2026 Kia Seltos Review
Packing a punch under the hood, the 2026 Seltos SX adds spice to the small SUV segment.
Jim Resnick
The 2026 Kia Seltos aims to prove that small crossover SUVs don't have to be boring. In addition to its stylish design and generous interior space, the 2026 Seltos offers impressive infotainment and safety technologies, as well as ample practicality. One of its key distinctions, however, is the availability of a turbocharged engine making 190 horsepower.
In terms of size, the Seltos slots into the Kia SUV lineup above the Soul and below the Sportage. It also offers all-wheel drive (AWD) with each trim level, whereas every Kia Soul is front-wheel drive (FWD). So, if you're a winter-weather fan or slippery-road driver, the Seltos is likely where you'll want to enter the Kia-verse.
This little crossover has a lot to offer. Nevertheless, the Kia Seltos faces numerous appealing rivals, and based on a week spent driving the turbocharged SX model, I think the vehicle proves to be a compromise in too many areas to be a true all-around hit.
Jim Resnick
About the 2026 Kia Seltos SX
The 2026 Kia Seltos is available in LX, S, EX, and SX trim levels, with base prices ranging from approximately $26,000 to around $33,000, including the destination charge for shipping the SUV to a dealership from the Gwangju, Korea, factory that builds it.
For this Seltos review, I test-drove the SX in Arizona. Optional equipment included the Sunroof package (which also includes ventilated front seats) and carpeted floor mats, bringing the manufacturer's suggested retail price to $33,835, including the $1,445 destination charge. Kia provided the vehicle for this Seltos review.
Jim Resnick
Pleasing Looks Overall for the 2026 Kia Seltos
Appropriately, the 2026 Seltos SX looks more upscale than its more affordable siblings. For example, it features LED headlamps and fog lights, a different grille, and 18-inch wheels with a machined surface finish. The result is appealing.
Inside, Kia mixes piano-black and brushed aluminum trim for a similar premium appearance. The Seltos SX features a technologically sophisticated 10.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, displayed side by side in a single panoramic display.
However, the automaker also covers the dashboard top, door panels, and lower center console with what I found to be cheap-looking and hard-feeling plastic. Furthermore, on the passenger side, the dashboard shows depressions where the airbag can split the surface and deploy quickly. All cars have these, but I thought they were too obvious in the Seltos.
Despite some disappointment with the interior materials, I found the switches and controls to feel more upmarket. Everything is logically placed, too, including the drive-mode selector by the gear lever with a manual shift gate closer to the driver.
Jim Resnick
With 99.6 cubic-feet of passenger volume, the Seltos has more space than competitors such as the Honda HR-V (98.7 cu-ft) and the Mazda CX-30 (93.8 cu-ft). Unfortunately, that roominess doesn't translate into front-seat comfort.
SynTex synthetic leather is standard in the SX, and while it looks good, it has a slightly clammy, sticky feel to it and is almost too grippy. Additionally, despite the test vehicle's 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, comfort is merely adequate and can prove fatiguing on long drives due to insufficient thigh support.
In the SX, both front seats offer heating and available ventilation, and the driver's seat includes power lumbar support adjustment. However, these enhancements did not completely eliminate discomfort.
All that said, the rear seat is surprisingly accommodating. Legroom for my 6-foot-1-inch frame was a bit shy, as I had to splay my legs with the front seat positioned for my comfort, but your mileage will vary. Rear air-conditioning vents and two USB-C charging points make rear-seat life better, too.
Storage space up front is adequate. There is a small bin under the center armrest, a tray on the center console, and door pockets that fit water bottles and only a few other items. Regarding cargo space, the Seltos offers a roomy 26.6 cu-ft behind the rear seats. With the rear seats folded down, the Seltos opens up to 62.8 cu-ft.
Jim Resnick
2026 Kia Seltos Gets Stylish Panoramic Display
My Seltos SX had a panoramic display containing two separate 10.3-inch screens for instrumentation and infotainment, an upmarket touch in a downmarket vehicle.
Not only that, but the infotainment system also teaches lessons in user-friendliness. Pairing my iPhone took no time, and the system proved responsive to input, was easily navigable, and had large fonts for easy readability. Unfortunately, only the base Seltos LX has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Any trim level with the 10.3-inch touchscreen requires you to connect to the data port with a cable to use those features, which is difficult to accept in a 2026 model-year vehicle.
