2022 Kia Seltos

The Kia Seltos is a four-door subcompact crossover aimed at younger buyers seeking a bold entrance into the crossover SUV world. Kia’s second smallest crossover, the Seltos slots in above the tall-and-boxy Soul, but offers mature and SUV-like style. It matches its looks with engaging handling, peppy power (when equipped with the optional turbocharged motor), plenty of storage space, comfort and upscale features. In all, it’s a well-executed package in the mold of the brand’s smash-hit flagship SUV, the Telluride.

The Seltos’ lineup gets shaken up a bit for the new year in the form of some minor and trim level updates. Such includes the standardization of numerous active safety features across all trims, a new interior color option and Nightfall Edition package, and the inclusion of Kia’s latest 10.3-inch infotainment display with UVO connectivity on all but the base LX trim.

The LX, EX, and SX Turbo trims and powertrain options remain largely unchanged this year while a new and more stylish Nightfall Edition joins the pack, slotting between the mid-level EX and top-spec SX. Similar to a package offered on the Telluride, the blackout-trim Nightfall includes the SX’s turbocharged engine but adds black-painted 18-inch alloy wheels, front radiator grille, and rugged-looking stand-up roof rails and door side sills. 

The Seltos isn’t a road rocket in any form and the base-model 2.0-liter four-cylinder is a pokey experience, but the optional 1.6-liter turbocharged engine and quick-shifting gearbox distinctly improve the driving experience for a modest increase in price. The S trim models are front-wheel drive with all-wheel drive (AWD) available as a $1,500 option, AWD is standard on the other versions.

Its subcompact dimensions and capable suspension mean nimble handling around town, but being on the large end of the subcompact crossover class means the Seltos offers more passenger and cargo space than rivals like the Mazda CX-30, Hyundai Kona and Jeep Renegade while providing similar or better numbers to slightly larger alternatives like the Chevrolet Trailblazer and Volkswagen Taos.

Beyond its good looks and capacious-for-its-size interior, the Seltos stands out from the crossover crowd with a comprehensive active-safety suite and plenty of in-car tech. Kia’s infotainment system and UVO voice command interface are world-class, and for 2022 the Seltos gets an even healthier complement of safety systems, including lane departure warnings with lane keep assist, a driver attention warning system and several others across all trims. All of it is also backed by Kia’s lengthy and comprehensive warranty coverage.

Performance: 12/15

The Seltos’ powertrains carry over into 2022 unchanged. A 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder with 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque mated to a CVT transmission drives the LX, S and EX models. A turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission power the SX and Nightfall. The latter engine is more powerful and responsive. Its quick-shifting gearbox sometimes gets clunky at low speeds, but gear changes quicken once the pace does.

In terms of overall handling, the Seltos scores huge, striking an excellent balance between a comfortably compliant ride, accurate steering and brisk handling. Around town, especially on rough surfaces, the suspension absorbs imperfections with ease, even with the larger wheels on the upper trims. 

On the open road and on twisty bits, body motions remain minimal and handling limits are higher than its competitors apart from the CX-30, meaning one would need to push the Seltos hard to unsettle its composure. But drivers just looking for something safe and seamless won’t feel left out thanks to its comfortable, planted and in-control feel behind the wheel.

Fuel Economy: 14/15

In front-wheel-drive form and the 2.0-liter powertrain, the Seltos earns its highest EPA-estimated ratings of 29 mpg in city driving, 35 mpg on the highway, or 31 mpg combined average. The all-wheel-drive versions take a slight hit to 27 mpg city, 31 mpg highway and 29 mpg.

The Seltos’ fuel economy isn’t class-leading—that award goes to the Nissan Kicks’ 31 mpg city, 36 highway and 33 mpg combined ratings—but the Seltos offers more room inside and optional AWD, something unavailable in the Kicks. The Volkswagen Taos offers better highway economy than the Seltos, but the non-turbo Kia does better overall than the Chevrolet Trailblazer, the new Mazda CX-30 and the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross.

The Nightfall and SX trims with the turbocharged engine and standard all-wheel drive return the lowest figures, with an EPA-estimated 25 mpg city, 30 mpg highway and 27 mpg combined. But that’s the compromise one expects from extra power. That’s still better than the CX-30 Helping to keep things light on the wallet: the Seltos is rated to use regular unleaded gasoline.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 12/15

For 2022 the Seltos earns a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), but only a four-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Safety is clearly a priority for the automaker, however, and the Seltos now comes standard with forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection and automatic braking, lane-keep assist, driver attention warning, lane-follow assist, lane departure warning, and high-beam assist on all trims. 

