A major ‘midcycle refresh’ of the 2024 Kia Seltos gives this large-subcompact SUV crossover a more commanding presence inside and out, Kia says.

The 2024 Kia Seltos has had a significant midcycle “refresh.” The large-subcompact SUV crossover has more power, more safety technologies, and styling updates “for a vehicle that stands out from the crowd.” (Photography by Kia America or as credited) 

Table of Contents

What Was Updated for 2024?
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
2024 Kia Seltos Pricing
Powertrains and Performance
Ride and Handling
Interior Function
Back Seats and Cargo Space
Observations and Considerations
Why Buy the 2024 Kia Seltos?
Specifications

BY MARK MAYNARD

The Kia Seltos is a small SUV crossover with big ambition. With a name derived from “Celtos” — the son of Hercules in Greek mythology — the Seltos is an overachiever in its class. It is a cargo-carrying Olympian for the young family. The Seltos cabin has uncommonly tall headroom, the interior design is contemporary with an impressive panoramic display as the centerpiece. But as much as Seltos gives, it also takes from long-term reward in its spartan ride and missed opportunities.

Kia says that the Seltos is aimed at millennials and “youthful, tech-savvy buyers” looking for a vehicle that stands out. But every automaker seeks that buyer for its small utility vehicles. And Seltos has formidable competition in the Chevrolet Trax and Chevrolet Trailblazer, Honda HR-V, Jeep Renegade, Mazda CX 30, Nissan Kicks, and Subaru Crosstrek.

Besides battery-electric models (two) or the Carnival MPV (minivan), Kia has seven SUVs and crossover-type utility vehicles. The choices range from the subcompact Rio to the hybrid-powered Niro to the Sportage small SUV, the boxy Soul (also with an EV version), and the large Telluride.

Of Kia’s 12-vehicle lineup, Seltos slots between the Kia Soul and compact Sportage SUV. Seltos is a top seller for the brand, typically ranking fifth in monthly sales. Among Kia’s total February 2024 sales, Seltos contributed 4,766 — which is why Kia put the Seltos through a major midcycle update just three years after its debut in 2020 for the 2021 model year.

The panoramic dual-screen display makes an impressive centerpiece.

What Was Updated for 2024?

A midcycle “refresh” of the 2024 Kia Seltos gave this large-subcompact SUV crossover a more commanding presence inside and out, Kia says.

Exterior Changes and Additions

• A larger “Tiger Nose” grille emphasizes vehicle width;
• Projection LED headlamps bookend the grille;
• Star Map signature lighting across the front grille creates a recognizable first impression;
• Rigid shapes on the front bumper present a more confident and rugged stance;
• Rear lighting mimics the front signature lighting;
• Two new 17-inch wheel designs and unique 18-inch wheels for the Seltos SX;
• Seltos X-Line has an exclusive front grille treatment, gloss black door garnishes, a black bridge-type roof rack, and unique 18-inch wheels.
• Smart Power Tailgate, in the Sunroof package ($1,200), which includes ventilated front seats and Digital Key 2 Touch;
• Three new interior colors: Navy (X-Line), Brown (EX, SX), and SX-exclusive Midnight Green.

A rear camera view on the 10.25-inch center display. (Mark Maynard)

New Interior Features

• Standard panoramic screen display that integrates the instrument cluster and center display;
• Standard 4.2-inch instrument cluster with digital gauges paired with 8-inch center display; A 10.25-inch instrument cluster paired with 10.25-inch center display is optional and standard on SX;
• Three standard USB ports, including a USB-C charging port;
• Digital Key 2 Touch allows digital vehicle lock and unlock and drive features via compatible iPhones, Apple Watch, and Samsung Galaxy. These keys can be shared with others over text messages on compatible devices;
• Over-the-air updates for map and infotainment;
• Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

Choose from five digital gauge layouts. (Mark Maynard)

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

FCA — Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection: This system detects oncoming vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists under certain conditions. If the system detects that a collision might be likely, it may apply the brakes to help prevent a collision or lessen its effects.

BCW — Blind Spot Collision Warning: Detects vehicles in the next lane. If the system detects a vehicle in its blind spot, it will issue an audible and visual warning when using the turn signal (standard on the S trim and up).

ISLA and ISLW—Intelligent Speed Limit Assist and Intelligent Speed Limit Warning: Using GPS data and smart cruise control, the system detects speed-limit signs with a forward-facing camera. The posted speed limit is displayed in the driver gauge cluster, and if it is exceeded, the digital display icon will turn red and blink. If adhering to the posted speed is annoying, an offset of 5 to 10 mph can be set in vehicle settings.

