Some things really are all about timing. Your favorite restaurant opens up an end spot when you arrive. A corner booth opens up, and you snag the last piece of pie. Such is the case with the 2027 Kia Seltos.
The 2027 Seltos from Kia is entering the market at an interesting time. With record-breaking gas prices being the norm today, Kia’s newest addition offers consumers an affordable ride under $30,000 and even a hybrid version to boot. The compact SUV will need to capitalize on its styling, interior space, and features to entice consumers before they settle on the ever-popular Honda HR-V and Subaru Crosstrek models.
Why? Because just like an HR-V owner might move up in size and price point within the Honda family after some years, so too might a Seltos driver consider moving up to a bigger SUV like the Sportage or Telluride. This is why the 2027 Kia Seltos is so critical for the Korean automaker—this is the first opportunity to make consumers fall in love with their brand for years to come. We’ve just driven the 2027 Seltos and its all-new hybrid model in Korea—is there any reason for Subaru and Honda to be worried?
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With an array of over a dozen engines in its lineup, the 2027 Seltos is available in both gas and hybrid versions. The only other subcompact SUVs that come with hybrid versions are the Subaru Crosstrek and Toyota Corolla Cross, hence the addition of a hybrid Seltos variant broadens the reach of the vehicle.
Kia continues to provide two engines that run solely on gas in the 2027 Seltos, including a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline-four with roughly 147 horsepower as the entry-level engine paired with a CVT automatic. This comes as standard for most of the trims and features FWD or AWD configurations. However, should you opt for a 2027 Seltos X-Line Turbo, you will get a 1.6-liter turbo inline-four engine coupled with an eight-speed automatic.
The all-new 2027 Seltos hybrid that is expected to hit the market this year expands the range of available propulsion methods with both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive models providing up to 179 horsepower. Hybrid SUVs are usually faster than their gasoline-powered counterparts and also save time thanks to less frequent stops at the gas station. Similarly to Toyota’s hybrid models, the AWD version of the 2027 Seltos hybrid utilizes e-AWD technology, implying that the additional grip is provided by a rear-mounted motor.
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We tested both versions of the 2027 Kia Seltos, the 1.6 turbo and the hybrid. Both versions exhibited responsiveness and quickness at times. There are not many subcompact SUVs that do as well in this regard.
However, there are some drawbacks to the two models under review, too. Starting with the hybrid version of the car, it is easy to notice that its DCT is a bit slow to respond during sudden accelerations. While this may be irrelevant for those who will never use their accelerator pedal past its midpoint, it is a noteworthy point nonetheless.
As for the 2027 Seltos 1.6 turbo, it behaves much like its mechanical sibling Hyundai Kona. The problem here is that this car is sometimes eager to accelerate more than required. Once again, this issue is barely noticeable, but it may get annoying for more sensitive users.
The 2027 Seltos 1.6 and Hybrid are fairly silent vehicles considering that they cost between $25,000-$35,000, and the car’s suspension did well dealing with road irregularities and numerous speed bumps on Korean side roads, even though we felt that the steering could have some more feedback. On the whole—except for powertrain refinement—the vehicle was adequate in its performance.
Firstly, the steering wheel paddles of the 2027 Seltos hybrid perform two functions. They work as shift paddles in Sport mode and regenerative brakes in Eco mode. Just like in an electric car, activating any of the three modes will cause the SUV to slow down in different degrees of intensity. However, none of them will help you stop your vehicle completely. Nevertheless, it can be useful in traffic when you do not want to press the brakes repeatedly. You will find it convenient once you start using them.
In terms of the brakes, they seem pretty normal – and we think it is a good thing. Sometimes, hybrids have weird feeling brakes as you stop moving, but that is not an issue with this particular model. There is some kind of brake pull just before stopping the vehicle.
We do not have any problems with large displays for drivers and infotainment, which are available in the 2027 Seltos model. There is also a smaller screen for the HVAC system that goes between them in more expensive trims. Although the screen that adjusts airflow and recirculated air is partially hidden by the steering wheel, these features are not utilized continuously, so it does not bother us too much.
Similarly, we are not too worried about the fact that the driver’s instrument panel display does not have enough features. The screen looks modern and works properly, but it would be nice to have a full map view or always-on function to show information about music and album artwork. It would be unfair to criticize such shortcomings in the budget SUV, considering that its technology is still superior to competitors.
In addition, the 2027 Seltos has even more advanced technologies, such as adaptive cruise control with automatic lane changes. This feature becomes active when you use the signal. With the help of the lane centering feature, you can reduce stress while driving on the highway.
The interior space is generous, partially attributed to the openness of the center console along with the spaciousness of the rear seat. Even the trunk adds to this spacious feeling by providing a space of around 27.8 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded, a figure not too far from those provided by some other compact SUVs.
One of our chief complaints about the interior is related to the drive stalk. You can use it by twisting it either forward or backward to select Drive or Reverse modes. While the design is quite logical, it often used to hit me on my right knee, being somewhat extended from the steering column on the side. My height could be one of the reasons why this problem occurs, so your mileage may vary.
Over our two-day test drive period, we fell in love with the two-tone color schemes provided inside the Seltos. There was even a dark green interior scheme for the previous generation Seltos, but we believe that these new color schemes, namely dark gray or light brown over light beige, might stick with the Seltos line for a while.
| 2027 Kia Seltos Specifications | |
| BASE PRICE | $26,000-$35,000 (MT est) |
| LAYOUT | Front-engine, FWD/AWD, 5-pass, 4-door internal-combustion SUV |
| ENGINE | 2.0L/147-hp/132-lb-ft* Atkinson-cycle port-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4; 1.6L/190-hp/195-lb-ft* turbo direct-injected 16-valve I-4; 1.6L/104-hp/106-lb-ft* Atkinson-cycle direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4 plus 11-hp/26-lb-ft and 43-hp/125-lb-ft (fr)* permanent-magnet electric motors, 155/179 hp (comb, FWD/e-AWD)* |
| TRANSMISSION | CVT, 8-speed auto, 6-sp twin-clutch auto (fr) 1-sp fixed-ratio (rr) (hybrid) |
| CURB WEIGHT | 2,950-3,450 lb (est) |
| WHEELBASE | 105.9 in |
| L x W x H | 174.4 x 72.0 x 63.0 in |
| 0–60 MPH | 7.3-8.6 sec (MT est) |
| EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON | Not yet rated |
| EPA RANGE, COMB | Not yet rated |
| ON SALE | Q2 2026 (2.0, 1.6T), Q4 2026 (Hybrid) |
