SELTOS

2023 KIA Seltos: Best Small SUV Model

2023 KIA Seltos

2023 KIA Seltos – The hatchback-like KIA Soul and compact Sportage join the New Kia Seltos. Seltos combines a soul trim structure rich in value and simple size with increased Sportage flexibility.

Indeed, almost every Seltos comes standard with all-wheel drive—Soul is only front-wheel drive—with the price landing in the middle of its two siblings.

2023 KIA Seltos

2023 KIA Seltos
2023 KIA Seltos

Seltos shares a platform and powertrain with Hyundai Kona, which helps it deliver attractive driving attitudes and competitive fuel economy.

A 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine powers the base model, but the high-end trim comes with a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine that spouts 175 horsepower.

While the LX base model comes standard with popular driver assistance features and provides a good list of standard infotainment equipment, other Seltos trims are more likely to satisfy modern SUV buyers with additional hospitality and many options available.

The Seltos is slightly larger—and therefore a little more spacious—gives it another edge over other subcompact SUVs such as the Mazda CX-30 and Nissan Kicks.

What’s new for 2023?

It features many driver assistance features as standard, including automatic emergency braking, lane guard assistance, and automatic headlights.

The larger 10.3-inch infotainment screen is now standard at more Seltos trim levels. All but LX trim now comes with automatic climate control and remote start; The top-spec SX receives a flat grounded steering wheel new Plum interior color scheme.

The Nightfall Edition is a new product in this year’s lineup and features unique black-painted 18-inch aluminum rims and black exterior trim.

Trims Level

The Kia Seltos 2023 will probably be released in five trims as before, and the base price will start at $23,000, while the top SX Turbo trim will start at $27,990. The three raw edges get naturally sucked engines, while the S Turbo and SX Turbo trims get turbocharged engines. AWD will be standard on all trim except S trim, which has FWD as standard.

2023 KIA Seltos Engine

Kia offers two different four-cylinder engines in Seltos: a 2.0-liter one that produces 146 horsepower or 1.6-liter turbocharged ones that pump out 175. We were able to taste seltos with a turbocharged 1.6 liter and found its power to be more than enough.

All-wheel drive is standard with four turbos but optional with a non-turbo base engine. Seltos offers a firm but mostly smooth ride, and its handling is sharp for an SUV — much more entertaining and quiet than its rivals, such as the Jeep Compass and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport.

Fuel Economy and MPG

The EPA estimates that Seltos will provide fairly efficient MPG figures. The fuel economy of the highway is estimated at 35 mpg for the 2.0-liter four-cylinder front-wheel-drive model. On our 75 mph highway fuel-economy test route, the all-wheel-drive Seltos with 1.6-liter turbocharged managed 30 mpg. For more information on Seltos fuel savings, visit the EPA website.

2023 KIA Seltos Interior

2023 KIA Seltos Interior
2023 KIA Seltos Interior

The cabin is also quite large and spacious — an advantage over its rivals, thanks to the shape of the Seltos box. Not only are four adults sitting comfortably, but there is also plenty of cargo space for luggage and groceries.

Seltos also offers a good range of driving aids — all but the basic LX models come with forwarding collision mitigation, lane departure alerts, and driver attention monitors.

The top trim replaces the standard 8-inch touchscreen with a 10.25-inch unit with crystal-clear graphics and Bose audio system.

Seltos offers more space for people and cargo than Kona. The materials used throughout the cabin are well selected and refined enough to look right at home in the showroom next to the brand’s incredible Telluride SUV.

Interior ambient lighting is standard on high-end SX models and can be adjusted according to music, like Kia’s system in smaller Soul SUVs.

During our test drive, the cargo area easily swallows our suitcases, backpacks, and photo bags; in our tests, we put eight carry-on suitcases in the cargo hold and 20 with the back seat folded.

Infotainment and Connectivity

All Seltos models will have a touch screen infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Still, the optional 10.3-inch unit is available, and that’s standard on all but the basic LX.

Navigation is optional and offers the ability to split the screen to see the map and direction while making changes to the radio station.