Additional standard ADAS features

DAW — Driver Attention Warning;

HBA — High Beam Assist;

LFA — Lane Following Assist;

RVM and ROA — Rear View Monitor and Rear Occupant Alert;

RCCA — Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, on Seltos S;

Attractive styling elements and a large bottle holder. (Mark Maynard)

New for Seltos SX Turbo AWD

SCC — Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Junction Turning, Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go;

NSCC — Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control Curve;

HAD — Highway Driving Assist.

Cornering views get complicated by the windshield pillars at the broad base of the side mirrors.

2024 Kia Seltos Pricing

The large-subcompact Kia Seltos is sold in five trim levels of LX, S, EX, X-Line, and SX. Entry-level front-wheel-drive models have the standard 146-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and continuously variable automatic transmission. X-Line and SX have a 195-hp 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, eight-speed automatic transmission, and standard all-wheel drive.

Starting prices range from $25,865 for the front-wheel-drive Seltos LX to $30,165 for the Seltos X-Line with all-wheel drive and $31,465 for the SX with AWD. Pricing includes the $1,375 freight charge from Gwangju, Korea.

Today’s tester is the top-line SX with options for Pluton Blue paint with black roof, $395, and carpeted floor mats, $175. With those options, the Seltos SX tester came to $32,035.

Add the only other available factory package, the Sunroof package, which costs $1,200 and includes the smart power tailgate (kick-opening), ventilated front seats, and digital Key 2 Touch. The price is still manageable at $33,200.

Standard SX features include: 18-inch alloy wheels, projection LED headlights and fog lights, Bose audio system, sport steering wheel, cargo cover, electric parking brake, rearview monitor, power (heated) side mirrors with LED turn signal.

Check current pricing here. And find special financing offers here.

Heat, vent, and AC controls are at fingertip reach.

Standard Seltos features

Even the base trim level of Seltos is rich in convenience features. Among them: 10.25-inch dual panoramic displays with touchscreen navigation; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability; wireless phone charger; SynTex seat upholstery; leather-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel and shift lever; 60/40 split-folding back seat; dual-level cargo floor and cargo cover; Kia Connect, LED projection headlights and fog lights, sound-absorbing windshield glass, and illuminated sun visor vanity mirrors.

Powertrains and Performance

Entry Seltos models are powered by a 146-horsepower, non-turbocharged 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle (for fuel economy) four-cylinder engine and an “Intelligent” continuously variable automatic transmission. Front-wheel-drive fuel economy ratings are 28/34/31 mpg city/highway/combined and 27/31/29 with AWD, with the recommended 87 octane fuel.

The sportier X-Line and SX trim levels have standard all-wheel drive and more horsepower. The new gasoline-direct injection (GDI) four-cylinder engine has 195 hp — an increase of 20 horsepower over the outgoing model. A new eight-speed automatic transmission replaces the previous seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Mileage estimates for the 2024 EX and SX are 25/30/27 mpg city/highway/combined.

The 195-hp, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. (Mark Maynard)

Seltos SX Performance

The 1.6-liter turbocharged engine has a hearty peak torque of 195 lb.-ft. from 1,600 to 4,500 rpm. But it is a hesitant start off until the turbo catches a breath and spools the power. The “turbo lag” might also be compounded by the full-time all-wheel drive system.

However, get hard on the gas, and the acceleration can be neck-snapping quick. I learned to use a heavier foot on the accelerator to push through the turbo lag, and I’d always slap the shifter into sport mode. It gives just enough snap to keep me out of trouble.

My week of testing returned a peak average fuel economy of 24 to 25 mpg around town and just reaching 27.2 with a mix of highway driving. I was expecting more mpgs after 115 miles of driving, but the official mileage estimates are within an mpg or two of the competing four-wheel-drive competition. See competing vehicles at FuelEconomy.gov.

Robot-applied “bondlines” of structural adhesive at the shock towers. (Mark Maynard)

Dynamax Full-Time All-Wheel Drive

Seltos is unique among its competitors for its locking center differential and Dynamax full-time AWD. Sensors monitor road conditions and distribute power to the appropriate wheels to control wheel slip. New for 2024 is a center locking differential that can split power equally between the front and rear wheels.

The driver-activated Lock Mode adds low-speed traction in poor road conditions, which should help the Seltos plow through inclement weather and light off-road driving. Key to the effectiveness of the AWD system is torque vectoring. This electronic calibration increases traction by predicting which wheel will best utilize power. Vectoring enhances stability in corners and contributes to more control in evasive handling.

Kia Drive Wise Driver Assist Technology includes:

• Navigation-based smart cruise control — curve
• Auto Emergency Braking Technology with Junction Turning Detection;
• Highway Driving Assist;
• Blind Spot Detection Technology;
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Avoidance Technology;
• Lane Following Assist and Lane Keeping Assist;
• Safe Exit Warning;
• Rear Occupant Alert;
• High Beam Assist;
• Driving Assistance Features
• Kia Connects with Level 2 semi-autonomous driving capability in the higher trim levels of Seltos.