Kia installs an eight-speaker Bose audio system in the Seltos SX. During my test, the system delivered merely adequate sound quality with middling definition and no real sparkle.
Jim Resnick
Kia's standard collection of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) is missing a few important features. For example, the Seltos LX is unavailable with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. For those, you must upgrade to S, EX, or SX trim.
As you climb that trim-level ladder, you can also avail yourself of rear parking sensors and a safe-exit warning system. The Seltos SX offers Junction Turning Detection (can detect a possible collision at an intersection and brake to avoid one), adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, and Highway Driving Assist.
Highway Driving Assist combines the adaptive cruise control system with lane-centering assist to provide semi-autonomous driving assistance. It is a hands-on technology, though, so the driver must hold the steering wheel. Highway Driving Assist performed well. Maybe too well. I found the Seltos could travel without my hands on the steering wheel for up to 30 seconds.
As of publication, crash-test ratings are not available for the 2026 Seltos. The 2025 model, however, fell short in tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Unless Kia made some unannounced changes to the 2026 model, those will likely carry over.
Jim Resnick
Great Turbo Power but Disappointing Transmission in 2026 Seltos
As the top-shelf Seltos model, the SX features a 190-hp 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard on the SX, which also receives larger 18-inch wheels.
In this age of supersedans with 700 horsepower and electric vehicles with 1,000 horsepower, a mere 190 horsepower might seem quaint. Well, it can get the Seltos SX moving smartly, but it has a tepid partner in the eight-speed transmission.
The transmission is reluctant to rapidly downshift when conditions warrant, and it doesn't allow the engine to spin up into its power band quickly from a dead stop. Add a bit of turbo lag, and things conspire to impede the giddy-up you want when you want it. Switching to the Sport driving mode doesn't help when launching the SUV, either.
During my test drive, I found it difficult to modulate the throttle at a steady 40 mph to 60 mph. At those commonly traveled speeds, no matter how smoothly you apply your right foot to the accelerator pedal, the SX's throttle exhibits an on-off jerkiness I've not encountered in any other Kia I've tested.
Jim Resnick
When the Seltos SX comes to life after the above hesitations, the turbocharged engine's power is prodigious and entertaining. And thankfully, the Seltos does the "whoa" thing better than the initial "go" thing. Modulating the brake pedal is easy, with steady and even behavior in everyday driving and rapid responsiveness when making emergency stops.
Although it isn't sports-car telepathic, the SX's steering nonetheless serves up a fine-tuned accuracy and decent feel for the road surface. The suspension delivers a comfortable ride and also handles well on twisty roads — up to a point. The all-season tires did not really excel at grip during my test drive. On the plus side, considering it's a small vehicle in an affordable price bracket, the Seltos SX did an impressive job of quelling noise.
Unimpressively, the Seltos SX earns an EPA-estimated fuel-economy rating of 25 mpg in combined city and highway driving. That's significantly less than other Seltos AWD models (29 mpg) and the FWD versions (31 mpg). During my evaluation, I observed a real-world fuel economy of 26.1 mpg in mixed driving conditions. That's better than the rating, but not by much, and given the vehicle's size, still pretty disappointing.
Jim Resnick
Is the 2026 Kia Seltos a Good SUV?
The 2026 Kia Seltos offers more interior space than some small crossover SUVs, and with the SX trim level, it also delivers more power. However, my test vehicle suffered from an uncooperative transmission, some cheap interior plastic, mediocre seat comfort, and sluggish throttle response. The fuel economy was also unimpressive. In this segment, the high-value Chevrolet Trax, stylish Buick Envista, sporty Mazda CX-30, and refined Volkswagen Taos may prove to be more appealing alternatives for some.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Jim ResnickFrom racing exotic sports cars, to ranking new cars, to peeling back layers of cover up in an exhaust emissions scandal, Jim has chronicled the automotive sector for decades. Jim has also worked inside the corporate headquarters of three carmakers, and therefore understands how the automotive sausage is really made. But Jim’s affinity for vehicles takes a back seat to finding the truth and the cultural implications of modern transportation. He has also lectured at universities to engineering and policy students and faculty on the industry’s relationship with legislation in the wake of the diesel exhaust emissions scandal several years ago. Put simply, Jim reports on autos, mobility, tech, car culture, and the traffic jam of topics within.
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