This week I am behind the wheel of the all-new 2027 Kia Seltos, now entering its second generation. My tester is the range-topping X-Line SX with standard all-wheel drive, finished in a new Terrain Brown that looks somewhere between desert sand and coffee with a buttload of cream. The redesigned Seltos has more presence, more room and far more technology than its modest footprint suggests.
What Is New
For 2027, Kia started with a clean sheet. The Seltos receives new sheet metal, a longer wheelbase, a wider body and a roomier cabin. Rear-seat space and cargo capacity both increase, and the interior adopts Kia's new Connected Car Navigation Cockpit with a wide digital display arrangement. The safety suite is broader, and upper trims can now be fitted with features such as a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, a surround-view camera and a Blind-Spot View Monitor. The familiar gasoline engines remain. Lower trims use a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder, while the X-Line SX gets the turbocharged 1.6-liter and a conventional eight-speed automatic.
Exterior
The new Seltos looks much more substantial than the vehicle it replaces. The upright front end, broad grille and vertical lighting signatures clearly borrow from the larger Telluride. That family resemblance works. The X-Line treatment adds gloss-black trim, a distinctive grille, roof rails and large alloy wheels, giving this small crossover a planted stance without pretending it is ready for the Rubicon Trail.
LED projector headlights, LED fog lights, LED rear combination lamps and daytime running lights sharpen the appearance after dark. The sculpted sides, squared wheel openings and dark lower cladding make the Seltos look taller and tougher, while the rear spoiler and privacy glass finish it nicely. Terrain Brown is an excellent fit for the X-Line personality and changes noticeably as sunlight moves across the body.
Powertrain
Under the hood is a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder producing 190-horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. It is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission rather than a continuously variable transmission. Power goes to all four wheels through Kia's torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system, which includes a lock setting for low-speed use on slippery surfaces. Regular unleaded gasoline is all that is required.
The turbo engine gives the Seltos useful midrange pull and the transmission shifts smoothly. Acceleration is adequate rather than exciting, particularly because the redesigned vehicle carries more weight than before. The payoff is a more mature, more substantial feel from behind the wheel. Using Sport Mode from the steering wheel definitely helps.
Interior
The cabin is where the redesign makes its strongest case. The low, horizontal dash and wide display panel make the Seltos look and feel more expensive than the old model. My test vehicle has Smoky Black SynTex upholstery, well-shaped front seats and a straightforward center console with a traditional gear selector. Kia wisely retains physical controls for frequently used climate and audio functions, which means you do not have to enter a touchscreen scavenger hunt just to change the temperature.
Material quality is good where occupants touch most often, although harder plastics remain lower in the cabin. Storage is generous for a small SUV, with a useful console bin, large cupholders, door pockets and an open area around the wireless phone charger. Visibility is very good in every direction, and the relatively upright seating position makes getting in and out easy.
Driver Information Display
The optional 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster is crisp, colorful and easy to read. It can display trip and fuel information, navigation guidance, driver-assistance status and all-wheel-drive activity.
The Blind-Spot View Monitor is especially useful: activate a turn signal and a live camera image of the corresponding blind spot appears directly in the cluster.
Center Touchscreen
The 12.3-inch center touchscreen responds quickly and uses Kia's latest menu design. Graphics are sharp, the navigation map is easy to follow and wireless smartphone integration connected without fuss.
A separate five-inch climate display keeps temperature information visible, while actual buttons and knobs handle the basic adjustments. The Harman Kardon system provides clean sound and enough punch for a cabin this size.
Drive and Terrain Modes
A console-mounted selector changes the vehicle's drive and terrain settings. The everyday modes adjust throttle, transmission and steering response, while the terrain selections alter the all-wheel-drive and traction-control strategy for poor surfaces. The separate all-wheel-drive lock is intended for low-speed situations where extra traction is needed, not for carving up dry freeway ramps.
Rear Seat
The stretched wheelbase pays its biggest dividend in the second row. Legroom is outstanding for the class, the seatbacks recline and the tall roofline leaves good headroom.
Two adults will be very comfortable, and three can fit for shorter trips. Rear passengers get air vents, USB charging ports and a fold-down center armrest with cupholders. The 60/40-split seatbacks fold easily when more cargo room is needed.
Cargo Area
The cargo opening is wide and the load floor is usefully square. A dual-level floor can be positioned higher for a flatter transition when the rear seats are folded or lowered to create more vertical space. The expanded cargo area is one of the Seltos' strongest practical advantages over several subcompact competitors.
Standard Features
The X-Line SX is well equipped before any options are added. Standard comfort and convenience features include a panoramic sunroof with a power sunshade, a smart power liftgate, dual-zone automatic climate control, remote start, a Smart Key with push-button start, a power driver's seat with lumbar adjustment, heated front seats, wireless phone charging and front and rear USB charging ports.
Technology includes a 12.3-inch touchscreen with navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, a Wi-Fi hotspot and Kia Connect services. The exterior receives 19-inch alloy wheels, LED projector headlights and the full X-Line appearance package.
Options
My tester adds the X-Line SX Prestige Package. It brings a full 12.3-inch digital instrument display, Harman Kardon premium audio, a driver's relaxation seat, memory for the driver's seat and outside mirrors, ventilated front seats, navigation-based adaptive cruise control, the Blind-Spot View Monitor, a surround-view monitor, reverse parking collision avoidance and additional side parking sensors.
The only other extras are all-season floor liners and carpeted floor mats. Apparently even the floor gets a summer and winter wardrobe.
Safety
Kia supplies an extensive list of driver-assistance systems. It includes forward collision avoidance with cyclist and junction-turning detection, lane keeping assist, lane following assist, driver attention warning, high-beam assist, blind-spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, Safe Exit Warning and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. Standard parking-distance warnings cover the front and rear.
The Seltos also has front airbags, front and rear seat-mounted side airbags and full-length side-curtain airbags. Because this is an all-new generation, federal crash-test ratings were not yet available for this model when the vehicle was produced.
Driving Impressions
On the road, the redesigned Seltos feels noticeably more grown up. The body is solid, wind noise is well-controlled and the suspension takes the sharp edge off most pavement without allowing the vehicle to feel loose. The 19-inch tires transmit some impact over broken surfaces, but overall ride quality is comfortable for daily driving.
Steering is light and predictable, which suits a small crossover that will spend much of its life in traffic and parking lots. The brakes have a reassuring pedal, body lean is controlled and the all-wheel-drive system operates without calling attention to itself. Push hard and the engine becomes audible, but in normal driving the powertrain is smooth and relaxed. I can tell interior quietness has been improved. Fuel economy is also quite good for a turbocharged vehicle with all-wheel drive, coming in at 24 city and 30 highway.
Verdict
The 2027 Kia Seltos is a successful redesign. It is roomier, quieter and far more refined, with styling that gives it a real identity and technology that would have been luxury-car equipment not many years ago. The X-Line SX Prestige is not inexpensive for a subcompact SUV, and the turbo model is not as quick as its appearance suggests. Still, the combination of passenger room, cargo capacity, all-wheel drive, safety equipment and Kia's warranty makes it a strong value. Buyers who want a small exterior without accepting a cramped interior should put it on the shopping list.
For a loaded SUV that can be bought for around $35,000, I don’t think you can do any better