2022 Kia Seltos

Kia has no shortage of SUVs in its lineup, but considering the popularity of the body style, more is always better. The 2022 Kia Seltos is now in its second year and has proved to be one of the most capable and desirable crossovers in the subcompact segment. This is no surprise, considering it slots between two other widely popular cars, the Soul and the Sportage. Unlike the Soul, the Seltos offers standard all-wheel-drive on all but one trim, as well as two four-cylinder engines, one being turbocharged for extra oomph - 175 horsepower of it in total.

Anyone turned off by the Soul's boxy styling should be pleased by the more stylish and more conventional shape of the Seltos. As a larger subcompact model, the Seltos goes up against competition like the Ford EcoSport, Honda HR-V, and Mazda CX-30. With standard AWD, a turbocharged option, strong interior technology, bold styling, and impressive interior space, the Seltos has shown that it has what it takes to lead the pack, but is it staying ahead now that the competition has had a chance to play catch up?

Plenty of crossovers fight between the practicality of a boxy shape and the attractiveness of rounded edges that inevitably sacrifice space and utility. The Seltos manages to strike a healthy balance between the two and is one of the few crossovers that only slightly alludes to a square shape. A black diamond-block grille dominates the face of the base model, with higher trim levels adding some additional chrome bits to spice it up. Halogen headlights are standard on all trims except for the apex SX Turbo, and all models aside from the LX get LED daytime running lights. The first three trim levels get 17-inch wheels as standard, and the upper two get 18-inch wheels. All models get a rear spoiler, and a power sunroof is standard on the EX, and optional on the SX Turbo. The new Nightfall Edition really plays into the sporty sleek lines of the Seltos by blacking out the wheels and grille and adding more rugged side sills and roof rails.

The Seltos is bookended by Kia's flagship subcompact wheely-box, the Soul, and the larger Sportage SUV. The crossover has a length of 172 inches and a 103.5-inch wheelbase, making it slightly larger than the Honda HR-V. The crossover measures 70.9 inches in width, 63.6 inches from the ground up on the base model, and 64.2 for the remainder of the range fitted with roof rails. A minimum ground clearance of 7.3 inches is managed by the Seltos, which is more than both the HR-V and the CX-30 offer. It has approach and departure angles of 28 degrees. Curb weights range between 2,948 and 3,317 pounds.

Kia makes a 12-color palette available for the Seltos, but some colors are only accessible to certain trims. The base model comes in four shades that include Cherry Black, Snow White Pearl, Steel Gray, and Neptune Blue. The S and Nightfall Edition are available in the same hues as the LX, but add five more options inclusive of Gravity Gray, Mars Orange, and a choice between three two-tone options including Dark Ocean Blue with a Clear White roof, and Starbright Yellow or Clear White with a Cherry Black roof. Available for the EX is the same palette as the base model with the addition of Gravity Gray and Dark Ocean Blue. The SX Turbo can choose any of the aforementioned colors, as well as Starbright Yellow or Dark Ocean Blue with Cherry Black roof. Anything other than the base Steel Gray, or Dark Ocean Blue on the EX, will cost you an additional $345, and the Starbright Yellow SX Turbo requires the sunroof package for a total of $700.

The Seltos' performance largely depends on engine choice. The naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine hosted by the LX, S, and EX can be a little lackluster, managing a 0 to 60 mph run in 10.3 seconds, according to independent test drives. This falls significantly behind the Honda HR-V and the Mazda CX-30's figures. The good news is that the 1.6-liter turbo vastly improves the overall performance of the top two trims, and when equipped with the punchy four-pot, the Seltos gets to 60 mph from a standstill in just 7.3 seconds. The S is the only trim level that is available in front-wheel drive as all other models come standard equipped with all-wheel drive. The turbocharged engine is better suited for the city and is more eager off the line, but the 2.0-liter performs just fine for casual drives.

Two different powertrains are hosted by the Seltos lineup. The base engine is a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder that pushes out a meager 146 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque. It's mated to what Kia calls an Intelligent Variable Transmission, which is just fancy lingo for a CVT. This setup bests the naturally aspirated 1.8-liter found in the HR-V, but trails rather far behind the Mazda CX-30's 2.5-liter four-pot that punches out 186 horsepower and 186 lb-ft. We haven't tested this engine in a Seltos but enjoyed it in the Forte sedan. For Kia's first attempt at a CVT, the IVT feels remarkably smooth and responsive.

