I loved the Forte GT with the killer 201 horsepower turbo engine and supportive racing style seat but, being now 63.5 years old, I’m not nimble enough to duck into a low riding sedan several times a day. Therefore, the handsomely styled (on the exterior, anyway; excessive tacky/shiny black plastic mars the interior design) Seltos seemed like the best option. Twice I test drove the EX which I eventually bought, and twice within ten minutes I could not find comfort in the overly firm fake leather seat with the shallow bottom cushion. I chalked it up to the vehicle being super fresh on the lot and figured that I’d get used to it or the seat would give in time. Wrong. So, so wrong. I’m a month and some change into owning the Seltos and already contemplating ditching it for a Buick Envista or Mazda CX-5, both of which I tested last year and had no discomfort in either. I’ve tried numerous seat adjustments with the Seltos’ power controls, all to no avail, and I’m on my third different memory foam contoured back pillow. The pillows, however, only push me forward so that the already lacking thigh support leaves the lower seat even shallower. I’m merely 5’8”-ish in stocking feet and by no means long legged. My sadly departed Optima had very comfortable leather seats which would have been welcome just plunked in the living room. Why the Seltos is proving so torturous in comparison is frustrating and truly disheartening, to say the least. Perhaps the SynTex upholstery is partially the culprit - too firm and unforgiving. Whatever the cause, folks, just be warned. If you also find the Seltos’ driver’s seat painful during a test drive, thank the dealer for his (or her) time then look elsewhere. Your spine and glutes will thank you. If you don’t find the driver's seat uncomfortable or are just a sucker for punishment anyway, you’ll discover that the Seltos EX does feature easy cabin access, a roomy interior which feels larger than the vehicle’s exterior size, decent visibility, enough cargo space, easy touch screen controls, warning signals for surrounding vehicles, a fisheye backup camera, good sound from the audio system, and lots more bells and whistles for the bucks. The 146 horsepower engine has been peppy enough for around town driving yet not a laggard on the highway, either. (No match for my Optima’s zippy 190 HP, though.) Braking is good, as is the tight and nimble turning radius. I find the steering to be overly light, however, and it provides no road feedback. Road noise is also on the loud side and tiring on highway drives - better noise suppression tech is definitely needed on any next gen Seltos models. Because of its many plusses, I’m not about to give up on my Seltos EX - just yet. I’ll give it another few months, at best. Perhaps by then, I’ll have found the solution to the painful posterior issue which prevents me from fully enjoying my new vehicle. Until then, however, three stars is all I honestly can bestow on it.
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Drive a luxury vehicle without the price tag!
Juan H, 11/12/2024
2025 Kia Seltos S 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
My wife and I purchased the 2025 Kia Seltos S Model because we were looking for a second vehicle that was safe, affordable, and reliable. All the research pointed us in the direction of the Kia Seltos S. What we didn't realize is that we got a STEAL with this purchase. Driving the Seltos feels like you are driving a BMW or Mercedes Sub Compact SUV without the $50k+ sales ticket price! Our favorite feature of the Seltos has to be the SynTex fabric that adds to the luxury feel to the vehicle along with the Bose speakers the vehicle comes with. Its the perfect vehicle for a newly wed couple because it will support the car space needed for a young family while also being able to comfortably fit in your garage!
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Great car with lots of bells and whistles
Patti S, 09/13/2024
2025 Kia Seltos EX 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
I love this car. The color is beautiful, the drive is smooth and comfortable, and the price is perfect. Seelye Kia of Battle Creek and salesman Chai Vue are the best.
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