Slotting between Kia’s Soul and Sportage, the Kia Seltos is an all-new addition to the Kia SUV (or UTE) lineup. With its available two-toned paint job, and boxy dimensions, the Seltos offers plenty of seating for four people and accommodates a fair amount of cargo space to boot.
Two engines are offered on the Seltos, a base 146- horsepower engine or a 175- horsepower turbo-charged four cylinder engine. My test vehicle, happily, was equipped with the more powerful turbo engine. All-wheel drive is offered to add additional traction on dirt roads and in bad weather. My test vehicle was also equipped with all-wheel drive. Expect to get 25/city, 30/highway and 27/combined MPG.
Available in five trim levels: LX, S, S Turbo, EX, and SX this review will focus on the top-of-the-line SX with turbo-charged engine and all-wheel drive.
The Seltos SX is loaded with all sorts of goodies like, a premium Bose audio system, power-adjustable driver’s seat, cargo cover, automatic climate control, 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, adaptive cruise control, and leather upholstery with heated front seats.
On the inside is a roomy cabin with plenty of leg-room for front and backseat passengers. With the larger 10.25-inch infotainment screen, it’s easy to operate the various functions for comfort and driving options. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard and easily accessible through the infotainment interface.
Storage in the Seltos is generous with 26.6 cubic feet of storage with the seats up and 62.8 with the seats down. There’s a wide opening for access to the cargo compartment which makes it easy to load and unload stuff.
The turbo charged engine gives the Seltos a nice little punch of power when entering highways and maintains a healthy speed. Steering is responsive, but curvy roads can be a bit challenging at higher speeds.
A cute UTE with lots of style, the all-new 2021 Kia Seltos SX Turbo is worth a test drive when looking for an extra-small SUV.