The upper two Seltos trims rely on a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. It produces a healthy 175 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, but it must be said that the transmission leaves a lot to be desired at lower speeds, showing some clumsiness, especially in the one-to-two shift. If you learn to drive it smoothly with careful acceleration, it can be improved slightly. Other Kia models use this transmission to greater effect, so it must be an issue with the tuning on the Seltos. It must also be said that the Soul GT-Line uses this same engine tuned to 201 hp, making it feel peppier than the Seltos.

Kia's transmission tuning could use some work, but the overall driving experience of the Seltos is otherwise tremendous. The steering is surprisingly accurate and tightens up to feel more aggressive in Sport mode. Kia also includes a clever Smart mode, which can cycle between the Sport and Normal settings depending on how you use the throttle. This little crossover can hustle easily around bends, with the AWD system keeping it relatively stable. It's not meant to be sporty, but the experience feels far from dreary.

At higher speeds, wind noise feels minimally intrusive, especially when you consider the size of the Seltos and how much it costs. Ride comfort is acceptable, with most road surfaces controlled nicely by the car's suspension. Large undulations can jostle it a bit, but no more so than any other competing vehicle. It feels like the Seltos is one transmission tune away from being the nicest-driving vehicle in the subcompact crossover class.

One trait that shoppers in the crossover segment look out for is good fuel economy, and while the Seltos range's figures may vary slightly according to configurations, it excels in this regard. Unsurprisingly, the most frugal of the bunch is the FWD-equipped S that returns EPA mileage estimates of 29/35/31 mpg city/highway/combined. Its light sipping is attributed to the CVT and it manages to outshine the FWD Honda HR-V's estimates of 28/34/30 mpg. The 2.0-liter-equipped trims return figures of 27/31/29 mpg with AWD. The Nightfall and SX Turbo claim estimates of 25/30/27 mpg, though in the real world, we averaged closer to 30 mpg with mostly in-town driving.

All models get the same 13.2-gallon tank, so the FWD S will take you the furthest - 410 miles - while the turbo models can manage 356 miles between refuels.

With each passing year, Kia gets better at providing deluxe interiors at an affordable price point. The Seltos emphasizes this with its excellently designed cabin. Modern and minimal lines flow throughout the interior, and all instrumentation is aptly placed and easy to use. Making the larger 10.25-inch touchscreen standard on almost every model helps lift the average, but the SX Turbo is still the only one to get the seven-inch LCD instrument cluster and Bose sound system. One could almost mistake the Seltos for a premium vehicle in this guise. Still, lower trims do very well with what they have, and the LX is one of the few base models in this segment that aren't completely barebones. The Seltos' interior is a winner regardless of trim choice, and if you value a meticulous cabin, it'll be sure to catch your eye.

Another important area for the segment is space. Most shoppers looking for crossovers are doing so because they have a family to cart around on the regular. The 2022 Kia Seltos has similar interior dimensions to the Mazda CX-30 but offers a more spacious rear seating area with a whopping 38 inches of legroom. It also manages to best most of the HR-V's interior dimensions, and beating a Honda in terms of space is usually a very difficult task. Ample room is provided up front, and the rear is perfect for two children on the school run. All models except for the EX and SX Turbo come with a six-way manually adjustable driver's seat and a four-way manually adjustable passenger's seat. The exceptions get a ten-way power-adjustable driver's seat with two-way lumbar support instead.

Kia has mastered the art of utilizing hard plastics without making the cabin look noticeably cheap, and nearly every model comes with a leather-clad steering wheel and gearshift. The base LX model comes standard with black cloth upholstery, and the S and Nightfall come with the same, they just get small leatherette inserts added to the seats and blue contrast stitching. Both the EX and the SX Turbo are available with either Black or Grey Sofino Syntex upholstery as standard, while only the SX can be outfitted with the new Plum Syntex package.

Besting rivals yet again, the Seltos boasts a large trunk and plenty of cargo space that will allow for those family holidays without the need to pack lightly in the interest of saving space. The Seltos is home to a 26.6 cubic foot trunk, which is slightly larger than the Honda HR-V's 24.3 cubes in FWD guise. It obliterates the Mazda CX-30's 20.2 cubes and the same concept applies to total cargo volume when the seats are folded down. With all seats folded, the Seltos offers 62.8 cubes of real estate for hauling large items in a pinch, and even includes a removable load floor to open up more space. We easily picked up new patio furniture in our tester, though we did have to remove the rear privacy cover to do so.