For more comprehensive systems, such as blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist, one needs to step up to the EX, Nightfall Edition and the SX Turbo. The only driver assistance systems reserved for the SX Turbo are radar-guided cruise control with stop-and-go assist, highway driving assist and safe-exit assist. The latter system utilizes the car’s blind-spot detection proximity sensors to warn occupants of oncoming traffic or pedestrians when opening the doors on streets with parallel parking.

Comfort & Room: 12/15 

Kia and parent company Hyundai have mastered the art of building compelling small crossover SUVs and the Seltos’ interior is a prime example. It’s comfortable, space-efficient and ergonomically friendly in any trim level, serving up some of the segment’s best build quality and fit and finish. There are some budget-conscious materials in evidence, but they’re smartly placed far from eye level.

Both the front and rear quarters offer supportive and comfortable seats with plenty of room and flexible storage options all around. The rear quarters accommodate most adults and child seats well—as long as the front occupants aren’t any taller than six-feet—specifically offering 38.4 inches of headroom and 38 inches of legroom, roomy compared to almost all of the Seltos’ smaller competitors. 

Parents will find the large rear door openings and ride height make for easy entrance and egress, especially when working with children. However, rear-facing car seats and even full-size front-facing seats may end up in a struggle for space if the front occupants need to push the seats all the way back.

Infotainment: 14/15

The base LX trim features an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system, but it’s the available 10.3-inch version in the upper trims that really impresses. Both utilize Kia’s excellently simple interfaces featuring vivid and legible menus, text, and images. Touch response is instantaneous with fast loading times, making the system a breeze to use while driving. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, as is voice recognition, but it’s the abundance of features on the larger and more sophisticated system that are truly outstanding.

When equipped and paired with a smartphone and Kia’s UVO app, drivers can utilize the comprehensive telematics and wireless connectivity to check on the vehicle’s health status such as fuel level, mileage, anti-theft measures and even service and maintenance issues. One can also control the door locks and HVAC system, remote start the vehicle, connect with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, receive real-time navigation routing with traffic and weather alerts and over-the-air updates. Kia’s UVO features are free for the first year, but require a subscription thereafter. 

Cargo Space & Storage: 14/15

Don’t let its subcompact classification and profile fool you: the Seltos’ interior is deceptively large and smartly laid out with plenty of storage room. Like the passenger cell, engineers didn’t waste an inch of space. The rear cargo area boasts an impressive 26.6 cubic-feet of volume, which is plenty for a week’s worth of groceries and Target purchases for a family of four.

Lowering the second row, which folds completely flat and flush with the trunk floor, expands that figure to 62.8 cubic-feet of space. The result is the second-best amount of storage space in its class. But for those who really need extra room will find it in Volkswagen’s slightly larger Taos. The Seltos however features plenty of versatile and hidden compartments that make up for the slight space deficit behind the Taos.

Style & Design: 8/10

The Seltos exudes a clean, muscular and mature stance inspired by the flagship Telluride, but without sacrificing any ruggedness one expects from an SUV-inspired crossover. The matte plastic wheel wells and underbody trim give the impression that it’s not too pretty to play a little rough for the adventurous bunch. We do wish Kia offered more color options, as there’s no middle ground between the Seltos’ wild vivid hues and the more sedate ones, but the new Nightfall Edition adds a cool factor to the exterior with its all-black appointments. Insice, the Seltos’ cabin is modern, clean, and smartly executed with a form-following-function methodology, without being too boring or constrained. In other words, it seems to be just right.

Is the 2022 Kia Seltos Worth it? Which Seltos is the Best Value? 

The Seltos continues exemplifying Kia’s ability to offer serious value thanks to its abundance of desirable safety and tech features, comfort, quality, a skosh of maturity and fun driving dynamics into a single practical package. Even with the updates, the starting price is still a very friendly $23,805 (including a $1,215 destination fee), and every model offers a serious value proposition that should not be overlooked.

The $27,105 EX is well priced for the number of features you get, but the $28,005 Nightfall Edition is certainly the sweet spot in the lineup thanks to its turbocharged engine. Its extra power, well-rounded standard options bundle based off the EX and added style are considerably welcomed for less than a $1,000 over the EX.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the Kia Seltos?

The Seltos isn’t an expensive vehicle to insure. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of $1,770, though this averages all 50 states. That compares to $1,841 for the Taos, $1,818 for the Hyundai Kona, $1,707 for the CX-30 and $1,782 for the Trailblazer. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.