Kia America Ushers in Age Of Excellence With Best-Ever Month and Half-Year Stats

Everyone here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis knew that this year would be amazing, but it is sometimes difficult to gauge just how great the future will be! We were proud to announce just 6 days ago that we have had the pleasure of enjoying our highest-ever first-half yearly sales, after posting three consecutive monthly sales records in March, April, and May. The Forte, Sportage, Seltos, and Telluride all had their best-ever first-half sales performance for the first half of the year. 

The 2021 Seltos saw a dynamic sales uptick of 128.6 percent, as consumers took to its abundant cargo space, upscale interior materials and design, and very distinct styling. Its available two-tone roof and stacked headlight design allow it to stand out from other SUVs that are on the smaller side, and folding down the rear seats provides 68.2 cubic feet of space. More than comfortable enough for your daily routine and spontaneous road trips, you'll be absorbing bumps in the road without much trouble, while enjoying its practical and roomy interior. With an estimated 31 MPG combined as an EPA rating, the front-wheel-drive model takes the cake. 

The 2021 Sportage roars gracefully onto the scene this summer with an upscale cabin, quick turbocharged model, refined ride, and superb handling. Situated just between the Sorento and Seltos, it competes in a crowded market segment that includes notable competitors such as the Mazda CX-5 and Honda CR-V. With its handsome interior and abundant passenger space, the top-of-the-line model is where you'll get to enjoy the much feistier turbocharged engine. Every model includes heated front seats, passive entry, power-operated liftgate, and dual-zone climate control. 

The 2021 Telluride has been at the forefront of the market for many auto connoisseurs and experts since its release last year. It's not only the biggest SUV in the lineup, but it also does things just a bit better than the rest in every vital category. The very comfortable 3rd row can easily fit adults, and has steering that immediately feels natural and stable around turns. Snagging a 9.0 for the comfort factor from Edmunds.com, the seats are consistently supportive and well-contoured, and the headrests seem as accommodating as pillows! USB ports are located in all three rows, and the optional wider infotainment screen offers segment-leading navigation and other useful features. 

We are proud to be increasing sales of fuel-efficient and everyday useful sedans, and laying claim to awards such as the Best Certified Pre-Owned Non-Luxury Program of 2021 by Autotrader. CNET also named the Telluride as one of the “Best SUVs of 2021”, as well as including it in the list of “10 Best SUVs with Self-Driving Features”.

Cars.com Praises 2021 Kia Seltos For Stellar Fuel Economy Ratings

Many of the customers we love to help every day here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis have been asking us about upcoming news regarding the 2021 Kia Seltos. Thanks to publications such as Cars.com, that news is now trickling on down the wire, and the base powertrain is slated to be a 146-horsepower, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder paired to a continuously variable automatic transmission. That configuration is the most fuel-efficient setup you can get on the Seltos, offering up an estimated 29/34/31 mpg city/highway/combined.

Concerning the base engine and AWD that comes standard on EX and LX models, the numbers go down to 27/31/29 mpg. Taking a close look at the S and standard on the SX, is a 175-hp, turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder that is the most engaging, but understandably weighs in at an estimated 25/30/27 mpg. Many of the Seltos' prime competitors are typically on the larger side, such as the Hyundai Venue, Mazda CX-30, and Nissan Rogue Sport. These for the most part, when matched up in the MPG category, are just a bit less favorable than the Seltos.

In terms of AWD competitors, the Subaru Crosstrek nails down 30 mpg combined, the CX-30 boasts 27 mpg, and the Rogue Sport rings in at 27 mpg. As far as the other competition out there such as the Hyundai Kona and Jeep Renegade, the Seltos is pretty much tied. Its 27 mpg combined ties the AWD Kona and beats the AWD Renegade by 1 mpg, but it should be noted that the Seltos sports a longer wheelbase, and is 8 inches longer than the Kona, as well as 5.4 inches longer than the Renegade. We are confident that you'll enjoy the spacious interior, optional 10.3-infotainment screen, and very nimble handling on the road.

The infotainment system offers navigation as well as the capability to split the screen, so you can view directions at the same times as tuning the radio. Depending on which model you choose, the Seltos can be equipped with up to three USB ports, a wireless smartphone charging pad, and even an 8-speaker Bose audio system featuring fractal-textured speaker grilles.

Key safety features on the Seltos include available automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and lane departure warning with lane-keeping assist. We are also so very proud of our warranty coverage that is consistently hailed as the best in the industry: ask us right here at Jim Butler about the limited warranty covering 5 years or 60,000 miles, and the powertrain warranty that covers 10 years or 10,000 miles!

Motor Trend Provides Holiday Close-up on Kia Seltos and Sportage Traits

The 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show was the scene of many surprises and visually stunning treats, and our 2021 Kia Seltos enjoyed its premiere there looking rugged and ready to roll anywhere! Sitting just below the Sportage the Seltos is targeted to buyers who are looking for a vehicle that meets the needs of an urban dweller, or busy recent graduate. As many customers are coming in to see here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis which would be the ultimate holiday surprise, they are known to ask us about the very specific differences between the two, and so we wanted to lay out a few features that stand out on each to help those making a purchase as the Motor Trend Staff did on their blog.

 Appearances are Everything: These two vehicles have pretty large differences in exterior styling: The Sportage has a bit of a polarizing presence, with high-mounted headlights and rounded stature. The smaller Seltos may seem a bit boxier at first like the 3-row Telluride, and the Seltos has a more muscular stature compared to the Sportage's smooth, rounder lines.

Interior Space: One would think at first look that the Kia Sportage would have more interior space after seeing its large appearance. The Seltos actually offers more maximum cargo capacity than the Sportage and has 62.8 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded. The Seltos also boasts more headroom both in front and second row.

Power Potential: The Kia Sportage offers more power when it comes to engine options: The available 2.0-liter turbo-four in the Sportage cranks out up to 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, making it one of the more powerful compact SUVs on the market. The most powerful option for the Seltos is an optional 1.6-liter turbo-four with 175 hp and 195 lb-ft.

All-Weather Drivability: The 2021 Seltos will offer all-wheel drive standard on every trim besides the S, which sees front-wheel only. On the larger 2020 Kia Sportage, all-wheel-drive is an extra even on the more powerful turbocharged version. If you plan to be driving in an area that happens to see its fair share of winter, the Seltos may be your practical choice.

Rear Suspension Options: The Kia Seltos offers two suspension setups depending on the allotted drivetrain. If you have front-wheel drive, the option is a torsion beam rear suspension. Models equipped with all-wheel drive feature a more complex independent multilink layout. In comparison, every 2020 Kia Sportage gets independent rear suspension regardless of which drivetrain is present.

Tech Talk: The 2021 Kia Seltos receives the latest version of Kia's multimedia system, sporting a 10.25-inch touchscreen. It also gets the quickest version of the interface to date, and now features a split-screen function for more specific customization. The Sportage uses a slightly older version with a smaller 8.0-inch touchscreen, without as much opportunity to modify. If technology is one of the largest deciding factors regarding your purchase, the Seltos would be ideal for your purchase!