2024 Kia Seltos: Overview, Features, Trims, and Value Analysis

2024 Kia Seltos: Overview, Features, Trims, and Value Analysis

Overview

Like many carmakers, Kia has so many SUVs these days that it can be hard to keep them all straight. So here’s one way to think about the refreshed 2024 Kia Seltos. It’s the little sibling to Kia’s bigger and more expensive Sportage crossover SUV. Yet it provides impressive usefulness and offers available all-wheel drive.

For 2024, Kia has made some small changes three years into the Seltos’ run. These include updated styling, new display screens, and more power for the available turbocharged engine. Kia has also introduced a more rugged X-Line trim.

Our Expert Rating

Performance
7.5/10

How does the Seltos drive?

We tested a top-of-the-line Seltos SX, which comes with the turbocharged engine. Acceleration is slow from a stop, but after that, this little SUV is pretty peppy. It’s fairly easy to quickly get up to highway speeds. The transmission shifts smoothly and quickly. The Seltos is less impressive once the road curves, however. The responsive steering and firm suspension should be helpful, but drive with some enthusiasm, and the Seltos just feels overly front-heavy and not well-suited for spirited driving.

Comfort
7.0/10

How comfortable is the Seltos?

The Kia Seltos is comfortable enough for your daily routine and short road trips. It handles most bumps well and isn’t too floaty on the highway. The front seats are decent, but they don’t have enough thigh support and cushioning to make them truly comfortable on long drives. The rear seats are actually pretty comfortable for a very small SUV.

There’s a fair amount of road noise that enters the cabin, and the climate control system is a bit weak when it comes to thoroughly cooling the cabin on hot days.

Interior
7.5/10

How’s the interior?

The Seltos’ interior is simple, practical, and roomy. As one of the larger very small SUVs (yes, that’s kind of a contradiction), the Seltos has enough space for most people. As long as you’re under 6-foot-2, you should find the Seltos pretty accommodating in both the front and back. The Seltos is also fairly easy to get in and out of.

Visibility is somewhat limited by thick roof pillars. It’s always a good idea to glance twice to make sure there are no pedestrians walking toward you from the right side. The wide-angle rearview camera is definitely helpful when you’re backing up.

Big on the inside

The Seltos is bigger on the inside than you might think. Like Mary Poppins’ bag, this SUV seems to hold items that simply shouldn’t fit. The Seltos is one of the best in its class, boasting 62.8 cubic feet of max cargo space. Also, the liftgate is wide, and there’s plenty of trays, pockets, and cubbies for your smaller items. People fit, too, and as long as you’re under 6-foot-2, there’s plenty of headroom for passengers. For an affordable family-friendly SUV, the Seltos easily satisfies.

Technology
8.0/10

How’s the tech?

The Seltos’ 10.25-inch infotainment screen, which comes on most trims, has clear graphics and is easy to use. We were also impressed with our test vehicle’s Bose audio system; it produces clear sound and strong bass. In our testing, the Seltos’ advanced driver aids work well and aren’t too intrusive with warnings. However, the available adaptive cruise control is very cautious with its following distances.

Storage
8.0/10

How’s the storage?

You can hold a lot of stuff in the back of the Seltos. It’s one of the best in its class with a maximum cargo capacity of 62.8 cubic feet. Leave the rear seats up and there’s still 26.6 cubic feet. Loading cargo isn’t a hassle either, thanks to a wide liftgate opening and decent cargo depth.

Interior storage for front passengers is sufficient. There are plenty of water-bottle-sized pockets, a small cellphone tray in front of the gear shifter, a small console box, and a glovebox. As for child safety-seat installation, the Seltos’ car seat anchor points are clearly marked and easy to access. You’ll be able to install a rear-facing safety seat without too much trouble.

Fuel Economy
7.5/10

How’s the fuel economy?

