Kia Looked at the Seltos and Asked: What If We Made It Even More Superior? The Answer Is Stunning

The compact SUV segment is one of the most competitive battlegrounds in the automotive world, and every brand competing in it knows that standing still is not an option. Kia has never been content to stand still, and the all-new 2027 Kia Seltos, unveiled at the 2026 New York Auto Show, is the clearest proof yet that this brand continues to raise its own bar. What arrived on the show floor was not just a refresh. It was a statement.

Since its American debut in 2020, the Seltos has built a devoted following of drivers who recognized something genuinely special in a segment crowded with capable competitors here at Jim Butler Kia of St. Louis.

The 2027 model takes everything that earned the Seltos its loyal fanbase and pushes it significantly further in every direction that matters.

A Legacy Worth Building On

Before exploring what is new, it is worth appreciating what the Seltos has already accomplished. This vehicle won a highly competitive small SUV comparison in 2024, earning top marks in a field that included some of the most respected nameplates in the segment. That kind of critical recognition does not happen by accident. It reflects a vehicle that genuinely delivers on its promises in the real world, day after day.

Current Seltos owners have been vocal about their satisfaction. Drivers on Edmunds describe the Seltos as an outright gem, praising its spacious interior, impressive fuel efficiency, and the kind of reliability that inspires confidence on long road trips and daily commutes alike.

One longtime Kia owner summed it up simply after a 4,400-mile road trip: the Seltos averaged exceptional fuel economy at highway speeds, proving its real-world efficiency in a way that spec sheets alone cannot capture. Kelley Blue Book reviewers echo that enthusiasm, with 80% of owners recommending the vehicle and the majority ranking it five out of five stars.

The 2027 model inherits all of that goodwill and builds on it with purpose.

Technology That Actually Makes Life Easier

Every new vehicle generation brings additional technology, but the quality and usefulness of that technology varies enormously from one model to the next. The 2027 Seltos gets this right in a meaningful way. Kia's latest infotainment system features large, easy-to-read tiles and responsive performance that makes everyday operation genuinely intuitive. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now fully wireless, eliminating cable clutter and making smartphone integration as seamless as it should be.

Perhaps the most impressive addition is the 360-degree surround-view camera system, a feature that remains rare at this end of the market and one that drivers will appreciate every single day in parking lots, tight spaces, and busy urban environments. Paired with the Blind-Spot View Monitor system, which projects a live camera feed onto the driver display the moment a turn signal is activated, the 2027 Seltos delivers a level of situational awareness that goes well beyond what most compact SUV buyers expect to find.

Current Seltos owners have already been impressed by the safety technology in existing models. One owner quotes in Cars.com described a near-miss situation where the vehicle's collision warning system detected a sudden stop ahead before the driver could react, preventing what could have been a serious accident, and the 2027 model takes that foundation and strengthens it further.

Space That Defies the Segment

Interior space has always been one of the Seltos' most celebrated qualities, and the 2027 generation expands on it in ways that will genuinely impress anyone who has spent time shopping in this segment. Rear-seat space, already among the most generous available in a compact SUV, grows even further in the new model. Cargo capacity reaches 27.8 cubic feet with all seats in place and an exceptional 64.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat. Those are figures that rival vehicles from the next size class up.

Real-world drivers have consistently highlighted the Seltos interior as a standout feature. Owners describe the cargo room as outstanding and among the best in class, with an infotainment system featuring sharp graphics and quick response times that elevate the overall driving experience. The 2027 model refines the front seating position and adds improved bolstering, making the cabin an even more comfortable place to spend time on longer journeys.

For families, commuters, and weekend adventurers alike, the interior of the 2027 Seltos simply punches above its weight class in a way that continues to surprise and delight new owners.

The Hybrid Arrival Changes Everything

The most anticipated development in the 2027 Seltos lineup is the arrival of a new hybrid powertrain, and it represents a significant moment for the compact SUV segment. The Seltos Hybrid pairs a 1.6-liter engine with an electric motor and a six-speed automatic transmission, delivering a combination of efficiency and performance that addresses what many drivers have been asking for. The available all-wheel drive version adds a dedicated rear electric motor for enhanced traction without compromising fuel economy.

This positions the 2027 Seltos Hybrid alongside a very short list of electrified options in the compact SUV space, giving Kia a meaningful competitive advantage heading into a market that is increasingly focused on efficiency. For drivers who want the versatility and value of a compact SUV with the real-world fuel savings of a hybrid powertrain, the Seltos Hybrid arrives at exactly the right moment.

The gas-powered versions of the 2027 Seltos will arrive first, with the hybrid joining the lineup shortly after. Both are worth the wait.

What Seltos Owners Already Know

The drivers who have already discovered the Seltos tend to become its most enthusiastic advocates. One Edmunds reviewer, after an exhaustive search across multiple brands and body styles, landed on the Seltos SX and described it as a discovery that surprised even them given how thoroughly they had researched alternatives.

After nearly a year of searching and test driving vehicles across numerous brands, they found the Seltos to be the standout choice, praising its generous feature content and overall value. Another owner captured the everyday appeal perfectly, noting that the Seltos delivers a sporty look that remains practical enough for real family life, a balance that is genuinely difficult to strike in this segment.

That dual personality, stylish enough to turn heads and sensible enough to handle everything daily life demands, is exactly what the 2027 model builds upon.

The Compact SUV Segment Just Met Its Match

The 2027 Kia Seltos arrives with sharper styling, a more sophisticated interior, class-leading cargo capacity, genuinely useful technology, and a brand-new hybrid powertrain that broadens its appeal further than ever before. It is the most complete version of a vehicle that was already earning top marks from critics and owners alike.

