More SUVs, please! That's what Kia heard from U.S. customers. And, as you can see here, the Korean automaker obliged. Named the Seltos, size-wise this new small SUV slots into the lineup above the Soul and beneath the Sportage. It also edges out the electrified Niro’s footprint by a smidge. And I bet the 2021 Seltos will also replace the Rio hatchback. Kia would not confirm this, but that’s what Hyundai did with the Accent five-door, given that body style continues to fade in prominence over these crossover utes.
Either way, the Kia Seltos stretches 172 inches from nose to tail, stands over 5 feet tall, spans just under 71 inches from port to starboard and starts at $23,110. For that money, you can either equip it as an all-wheel-drive LX or accept a front-wheel-drive S and get a roof rack, nicer seats and LED lighting features, in addition to the LX equipment offered, like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 17-inch alloy wheels. Both options include the less powerful of two engine options. More on that in a moment.
Named for the Greek god Celtus, the son of Heracles and progenitor of the Celts (which apparently makes sense to someone as a name for a small crossover ...), the Seltos takes a lot of design cues from the massively successful Telluride (not a Greek god). You can most clearly see it in the prominent honeycomb front grille, though the Telluride wears it better. All in all, the Seltos has a perfectly unremarkable shape that blends into the small crossover crowd with ease.
Starting with the same platform as the Hyundai Kona, the Seltos uses high-strength steel for 61 percent of its structure and incorporates over 374 feet of industrial bonding material to hold it together. Between the frame and road lies a strut suspension up front and a torsion-beam solid rear axle in back, if you get a front-wheel-drive Seltos, or an independent multilink setup for all-wheel-drive models.
Kia offers two engines in the Seltos, a naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter inline-four-cylinder that uses the more efficient, but less powerful, Atkinson cycle, or a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine of the same configuration. The former makes a peak 146 hp at 6,200 rpm and 132 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm and attaches to a continuously variable transmission. The latter makes a stouter 175 hp at 6,000 rpm and 195 lb-ft between 1,500 and 4,500 rpm, using a more enthusiast-friendly seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Depending on engine and drivetrain choices, fuel economy ranges between 25 and 27 mpg city, 30 and 31 highway, 27 and 29 combined.
For fun, Kia also threw a couple legit off-roading credentials Seltos’ way. Ground clearance is a touch higher than average at 7.2 inches. But approach angle is an impressive 28 degrees, and all-wheel-drive models get a locking center differential to provide equal power front to rear when needed. Take a close look at the tires, however—Kumho Majesty 9, size 235/45R-18 on the top trimmed SX AWD I drove—and it stunts your ambitions to travel very far off of any road.
Keep it on the road and the Seltos performs well and feels more grown-up and buttoned-up than its size and price point would suggest. Wind noise is well subdued, and the engine—the 1.6-liter, at least—keeps quiet. But road noise is louder than ideal. I’ve never been a huge fan of Kumho tires, and that remains true today.
Practically speaking, the tires work fine. Cornering grip is perfectly reasonable for a small crossover SUV like the Seltos and the suspension keeps excessive body roll at bay, even when you get spirited on a curvy road. And, critically, steering is appropriately weighted and delivers consistent and precise motions. Braking performance satisfies, as well. It’s that last little bit of ride suppleness and noise where the Seltos falls a little short and behind the premium small utes of the world, and I think a set of Michelins would mitigate the issue.
Kia Seltos engine performance, on the other hand, pleasantly surprises. I expected a refined, smooth-running engine. It provided that and a bit more kick than I assumed would be available. The transmission, too, shifts quickly and generally chooses the correct gear. If you drive back to that curvy road and want to amp up the fun a bit, switch to the sport drive mode and benefit from the transmission staying in a lower gear. Otherwise, I saw little value in that mode. The other two modes, normal and smart (an adaptive mode in between normal and sport) drove very similarly to each other in my time in the car.
Inside, I found the Seltos' seats comfortable and supportive and had no discomfort for the few hours I was in the car, and that applies to both the driver’s and front passenger seat. The back seats are comfortable enough, as well, and offer a reclining feature, which is a nice touch.
And Kias are nothing if not convenient. The 10.25-inch touchscreen works well, requiring a firmer than average press to select menu options, giving the advantage of fewer accidental selections. And Korean ergonomics remain class-leading among today’s cars. There are plenty of buttons and knobs to work with, and the screen itself is bright and easy to read. Additionally, for smartphone integration purposes, in the Seltos SX I had wireless charging, three USB charging ports, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to work with.
The top-trim Seltos SX comes only with the turbocharged motor and all-wheel drive. It costs $29,010. In addition to the powertrain, only the SX gets adaptive cruise control, the larger touchscreen (it’s 8 inches otherwise), an eight-speaker Bose audio unit and an electric parking brake. Every single Seltos, including the base LX, receives some safety equipment (like six airbags), but you have to get into midlevel S and EX trims before seeing things like lane keep and blind spot assistance.
Now that the Seltos has wedged its way into the Kia crossover SUV lineup, expect to see a new Sportage coming soon. And expect it to grow in size, like the Honda CR-V did recently. But if you want something a little smaller than a Sportage, the Seltos delivers a fully competent, pragmatically satisfying experience. In such a crowded field, that’s high praise.