Depending on the model you choose, Seltos can also be equipped with a wireless smartphone charging pad, up to three USB ports, a head-up display, and a 7.0-inch color display in the gauge cluster. Bose’s eight-speaker audio system will also be optional and features a fractal textured speaker grille.

Safety Features

Kia offers a standard range of driver-assist technology on the Seltos, but higher-tech features such as adaptive cruising control and cyclist detection are limited to SX trim. For more information on Seltos’ crash test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the insurance institute for highway safety (IIHS) websites. Key security features include:

  • Standard automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection;
  • Standard lane-departure warning with the help of lane guards;
  • Adaptive cruise control and cyclist detection available.

Driver-Assist Technology

Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist-Rear (BCA-R)

If you try to change lanes when an object is detected at a blind spot, the available BCA-R can apply brake pressure to the front wheel from the opposite side to help maintain your previous path.

Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA)

Standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) uses a radar system designed to help detect potential collisions and brakes under various circumstances.

Lane Following Assist (LFA)

Lane Following Assist tracks the vehicle in front during high traffic conditions and identifies the right space in the other lane to move safely and get more ground in severe congestion. The system uses external sensors to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front at all times and only maneuvers when safe spaces are available.

Rear Traffic Collision Avoidance (RCCA)

Sensors are hidden in the corner of the rear bumper scan cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles passing by when you reverse.

If the available RCCA systems detect potential hazards that cross into your desired path, audio and visual alerts, as well as possible braking interventions, are enabled.

Safe Exit Assistance (SEA)

Available Safe Exit Assist (SEA) alerts your passengers when they try to exit the vehicle when rear sensors detect an approaching vehicle from behind.

2023 KIA Seltos Color Options:

  • Steel Gray
  • Cherry Black
  • Snow White Pearl
  •  Gravity Gray
  • Mars Orange
  • Neptune Blue
  • Dark Ocean Blue
  • Starbright Yellow
  • Dark Ocean Blue / Clear White
  • Dark Ocean Blue / Cherry Black
  • Starbright Yellow / Cherry Black
  • Clear White / Cherry Black

2023 KIA Seltos Price and Release Date

The 2023 Kia Seltos is essentially the rest of the 2022 model year. So we expect the price to remain very close to the 2022 model. Prices are expected to start at about $23,000 and may rise to $27,990.

No official information has been available until now from Kia regarding the 2023 Kia Seltos release date. We hope it will reach dealers somewhere by the end of summer 2022.

2022 KIA Seltos Turbo Nightfall Edition

2022 KIA Seltos Turbo Nightfall Edition
2022 KIA Seltos Turbo Nightfall Edition

The Kia Seltos arrives in the U.S. for the 2021 model year, but the company is already giving it some tweaks. Two new reports from Cars Direct, which obtained dealer order guidance, detail the changes.

The stylish crossover will receive a brand new badge along with a new Nightfall Edition trim. Kia will discontinue its 1.6-liter turbocharged Seltos S offering as well.

The new Nightfall Edition, which starts at $27,865 and includes a goal fee of $1,175, adds an expected visual enhancement that comes with such a trim.

No new rim images yet. It accepts an 18-inch matte black wheel, a black radiator grille, black roof rails, and a black side sill.

The Nightfall Edition is also the cheapest Seltos trim available with a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine model, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

Other changes coming to Seltos 2022 are much more dramatic, although that could make distinguishing Seltos trim difficult.

The automaker will remove the trim badge from the back of the vehicle. The 2022 Seltos will also receive KIA’s new badging as part of the company’s ongoing rebranding efforts.

The new logo is much more luxurious in design than the old one as the company continues to refine its product range. Other upgrades to the 2022 model include the addition of automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assistance, and more as standard.

KIA Seltos Turbo Nightfall Edition Price

Kia launched the Seltos in late 2019 for the 2021 model year as an affordable compact crossover. It had a starting price of $21,990 when it first arrived.

Those who don’t choose the turbocharged all-wheel-drive Nightfall Edition will get a 2.0-liter engine that produces 146 hp (109 kW). It’s unclear when the Seltos 2022 crossover will reach dealers, but it shouldn’t be too long.

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