2021 Kia Seltos: A New Compact Crossover Front-Runner
Kia does it again with its all-new 2021 Seltos, offering style, value, and practicality that make it a top choice in the compact crossover market.
2021 Kia Seltos – kiamedia.com | Shop 2021 Kia Seltos on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2021 Kia Seltos?
The 2021 Seltos is Kia’s newest addition to its compact crossover lineup. It is slightly longer than the Kia Soul, but not quite as big (and a little cheaper) than the Sportage.
The Breakdown
Plenty of cargo space
Spacious rear seat
Excellent fuel economy
Lack of standard driver-assist features
Weak climate control system
Base engine lacks punch
More safety features, please
2021 Seltos Specs
- 146 horsepower from base engine
- 132 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 5 available trims
- 26.6 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 62.8 cu-ft of cargo capacity with seats down
- Standard all-wheel drive
- Backup camera
- Integrated turn signal mirrors
- Industry leading warranty
2021 Kia Seltos Powertrain
The Kia Seltos is available in two different four-cylinder engines. The base engine, a 146-horsepower 2.0 liter is paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and the turbo option is a 175-horsepower 1.6-liter paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is optional with both engines.
The base engine offers plenty of power for driving around town, but lags when accelerating to merge onto or pass on the highway. The turbocharged engine goes from zero to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds which is impressive for this class and will get you moving more quickly at highway speeds.
The steering in the Seltos is well weighted, making for a fun drive and you’ll have no problem getting it into tight spaces. It handles turns well with very little body roll and while the suspension absorbs most bumps, the larger ones are noticeable.
See our Car Drivetrains and Powertrain Explained article to understand further what’s going on underneath the hood.
2021 Kia Seltos Fuel Economy & MPG
The 2021 Seltos ranks high in its class for fuel economy. The base engine with front-wheel drive gets an estimated 29 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. All-wheel drive models drop to 27 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway, while models with the turbocharged engine get 25 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
The interior of the Seltos is spacious and practical with nicely appointed materials that give it a clean look. The seats are comfortable and taller adults will even find the second row to be accommodating for longer rides, especially with the standard reclining back seat. We did find that the climate control system struggles to completely cool down the cabin on hot days.
The Seltos is at the top of its class for cargo space. In fact, it made #1 on our lineup of The Best Cargo Capacity in Each Class. With the rear seats up it has a capacity of 26.6 cubic feet, but folding the seats flat will open up 62.8 cubic feet. The Seltos also has a wide liftgate opening and low cargo floor that makes for easy loading.
Small item storage is also plentiful with a small glove box and console box, a cellphone tray in front of the gear shifter, and several pockets big enough to fit a water bottle.
Entertainment & Technology
The 2021 Kia Seltos comes standard with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The display sits at a good height to allow the driver to glance at it while driving and is easy to operate via the touchscreen or physical controls located on the center stack.
The 10.25-inch screen available on the SX trim comes with navigation and split-screen capability. A six-speaker stereo, Bluetooth, and a USB port are also standard and available options include wireless device charging, an eight-speaker Bose premium stereo, satellite radio, a 7-inch digital instrument display, and two additional USB ports.
Safety Features
The 2021 Kia Seltos received an overall safety rating of four out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave it the highest rating of Good in all six crash test categories.
The base trim comes standard with only a rearview camera and rear-seat reminder, which is a little disappointing. Kia righted this for the 2022 Seltos, though, with a greater offering of standard safety features.
Available safety features on upper trim levels include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, driver attention monitoring, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and speed limit recognition.
With so many new driver-assist features it can be hard to keep up. Check out our article, New Safety Tech Explained, to stay in the loop.
2021 Kia Seltos Trims & Pricing
LX – $21,990
The base LX trim includes standard all-wheel drive, 17-inch wheels, keyless entry, cloth upholstery, a reclining rear seat, rear-seat reminder, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a USB port, a six-speaker stereo, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, and a backup camera.
S – $21,990
The S trim starts at the same base MSRP as the LX but comes in front-wheel drive (AWD is an option). It also adds synthetic leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, heated outside mirrors, optional two-tone paint, and fog lights. Several advanced driver safety features are also standard including lane departure warning, lane keep assist, automatic high beams, automatic emergency braking, driver attention monitoring, and pedestrian detection.
EX – $25,390
The EX trim builds on the S trim and adds all-wheel drive. It also adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, a sunroof, proximity keyless entry, wireless device charging, push-button start, automatic climate control, two additional USB ports, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
S Turbo – $25,590
The S Turbo trim mirrors the S trim with a few additions and changes. The S Turbo has a more powerful turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive is standard. It also adds 18-inch wheels, exterior trim color changes, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot monitoring.
SX – $27,990
The range-topping SX trim features a turbocharged engine, includes all of the features from the lower trims, and adds a 7-inch digital instrument cluster display, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, an eight-speaker Bose premium stereo, adaptive cruise control, and speed limit recognition.
Warranties
Kia continues to offer the best warranty in the industry with a 10 year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and a 5 year/60,000-mile limited warranty. There is no complimentary scheduled maintenance.
What We Think
2021 Kia Seltos – kiamedia.com | Shop 2021 Kia Seltos on Carsforsale.com
Kia continues to combine style, appeal, and value and come out on top, and that’s definitely the case for the all new Seltos. It beats most of its rivals—see our comparison to the Chevy Trailblazer—and we don’t see that changing for future models. We’d go with the EX trim for more standard safety features and leather upholstery. With plenty of cargo room and warranty coverage that is unmatched, we’re sold on the 2021 Kia Seltos.
