Kia Seltos SUVOTY Review: One of the Best Kias in Years, But …

Pros

• Clever interior details
• Relatively quiet for a cheap SUV
• Looks great

Cons

• Slow base engine
• Really, we’re not kidding, it’s slow
• Turbo lag on uprated engine

This is frustrating because the 2027 Kia Seltos gets so much right. Kia’s new subcompact SUV has a bright future in its segment, yet it was one of the biggest disappointments at this year’s SUV of the Year competition. Why? Simply put, the Seltos is the slowest vehicle in a segment of more than a dozen rivals.

At present, the 2027 Seltos offers a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated base four-cylinder engine with 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque or a 1.6-liter turbo-four with 190 hp and 195 lb-ft. The latter is only available on the most expensive trim; the base engine will power most gas Seltos SUVs.

“The lack of power is masked well in gentle, suburbanlike acceleration, but the moment you ask anything more of it, the Seltos falls flat on its face,” features editor Christian Seabaugh said, not mincing words.

To be clear, we don’t expect every vehicle we drive to deliver sports car acceleration. Not only is that not practical, but it can also be inefficient and costly. Even so, we expect more than this. (Hopefully, the upcoming hybrid-powered Seltos will help fix some of its motivational issues.)

Drivers who don’t like to press more than halfway through the throttle pedal’s travel will have difficulty with short freeway on-ramps. Then there are situations like passing a slow truck on a two-lane road that will require either safely building momentum beforehand, or more likely, not attempting it at all. “The base powertrain mostly converts gasoline into noise, not power,” features editor Scott Evans said, “and it’s not even that noisy.”

Evans touched on why this is so wrenching. Here’s a subcompact SUV that starts under $27,000 yet drives with refinement to match SUVs costing thousands more. Although it’s not exactly fun to drive, there were few complaints about its ride quality or noise levels-common issues for SUVs starting below 30 grand.

Then there’s the styling. When we talk about advancement in design at an SUV of the Year competition, we’re not just talking about what’s the prettiest. We’re also looking for vehicles with presence, and this little Kia has it. “The Seltos looks great from all angles and is a key reason why someone would shop specifically for the Seltos over its competitors,” associate editor Alex Leanse said.

So yes, we liked the chiseled looks of the 2027 Seltos. We also appreciated its interior, which is sprinkled with clever touches designed to make everyday life easier. The USB ports for the rear seating area are located halfway up the backs of the front seats instead of near the floor like in many cars. The backrest recline for the rear seat is located where your hand naturally falls, and we think it’s cool that the Seltos even offers a backrest recline at all. Retractable cupholders up front have become something of a Kia trademark, making room for slightly larger items when you need the space or normal cupholders when you don’t.

From its suspension compliance to its spacious interior, the sharp Seltos offers great value overall. Then you step on the accelerator and wonder why you’re not moving faster. We know such a situation may not happen every day. But for many judges, its pokiness proved the end of the road for the Seltos. Will the hybrid change things? There’s always next year.

This review was conducted as part of our 2027 SUV of the Year (SUVOTY) testing, where each vehicle is evaluated on our six key criteria: efficiency, design, safety, engineering excellence, value, and performance of intended function. Eligible vehicles must be all-new or significantly revised.