If fuel efficiency and smart engineering matter to your buying decision, the 2027 Kia Seltos Hybrid deserves a serious look. Come see it in person and explore a compact SUV that delivers on both fronts without asking you to compromise on space, style, or technology!

Versatility on Wheels: The 2025 Kia Seltos Delivers Space, Style, and Smarts

We are situated at the head end of a season bringing intense change and promise here at Jim Butler Kia of St. Louis! Cooler temperatures will soon make their way into the forecast, Halloween costumes will be purchased, and the excitement of fall football will find its way onto big screens statewide. Times such as these will call for a versatile and value-packed small SUV, with the bonus of a very spacious cabin.

The 2025 Kia Seltos was the topic of a thoughtful blog on the U.S. News Cars forum last week, where they first commended it for its excellent handling and wealth of features. After thoroughly testing the Seltos they also highly approved of its direct steering, balanced handling, and firm suspension. It was simple to maneuver when things got a bit cramped and was a blast to take aggressively around curves. For catching up on notes or just taking a minute to yourself, the cabin stays serene most of the time!

The Seltos is equipped with two engine options: a 146-horsepower four-cylinder and a 195-horsepower turbo-four. The first is mated with a continuously variable automatic transmission and the turbo with an 8-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive is standard on the S and EX models, with the benefit of all-wheel drive available on the LX, X-Line, and SX trims. The turbo-four was the U.S. News crew’s powertrain of choice, as it instilled a greater deal of confidence during highway driving. Fuel economy is one of the traits that prospective buyers are currently eyeballing most. 

The Seltos fares quite well in this category, as the front-wheel-drive models nail down an EPA-estimated 28 mph in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. The cabin is well-crafted and very attractive. The ability to haul different types of gear is quite a selling point for any model today, as after-school sports and heeding the call of the wild are both popular activities. You’ll benefit from 26.6 cubic feet of storage space behind the rear row and 62.8 cubic feet with all the rear seats folded down.

Any SUV’s child safety brownie points are sprinkled generously among new parents: one less worry on a busy day is always warmly accepted! The Seltos has two complete sets of LATCH connectors to man the rear outboard seats, and a tether anchor to take care of the middle seat. This busy and savvy gang’s favorite trim was the EX, which comes with attractive features such as a 10.25-inch touchscreen, heated front seats, navigation, and blind-spot monitoring. It also is equipped with the most fuel-efficient engine of the group.

The touchscreen is situated high up, with the most useful controls directly visible on the center stack. One detail that won’t go unnoticed by busy parents on the go is the large door pockets. They are perfect for any music-festival-bound 24-ounce water bottle, or cellphone. The Seltos’ excellent maneuverability, minimal body roll, and quick ratio steering all make it a great choice for urban commuting. Another final verdict from the team was that the infotainment system was the best and easiest to use in the segment.

The all-wheel-drive EX and SX now receive a standard hands-free power liftgate. The U.S. News team dove deeper and looked at how the 2025 Kia Seltos performed in different areas. The EX trim is where you gain goodies such as full synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support. The SX trim’s coolest feature for long hauls? The Bose audio system brings anything from Blake Shelton to The Bouncing Souls fully to life for the drive!

2024 Kia Seltos Boasts Entry-Level Value With Youthful Appeal, Ideal Daily Drive Tact

As drivers here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis seek out the best possible vehicle on a budget, the Kia Seltos shines with segment-leading value and performance. Next year’s model has all the right stuff to boast a youthful appeal, with a modern approach to an efficient and practical daily driver. At first glance, the rear features a different glow, and taillights with an updated look. The new X-Line model is the suave replacement for the Nightfall Editions, which offers a special grille, different wheels, gloss-black trim, and a cool black roof rack. 

The turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder in the X-Line and SX trims is now equipped with a longer stroke than the previous model as well as a larger turbocharger, new injectors, and an adjusted cylinder head that cranks out an increase of 20 horsepower. The transmission is now a more traditional 8-speed model with a torque converter, replacing last year's 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. The Car and Driver crew were impressed during their test drive with the engines’ power, with the smoothed-out performance from the transmission being the slightly unassuming star of the show.

The 2024 model’s suspension remains unchanged, which offers ideal control over body motion, and brake-based torque vectoring offers excellent performance during the unexpected rapid stop. There have been so many modern feats of engineering over the past decade, as some of the new features on crossovers everywhere would have never been imagined just a few short years prior. The 2024 model’s addition of acoustic front glass keeps the cabin quite quiet for a budget crossover, keeping all intrusive noise to a minimum from the front end and side mirrors.

The steering quality of many crossovers out there sometimes becomes so precise that the element of spirited fun can be taken out of the daily drive. If your daily commute has the usual dose of stop-and-go that many St Louis drivers face, the 2024 Seltos’ revised cabin will render the A to B quite a bit more bearable. Every model except the base LX trim comes with an awesome pair of 10.3-inch touchscreens, and both the infotainment and climate controls are still maintained by hand. 

Perfect for constantly changing urban environments, cyclist detection is now included across the lineup as a component of forward collision warning. One of the most evident and eager forms of competition against the Seltos is the Chevy Trax, and the Seltos’ overall stance, standard features, and price point put up a thoroughly rigid fight. The Motor Trend reporting pros were enthusiastic about the jumping power from the turbo engine, excellent cargo capacity, and very stylishly detailed exterior. They also enjoyed a very relaxed ride, light steering, and breaking with a refreshingly natural characteristic. 

Second-row legroom is smartly above average for the segment, and a few exemplary instances of instrumented testing showed the Seltos outperforming the Subaru Crosstrek regarding many of the vital drive stats. Automatic emergency braking and available blind spot monitoring have now been enhanced for greater capability, in a fully programmable speed limiter can also be added on. Other additions that will please the tech-loving crowd are available projection LED headlights, a power liftgate, and ventilated front seats.