In-cabin storage is particularly well designed with small door pockets that cater to water bottles and the dual-tier storage bin in the middle console with room for sunglasses and a phone to be wirelessly charged. A decent-sized glovebox adds an additional layer of practicality.

All trims in the Seltos lineup come appropriately stocked with the necessary niceties, but the best is left for the EX and SX Turbo that come with all the convenient goodies we love to have on a daily basis. For starters, the EX comes standard with a power sunroof that's optionally available on the top of the range trim. Every trim above the LX gets smart keyless entry and push-button start, is standard on the EX and SX Turbo trims along with push-button start, as well as automatic climate control and remote engine start. A six-way manually-adjustable driver's seat is standard for the LX, S, and Nightfall, and outstanding trims receive ten-way power-adjustable driver's seats with two-way lumbar support. Models aside from the LX and S get heated front seats, though the latter makes them available as an option. All models come standard with a rearview monitor with parking guidance and rear-occupancy alert. All except the entry-level LX come standard with lane keep assist and follow, lane departure warning, and driver attention warning, while top trims get exclusive access to blind-spot monitoring. The SX gets exclusive access to adaptive cruise control and forward collision avoidance. With the new updates for 2022, every model comes outfitted with forward collision avoidance, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, pedestrian detection, high beam assist, and a driver attention system.

It's admirable when entry-level models come well-stocked with tech, and Kia gets more generous with their standard infotainment as time goes on. As usual, the best is reserved for the SX Turbo. Nevertheless, all models aside from the LX get a 10.25-inch touchscreen that caters to full smartphone integration through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. AM/FM radio and Bluetooth streaming are also standard. One USB port is standard and these models bring your playlist to life through a six-speaker sound system. The EX adds front and rear USB charging ports and a wireless phone charger. The top SX trim also gets a seven-inch digital display in the instrument cluster and hosts a premium Bose eight-speaker sound system with a neat Sounds of Nature function.

While the 2022 Seltos has not yet seen any recalls in the USA, the 2021 model did have a single problem, namely improperly heat-treated piston oil rings. Considering that these vehicles sell in bulk, only one recall is a good sign of reliability. This is only further backed up by a reliability rating of 80 out of 100 from J.D. Power. Kia offers a basic warranty of five years or 60,000 miles and a drivetrain warranty of ten years or 100,000 miles. A five-year or 60,000-mile roadside assistance plan is standard.

In the IIHS review of the Kia Seltos, it nabbed a Top Safety Pick rating so long as it is equipped with the full safety suite and LED headlights. In the NHTSA scoring, the Seltos received four out of a possible five stars overall, but its side crash tests were impeccable.

Kia has ensured that buyers get the best value for their money this year, even if they want to stick with the base-level LX. It doesn't get everything, but standard features include stability and traction control, hill start assist, a rearview camera, forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, lane following assist, lane departure warning, high beam assist, and a driver attention warning system. Every model above the S gets blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The SX Turbo gets exclusive access to a cyclist detection system, safe exit assist, and highway driving assist. Every model in the lineup gets standard access to dual front, dual front seat-mounted, and full-length side curtain airbags.

We came away from driving the Kia Seltos struggling to nitpick any faults with it. The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is easily our biggest gripe due to clunky shifts at lower speeds. Kia could hopefully solve the issue with a new tune, or by using the new eight-speed automatic from the K5. Buyers who opt for the base engine won't care, though, and some drivers may not even notice the annoying transmission behavior on the turbo model. Most will be content with the lower base price of the Seltos in comparison to its rivals, and others will be impressed by the Turbo's gutsy acceleration.

Inside, Kia continues to punch above its class with outstanding design and well-executed materials. The Seltos feels expensive without passing the $30,000 mark in fully-loaded trim, which is a tough trick to pull off. Add in frugal fuel economy, a spacious back seat, huge amounts of storage capacity, and a handsome body, and the Seltos ticks all of the right boxes in the subcompact segment. It should be at the top of your shopping list.

