Kia Seltos Review

The Kia Seltos is a subcompact SUV that has gained popularity for its stylish design, spacious interior, and a good number of features, often at a competitive price point. Here’s a summary of what reviews generally highlight about the 2025 model:

Pros:

Spacious Interior: The Seltos offers surprising room for passengers and cargo, often exceeding rivals in its class.
User-Friendly Technology: It typically comes with an easy-to-use infotainment system and a good selection of tech features, including available large touchscreens, smartphone integration, and wireless charging.

Good Value: Many reviewers consider the Seltos to be a good value for the money, offering a decent amount of features for its price.
Available Turbo Engine: The optional turbocharged 1.6-liter engine provides a significant boost in power, making it feel punchy and quick.
Playful Handling: For a subcompact SUV, the Seltos is often described as having relatively sharp and engaging handling.

Strong Warranty: Kia’s industry-leading warranty (10-year/100,000-mile powertrain) provides excellent peace of mind.
Available All-Wheel Drive: Unlike some competitors in the segment, the Seltos offers all-wheel drive on most trims, enhancing its capability in various weather conditions.
Cons:

Base Engine Performance: The standard 2.0-liter engine is adequate for daily driving but can feel underpowered, especially when fully loaded or going uphill.
Ride Comfort: While generally smooth, some reviews note that the ride can be firm, and it might not absorb larger bumps as well as some rivals.
Road Noise: Road noise can be noticeable in the cabin, especially at highway speeds.

Interior Material Quality: While the design is generally pleasing, some reviewers point out that the interior materials can feel a bit basic in certain areas, with abundant use of plastic.
Fuel Economy (Turbo Engine): The fuel economy of the turbocharged engine is lower than the base engine and some competitors.
Reliability:

The Kia Seltos generally receives above-average reliability ratings from consumer reviews and automotive industry sources.
J.D. Power has given the Seltos generally favorable reliability scores.
Some early models (2021-2022) had some reported issues, particularly with the 1.6L turbo engine and DCT transmission. However, the mid-generation refresh (2023-2024) is considered more reliable, with many of these issues addressed.
The 2025 model is predicted to have slightly above-average reliability based on Kia’s recent track record.
Safety:

The Kia Seltos comes with a standard suite of driver-assistance technologies. Higher trims offer more advanced features like adaptive cruise control and highway driving assist.
Crash test ratings vary depending on the region and testing organization.
Global NCAP: Rated the Seltos with 3 stars for adult occupant protection and 2 stars for child occupant protection in 2020.
IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety): The 2021-2023 models received generally good crashworthiness ratings. The 2024 model year saw some “Good” ratings but also a “Marginal” rating in the updated side impact test. It’s important to check the specific model year’s ratings.