LoanLenz

Vehicle profile · US market

2027 Kia Seltos

Official specifications plus attributed observations from three independent professional reviews of the redesigned 2027 Kia Seltos.

Second generationSubcompact SUVUpdated
A Terrain Brown 2027 Kia Seltos driving on a coastal road
Official 2027 Kia Seltos photo provided by Kia America for editorial use.

Manufacturer information

Official pricing and specifications

Starting MSRP
$24,990 before $1,495 destination charge
Gas engines
147-hp 2.0L four-cylinder or 190-hp turbo 1.6L four-cylinder
Cargo volume
27.8 cu ft behind the second row; 64.2 cu ft with it folded
Drivetrains
Front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, depending on trim

These facts come from Kia America sources listed below; taxes, fees, options, and dealer pricing are not included in MSRP.

Attributed synthesis

What professional reviewers report

positive

Room and everyday practicality

All three reviewers found the redesigned cabin useful for passengers or cargo, with particular praise for rear-seat room, cargo capacity, or both.

  • Autoblog — Cole Attisha: Attisha found the cargo area genuinely useful, rear space adequate, and outward visibility strong for everyday use. Source location: Interior: Quirky Headrests, Real Comfort.
  • J.D. Power — Christian Wardlaw: Wardlaw found generous rear passenger room and cargo capacity that compares favorably with many small SUVs. Source location: Independent Expert Opinion: Design, Comfort, and Utility.
  • Car and Driver — Dan Edmunds: The review characterized passenger space as generous for the class and recorded about 28 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seat. Source location: Interior, Comfort, and Cargo.

positive

Refined, easy everyday driving

The reviewers broadly described the Seltos as comfortable, quiet, mature, or easy to drive, although their test routes and configurations were not identical.

  • Autoblog — Cole Attisha: He described the controls, ride, and transmission calibration as working together to make routine driving feel low-effort and mature. Source location: Driving Impressions: Easy Is The Word.
  • J.D. Power — Christian Wardlaw: He reported comfortable seating for front and rear occupants and appreciated the practical mix of screens and physical controls. Source location: Independent Expert Opinion: Design, Comfort, and Utility.
  • Car and Driver — Dan Edmunds: The test team praised the settled ride and sound isolation, describing the redesigned vehicle as quiet and refined overall. Source location: Instrumented test overview and Engine, Transmission, and Performance.

concern

Performance and handling tradeoffs

Each reviewer identified a performance limitation: modest urgency, delayed response, or handling that favors comfort over driver engagement.

  • Autoblog — Cole Attisha: He said the turbo Seltos was not especially athletic, with vague steering and occasional transmission hesitation when more power was requested. Source location: Powertrain and Driving Impressions sections.
  • J.D. Power — Christian Wardlaw: He found the turbo engine satisfactory overall but noted lazy responses in Normal mode and advised allowing for a slight delay when requesting power. Source location: Independent Expert Opinion: Driving the 2027 Kia Seltos.
  • Car and Driver — Dan Edmunds: The instrumented test measured slower acceleration than the previous Seltos and attributed much of the difference to added weight without more power. Source location: 0-60-MPH Times and C/D Test Results.

Review sources and tested vehicles

Autoblog

Attisha's production-spec first drive emphasized the redesign's maturity, useful cabin, and easy road manners while noting that the turbo model is not especially athletic.

Reviewer
Cole Attisha
Published
Trim
X-Line SX
Drivetrain
All-wheel drive
Powertrain
190-hp turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder
Test location
Southern California
Read the original Autoblog review

Car and Driver

Car and Driver's instrumented test praised the redesigned Seltos for its settled ride, quietness, and useful space, but measured slower acceleration than the prior model.

Reviewer
Dan Edmunds
Published
Trim
X-Line SX with Prestige package
Drivetrain
All-wheel drive
Powertrain
190-hp turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder
Read the original Car and Driver review

J.D. Power

Wardlaw's review highlighted passenger comfort and cargo utility, while noting delayed powertrain responses and limits outside ordinary paved-road use.

Reviewer
Christian Wardlaw
Published
Trim
X-Line SX with Prestige package
Drivetrain
All-wheel drive
Powertrain
190-hp turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder
Test location
Southern California
Read the original J.D. Power review

Coverage gap

What owners report

No permitted owner-report sources are included in this pilot. LoanLenz will not summarize owner anecdotes until a source-permission and moderation process has been approved.

No LoanLenz score

Reliability, recalls, warranty, and safety

This redesigned model is too new for useful long-term evidence in the permitted sources reviewed for this profile, so LoanLenz does not assign a reliability rating or predict durability.

Missing evidence does not mean that a vehicle has no problems. Check the exact VIN and current government or manufacturer records before purchase.

Where coverage is limited

  • No owner reports are included because this pilot does not yet have an approved source-permission and moderation process for anecdotal submissions.
  • The second-generation 2027 model is too new for meaningful long-term reliability evidence from the permitted sources checked.
  • This profile does not include an attributed NHTSA or IIHS crash-test assessment for the redesigned 2027 model.
  • The professional driving observations focus on turbocharged X-Line SX AWD vehicles and should not be generalized to every powertrain or trim.

Manufacturer offer refresh

Current and historical offers

No current verified manufacturer offer is included. A missing offer is not replaced with an estimate.

3.99% APR for 48 months — historical

Observed for Chicago offer lookup (60601) on . It expired August 3, 2026.

Refresh result on : The official ZIP code 60601 result returned no matching 2027 Seltos offer, so the earlier APR observation remains historical only.

  • Advertised for well-qualified buyers through Kia Finance America
  • Credit approval and the complete official program terms were required

The advertised APR was limited to well-qualified buyers and required approval through Kia Finance America. Dealer participation and the final written contract controlled availability and pricing. Availability depended on eligible new 2027 Seltos inventory in the ZIP code 60601 offer lookup. The captured source did not establish that this APR could be combined with other incentives; buyers had to confirm in writing.

Included sources