The Seltos lineup in the US offers five trim levels. The base LX model has a starting MSRP of $22,490 with AWD and the Kia Seltos S will cost you $22,690 with FWD or $24,190 with AWD. The EX is the most premium trim paired with the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine and has a starting price of $25,790. The new Nightfall Edition gets the turbocharged engine and starts at $26,690, while the top trim remains the SX Turbo at $27,990. All Kia Seltos prices exclude a $1,175 destination fee, which is applicable to all models upon purchase.

The 2021 Kia Seltos range comprises five trims, the LX, S, EX, Nightfall Edition, and SX Turbo. The first three Kia Seltos models come standard equipped with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to Kia's Intelligent Variable Transmission. The two priciest trims come standard with the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine coupled with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. FWD is only available on the S model while the rest make use of all-wheel drive.

LX models are well-equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, halogen projector headlights, cloth seats with manual adjustment, air conditioning, an eight-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, six speakers, remote keyless entry, a rearview camera, cruise control, rear occupant alert, forward collision avoidance, driver attention warning, lane keep assist, and lane departure warning.

In addition to two drivetrain options, the S adds LED DRLs and fog lamps, LED taillights, silver roof rails, rear cupholders, cloth and leatherette seats, a leather steering wheel, automatic climate control, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, front and rear USB charge ports, and keyless entry and push-button start.

The EX ships with a sunroof, heated leatherette seats, a wireless charging pad, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert as its biggest upgrades.

Nightfall Edition models get turbo power and a DCT, 18-inch wheels, black-out styling, but is otherwise the same as the S.

Lastly, the SX Turbo gets it all, with LED headlights, a two-tone roof, seven-inch driver display, auto-dimming rearview mirror, power driver's seat, flat-bottom steering wheel, an eight-speaker Bose sound system, adaptive cruise control, Safe Exit Assist, and Highway Driving Assist.

Not many additional features are available by Kia to spruce up your Seltos SUV. Heated seats come standard when the AWD system is opted for on the S, and the cost to drive power to all four wheels is $1,500. The top of the range SX Turbo is the only model that gets optional access to the power sunroof for an additional cost of $700, while the EX gets it as standard.

We usually recommend choosing a mid-range trim and adding some additional packages, but the Seltos is a little different. If you can deal with a weaker engine, the EX offers excellent value for money, with nearly all of the same features as the top-of-the-range SX Turbo. But if you need the extra power and you're willing to increase your budget slightly, the SX Turbo is by far the best of the lot. It gets the best array of safety systems and a digital instrument cluster, along with the Bose sound system, which is hard to resist. Considering it still comes in below the $30k mark, we think it's a steal.

Similarly priced, the Hyundai Kona and the Kia Seltos go head to head for the attention of buyers in the crossover segment. The Kona has a striking interior design that's hard to miss, but how long can it keep the limelight? The Kona puts out similar power figures to the Seltos when we look at base engines, and they produce almost identical power outputs from their turbocharged 1.6-liter engines, too. Both of the turbocharged engines are mated to dual-clutch transmissions that struggle at lower speeds. Given their similarities in performance, it'll ultimately come down to space and interior quality. We prefer the cabin of the Seltos, it has some extra refinement that is lacking in the Hyundai, and it offers an arguably more luxurious feel. We do like the bright contrast stitching and trim inserts on the Kona, though. Being significantly larger, you'd expect the Kona to offer heaps more interior space, but the two are similar in this regard as well, for the most part. The Kia Seltos is clearly the more practical SUV, offering more rear space and a much bigger trunk, and all things considered, it's the better buy.

Perhaps the Seltos' biggest competitor comes from within its own family. The Sportage offers a more powerful 2.4-liter engine that manages 181 hp for around $2,000 extra. It's also larger than the Seltos, so it offers more interior space by default along with a bigger 30.7-cubic-foot trunk. We definitely prefer the cabin of the Seltos, it has a more modern and premium feel to it. The smaller Kia is also more economical because of its smaller engine and lighter weight. The trouble comes in with the Sportage's turbocharged engine that launches it from 0-60 in just seven seconds, making it a real challenge for the 1.6-liter turbo in the higher trims of the Seltos lineup. Essentially, if you value a great cabin, the Seltos is the better buy, and it offers nearly the same amount of space as the Sportage inside. If you want some extra power and the space to boot, go with the Sportage. But bear in mind, an all-new Sportage is arriving for 2023, which will be bigger and better in almost every way.