2022 Kia Seltos
- Spunky yet handsome design
- Roomier-than-expected interior
- Active safety suite now standard
- All-wheel drive standard on all but one trim
- Stellar warranty
- Pricing starts at $22,490 (plus $1,175 destination) | Price yours
- On sale now | See Autotrader listings right here on KBB.com
It’s pretty rare that a brand-new model of car comes along. It’s even rarer for one to debut and immediately become the best in its class. Rarer still? For that model to maintain its king-of-the-hill status, even as new rivals nip at its heels. Yet that’s the case for the 2022 Kia Seltos.
Now, for the second time in its mere 2-year-old life, the Kia Seltos is the Best Buy Award winner among subcompact SUVs.
A Winning Formula Gets Even Better
When the Kia Seltos debuted last year, it immediately impressed us with a tough-yet-stylish design, value pricing, long list of standard and available features, and last but certainly not least, its spunky spirit. In addition to winning our Best Buy Award in its class last year, it also claimed the title of Best New Model.
Kia could have easily rested on its laurels and continued soaking in the Seltos’ accolades. But rather than doing that, the automaker wasted no time improving an already successful formula.
For 2022, the Kia Seltos rectified our one main nit: Now, even the least-expensive trim includes an impressive suite of active safety features. That means a base LX model comes packing safety tech such as forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, driver-attention monitoring, and high-beam assist, among other features. All for a starting price of $22,490.
All-Wheel Drive Emphasized
The Kia Seltos stands out among its rivals in regards to all-wheel drive. Whereas most competitors make this traction-enhancing feature an extra-cost option – if an option at all – all but one Seltos model includes it as standard. And interestingly, it’s not the base model that swaps all-wheel drive for front-wheel drive, but the next trim up, the S. That’s a smart move for buyers in sunshine states who may never need AWD. Plus, they will enjoy even better fuel economy of up to 31 mpg on the highway.
The rest of the Seltos models not only have all-wheel drive as standard, but also tout a driver-selectable locking center differential that grants improved traction in dirt, snow, and the like. Kia didn’t just imbue the Seltos with an adventurous attitude, but also the guts to back it up if you want to wander off the beaten path.
Filled with Tech, Too
The Seltos also gets a tech update for 2022 in the form of a larger screen. This year, all models except the base LX are upgraded with a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation (LX trims retain the 8-inch version). Last year, only the top SX trim got the big-screen treatment.
Standard across the board are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, along with voice recognition for various commands.
On the aesthetic front, the Seltos can be had with a bolder, darkened style with the new Nightfall Edition.
Choice of Two Powertrains
The Seltos also stands out from the pack by offering a choice of two engines to suit different needs. Motivating the lower models is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that makes 146 horsepower, adequate to shuffle this little runabout around town and beyond. It uses a continuously variable transmission that does a nice job of mimicking a traditional automatic.
The two top trims, the Nightfall Edition and the SX, get something special: a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with 175 horsepower. More than just the extra pony count, this engine boasts significantly more torque – 195 lb-ft, versus 132 for the non-turbo engine. The turbo also gets a sporty 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.
We currently have a Kia Seltos SX in our long-term evaluation fleet, and with some 5,000 miles on the odometer we continue to be impressed with its spry manners and everyday practicality. Opting for this top model also endows the Seltos with Kia’s Highway Driving Assist, a fantastic system that combines adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and lane-keeping assist for semi-autonomous driving. It’s a real boon in freeway driving and makes the Seltos a smart commuter.
Roomy for its Size
No matter which trim you go with, you’ll get the Seltos’ perky exterior design and super useful interior. Here’s a fact: A boxy exterior design means a more voluminous interior package. That toughened, squared-off shape of the Seltos? Yep, that means more room inside than you might expect for a subcompact SUV.
In fact, the Seltos has some of the best cargo capacity of its class. For those of you who like the numbers, the Seltos boasts 26.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 62.8 with them folded. That’s nearly the amount of some SUVs a class size up.
Perky, practical, value-oriented, and fun. And we haven’t even mentioned a class-leading warranty that covers 10 years/100,000 miles for the powertrain. Add it up, and it’s little wonder the Seltos remains the champ among subcompact SUVs.
Photo Tour: 2022 Kia Seltos
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