- Roomy for people and gear
- Standard all-wheel drive on all but one trim level
- Loaded with standard safety and easy-to-use tech
- Terrific warranty
- Pricing starts at $23,140 (plus $1,295 destination) | Price yours
- On sale now | See 2023 Kia Seltos models for sale near you
When you’re shopping for a subcompact SUV, every dollar counts. That’s why the Kia Seltos is our Best Subcompact SUV winner again for 2023. Its low starting price, long list of standard tech and safety features, impressive fuel economy, and best-in-class warranty make the Seltos a terrific value. This stylish SUV also boasts one of the roomiest interiors you can get in its class.
Value at Every Turn
With a starting price of less than $24,000, the 2023 Kia Seltos offers a lot for the money. All-wheel drive (AWD) comes standard, as does smartphone connectivity through an 8-inch touchscreen, keyless entry, and a handy dual-level cargo floor. The Kia Drive Wise suite of safety features is also included in the price. That includes Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, auto emergency braking, automatic high beams, and a driver attention warning.
You will also appreciate the Seltos’ value at the pump. The Seltos has excellent fuel economy. The LX, S, and EX use a frugal 146-horsepower engine. And you can get one trim level, the S, with front-wheel drive, netting 35 mpg on the highway. With more than 400 miles of range, filling up the Seltos won’t be a big expense. If you opt for the S, which only costs $50 more than the LX, you get more convenience and safety features and more access to and options — and you can still get AWD, too. Every other trim level comes standard with all-wheel drive, but we like that Kia has given people in the “Smile States” the option of 2-wheel drive. They don’t have to spend money on AWD if they don’t want or need to.
Surprise and Delight Inside
The Seltos has an interior that is roomier than you would expect for a vehicle this size. It offers surprisingly generous rear-seat legroom, as well as some of the best cargo capacity in its class. With the rear seats folded, you can fit nearly 63 cubic feet of gear in the cargo area.
The cabin is a nice place to be, too. As we say in our Expert Review, “The interior design of the Seltos is pleasant and upscale for its price tag. All of the controls are easy to use, and it has one of the most intuitive infotainment systems in its class. Interior materials are pretty nice and get nicer as you work your way up the trims.” Niceties like heated front seats, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with Kia Connect telematics, wireless phone charging, and a sunroof make the cabin nicer yet. And every trim level above the LX has additional safety features, including blind-spot detection, collision avoidance, and rear cross-traffic alert and avoidance.
Stylish, Sporty, and Smart
The 2023 Kia Seltos is one of the most stylish small SUV choices out there, but available features like a 2-tone roof, 18-inch alloy wheels, and LED lighting give this SUV even more flair. There’s also the good-looking Nightfall Edition, with matte black wheels and black roof rails and accents.
Not only that, but the Nightfall Edition and the topline SX come with Kia’s feisty 175-horsepower turbocharged engine and a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. You’ll lose some fuel economy, but you’ll have a ball.
Yet even with the upscale options, the fun, and the cool styling, the Seltos is still a smart, safe SUV at its core. It’s an NHTSA Top Safety Pick and is protected by a fantastic 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
This careful balance between practicality and fun, value and great tech, smarts and spirit, is why the Kia Seltos is our Subcompact SUV Best Buy for the third year in a row.
Photo Tour: 2023 Kia Seltos
More 2023 Kia Seltos
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Our 2023 Best Buy Award Winners
- Best New Model: 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Best Compact SUV: 2023 Honda CR-V
- Best 2-Row Midsize SUV: 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe
- Best 3-Row Midsize SUV: 2023 Kia Telluride
- Best Full-Size SUV: 2023 Ford Expedition
- Best Subcompact Luxury SUV: 2023 BMW X1
- Best Compact Luxury SUV: 2023 Genesis GV70
- Best Midsize Luxury SUV: 2023 Genesis GV80
- Best Compact Car: 2023 Honda Civic
- Best Midsize Car: 2023 Honda Accord
- Best Luxury Car: 2023 Lexus ES
- Best EV Under $35,000: 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV
- Best Electric Vehicle: 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Best PHEV: 2023 Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid
- Best Compact Truck: 2023 Ford Maverick
- Best Midsize Truck: 2023 Toyota Tacoma
- Best Full-Size Truck: 2023 Ford F-150
- Best Electric Truck: 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning
- Best Minivan: 2023 Toyota Sienna
- 2023 Best Buy Awards Home
