2021 Kia Seltos Post Victory Spin Via Motor Trend: “Red Hot in the Style Department, Most Precise Steering out There”

The subcompact SUV segment has surely been on fire for the last five years, and our prized 2021 Kia Seltos is on the national list but is a bit larger than some in the group. Very attractive looks and a roomy interior are two characteristics that set it apart a bit from the pack, with some of those peering over the fence in terms of the competition being the Chevy Trailblazer, Toyota C-HR, Ford EcoSport, and Nissan Kicks.

Motor Trend's Miguel Cortina had a chance over the past week to test a Seltos SX with the 1.6-liter turbo and was pleased right off the bat with the way it handled around the track. Sporting a shared platform with the smaller Soul and Kona, the Seltos has longer proportions that allow for a roomy cargo and cabin area. Drawing a direct comparison to the popular Honda HR-V, Miguel reflected that the Seltos has slightly more cargo room, thanks to the versatile cargo floor, which can be lowered to gain valuable volume. Some of the largest points scored for practicality was regarding the rear seats: besides folding nearly flat, they recline for a more comfortable position during a long haul.

The suspension is well-tuned to absorb most bumps and ruts, and on twisty roads, it doled out very low body roll and high-end grip. This troupe drove the Seltos with the independent rear suspension, which now only comes standard in the all-wheel-drive model, front-drive Seltos models come with the torsion beam suspension. They felt that the 1.6-liter turbo was punchy and adequate for city driving, and were impressed by the 7.3 seconds it took to get to 60 mph, impressive for any Subcompact number.

Road test editor Chris Walton described the Seltos as “surprisingly quick”, and appreciated its very smooth manner of upshifting and straight-line acceleration abilities. Normal, Sport, and Smart are the available driving modes, and Sport is where you really get to let out the naturally-aspirated aggression. It offers up a perfectly stiff and weighted feel, and the Smart mode is a clever combination of both that senses whether you are in a conservative, sporty, or aggressive driving mode. The 10.3-inch screen is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with high ease of use and quick response rate. The UVO Link on board is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, so you can request from Alexa to handle climate control settings.

Many of the features where Motor Trend felt Kia really upped our game were interior related. Three USB ports, heated front seats, a wireless phone charger, and a Bose premium audio system connected to ambient lighting are all amazing features for the price. Styling, size, and practicality all make the Seltos a great choice, and with all-wheel-drive offered below the Sportage, all of us here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis have noticed that this is a huge draw. The crew from Motor Trend claimed in conclusion that we are doing a bang-up job with our new products and that the strong value factor continues to deeply impress!!