The Kia Seltos is one of the best subcompact SUVs on the market. It’s our 2023 Best Buy Award winner in its class. Its sharp two-tone good looks stand out in a crowd full of odd, ungainly little vehicles. A pair of engine choices give buyers more flexibility than many rivals. And, in classic Kia fashion, it offers a long list of equipment for a fair price.
So long, in fact, many buyers don’t find buying a more expensive trim level necessary. The best-selling Seltos trim is the Seltos S. It’s not quite the base model but just one step above it. The S outsells three more expensive trims because it’s in a sweet spot, with a low $23,300 starting price and most of the features buyers want.
Let’s take a closer look at the most popular Kia Seltos.
Fun colors
Most people buy boring-colored cars. According to automotive paint giant BASF, 81% of new cars last year were some version of white, black, or gray. Kia makes the Seltos memorable with vibrant, exciting colors. The base Seltos LX has limited color choices, but things get more interesting with the S. Contrast-color roof and mirror options let you express yourself with your car in ways most subcompact SUVs don’t.
Extra power and USB charging ports
The Seltos S includes thoughtful upgrades, like a 12-volt power outlet up front and extra USB charging ports for more than just the driver to plug in.
Automatic climate control and rear A/C vents
Subcompact SUVs are often an automaker’s least expensive vehicles and are attractive to shoppers who don’t want to spend much. But many manufacturers get to that low price point by skimping creature comforts. The Seltos S includes automatic climate control, and it is one of the few affordable subcompact vehicles to give second-row passengers their own climate system vents — a kindness to your passengers on a hot day.
Cloth and Syntex seat trim
Fewer and fewer automakers offer authentic leather seating every year. Most have replaced leather with synthetic options. Today’s synthetic leathers feel better and last longer than the ones you might know from a decade ago.
The Seltos S offers trim that combines cloth and Syntex synthetic leather — a luxurious touch for an inexpensive vehicle. There’s genuine leather where it counts, though — on the steering wheel and gear shift knob, where your hands will feel the luxury of the real stuff every day.
Advanced safety features
If you haven’t been car shopping in a few years, you might be stunned to see the automated safety systems that even inexpensive models carry. Kia doesn’t quite equip the Seltos S with every advanced safety feature it knows how to build. But the list is long. It includes forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot collision avoidance assist. A rear-occupant alert notes when a rear door is opened before driving and reminds the driver to check for backseat passengers if it isn’t opened shortly after the driver gets out.
More 2023 Kia Seltos
Build and price your 2023 Kia Seltos to see this week’s Fair Purchase Price, 5-Year Cost to Own, and more, or see Seltos models for sale near you.