The Kia Seltos has a few powertrain combinations. We tested the SX, which has the more powerful turbocharged engine, and our vehicle had all-wheel drive too. The EPA estimates that combo will get 26 mpg combined. That’s below the class average, though a base Seltos with front-wheel drive gets a more respectable 31 mpg combined. In real-world driving, we believe you should be able to match the EPA’s numbers without much trouble.

Value
7.5/10

Is the Seltos a good value?

The Seltos offers better than average value for the class due to its generous number of standard features. The top SX trim is expensive, but it includes a lot of features, including the turbocharged engine. Build quality is good, but the interior materials lack depth, and the abundance of plastic makes it feel somewhat cheap.

Kia’s warranties are excellent. You get a five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage.

Wildcard
7.5/10

The Kia Seltos resembles a Land Rover Evoque SUV to some extent, and you can elevate its style with contrasting roof and body paint colors. It certainly catches the eye in the very small SUV class. The rest of the package isn’t particularly inspiring. But is it practical? Absolutely.

Kia Seltos models

The 2024 Kia Seltos offers five different versions, or trim levels: LX, S, EX, X-Line, and SX. Each trim level comes with its own set of features and options, providing a range of choices for buyers.

Starting with the LX trim, it includes a 146-horsepower four-cylinder engine, a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), and all-wheel drive. It also comes with 17-inch wheels, keyless entry, tinted rear windows, cloth seats, and an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Safety features like forward collision warning, lane departure warning, driver attention warning, and lane-keeping assistance are standard on all Seltos models.

Moving up to the S trim, it adds roof rails, fog lights, proximity keyless entry with push-button start, cloth and synthetic leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, automatic climate control, and a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen with integrated navigation. Additionally, it includes blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning.

The EX trim enhances the Seltos with a sunroof, synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, a wireless phone charger, and other convenience features.

The X-Line trim includes all the features of the EX trim but adds a turbocharged 195-horsepower engine, an eight-speed automatic transmission, 18-inch wheels, black roof rails and accents, and cloth and synthetic leather upholstery.

Finally, the top-of-the-line SX trim comes with LED headlights, synthetic leather upholstery, a Bose premium audio system, adaptive cruise control, and a lane centering system. Ventilated front seats are available as an optional extra.

Overall, each trim level of the Kia Seltos offers a unique set of features to suit different preferences and needs, providing options for buyers looking for a compact SUV.

LX

• 146-horsepower four-cylinder engine
• Continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT)
• All-wheel drive
• 17-inch wheels
• Keyless entry
• Tinted rear windows
• Cloth seats
• 8-inch touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
• Six-speaker audio system
• Safety features: Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Driver attention warning, Lane keeping assistance |

| S |

• Includes LX features plus:
• Roof rails
• Foglights
• Proximity keyless entry and push-button start
• Cloth and synthetic leather upholstery
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Automatic climate control
• 10.25-inch touchscreen
• Integrated navigation system
• Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning |

| EX |

• Includes S features plus:
• Sunroof
• Synthetic leather upholstery
• Heated front seats
• Power-adjustable driver’s seat
• 10.25-inch touchscreen
• Wireless phone charger |

| X-Line |

• Includes EX features plus:
• Turbocharged 195-hp engine
• Eight-speed automatic transmission
• 18-inch wheels
• Black roof rails and accents
• Cloth and synthetic leather upholstery |

| SX |

• Includes X-Line features plus:
• LED headlights
• Synthetic leather upholstery
• Bose premium audio system
• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane centering system
• Optional ventilated front seats |

This format provides a detailed breakdown of each feature for every trim level of the Kia Seltos.

Compititors

Other good choices for a very small crossover include the Chevrolet Trailblazer and Mazda CX-30. The Trailblazer offers similar value to the Seltos, while the CX-30 stands out with its high-end interior and fast acceleration. You might also consider looking at the popular Honda HR-V and Toyota Corolla Cross. For more information on the Kia Seltos’ top features, check out our test team’s Expert Rating.

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