Only the Seltos SX model includes all the Level II semi-autonomous driving features, such as highway-driving assist, smart cruise control with stop-and-go, and forward collision assist with cyclist detection.

The tester’s semi-autonomous drive experience is well-calibrated to center the Seltos in the lane while making fluid course corrections. The system sensors were not overly sensitive to varying daylight conditions and shadows, which have caused frequent cancellations in some systems I have tested.

Kia’s system gives the driver the immediate benefit of more watchful eyes on the road without continual beeps, bonks, and random alerts. But the system will sound the pay-attention alert when the driver is about to do something reckless.

Always keep both hands on the wheel when using a driver-assist system, even though Kia’s system was forgiving of one-handed driving.

18-inch Kumho Majesty 9 Solus tires are tough and somewhat hard riding.

Seltos SX AWD Ride and Handling

Engineering a tall and small SUV for sporty-driving attributes can result in a stiffer ride that isn’t easy to tame, and Seltos is not alone in this conflict.

Front-drive Seltos models use a torsion-beam rear suspension, which is less heavy and less expensive than a multi-link with lower mounting points that improve cargo space, but the ride quality is not always smooth.

The AWD models are uprated with an independent rear multi-link for more flexibility and wheel travel when driving off-road. The balance of spring rates and shock absorbers feels like a disconnect. Navigating lumpy and undulating roads, the Seltos has some wobble and lift. That unsettling sensation is likely due to the tall gap of air space between the top of the tire and the fender.

Between the relatively long wheelbase (103.5 inches) and the independent rear end, the ride quality is steady on the highway (not choppy). However, hold on for big head-toss when transitioning speed bumps or turning into driveways. Evasive maneuvers were not scary, and the Seltos snapped confidently back in line.

Braking for the 1.6 Turbo is beefier than expected with 12-inch ventilated front rotors and solid 11.2-inch rear rotors. Seltos trims with the 2.0-liter models have brake rotors of 11 inches front, 10.3 inches rear.

The Seltos SX is fitted with 18-inch grand touring Kumho Majesty 9 Solus tires on attractive alloy wheels. The tires (235/45) do not make the Seltos feel agile, and they are of an above-medium hardness for a 560 treadwear rating. But the tires wear like iron with a 45,000-mile treadwear warranty. Replacement tires run around $170 each, per TireRack.com.

Why is there no height adjustment for the passenger? (Mark Maynard)

Seltos Interior Function

Seltos makes the most of its cabin space. Headroom without the sunroof is a tall 40 inches, with 38.4 inches of hat space in the back seat. For a small, upright vehicle, front legroom is considerable (for a small vehicle) at 41.4 inches, and the back seat is roomy with 38 inches of legroom.

Interior décor is contemporary and clean. There are several textures to the black plastic, from piano black to matte, and lizard-belly pebbly. There are several areas of small-item storage, including the front center console armrest (sliding) with a storage box below.

The driver area is laid out to make it easy to find buttons and switches. There is a nice big driver’s footrest, and the flat-bottom steering wheel helps with thigh space. However, cornering views are complicated by the windshield pillars at the broad base of the side mirrors. The view can block pedestrians entering crosswalks.

The multi-way power driver seat, including lumbar support, is desirable. However, the passenger gets just four-way manual adjustment. Why not give the passenger a six-way manually adjusted seat with height adjustment?

Unnecessarily “sporty” front seats are wedgie-inducing from prominent bolsters. It won’t be long before the Syn-Tex upholstery shows that wear.

Despite a laminated windshield for soundproofing, the cabin gets raucous at interstate speeds from wind and engine sounds.

The sculpted back seat window seats have acceptable adult thigh support. (Mark Maynard)

Back Seats and Cargo Space

The sculpted back seat window seats provide acceptable small adult thigh support with a comfortable seatback angle. But the perched center position is no place I would buckle up a child for even a short ice cream run. With such a family emphasis on small SUVs, why can’t the back seat be more of a legitimate three-across bench?

The center rear air vents are an asset. There are grab handles above all doors and two fast-charge USB ports. The fold-down armrest has can holders, and the doors have bottle storage.

Cargo space is a Seltos selling point for its dual-level floor. The cargo entry is wide at 43 inches, the entry height is a tall 35 inches (with the lower cargo floor), and 34 inches deep to the rear seatback. Fold the 60/40 back seat for 5 ½ feet in length.

This is how two wheelbarrows of firewood look in the Kia Seltos when using the lower level of the cargo hold. The stack of wood does not go above the rear seatback, preserving rearview visibility. Below, Fold the rear 60/40 seatback for up to 5 1/2 feet in length. (Mark Maynard)

Observations and Considerations

MSRP. Kia judiciously set the starting suggested retail prices for the 2024 Seltos line. Despite all the enhancements for 2024, the three more expensive trim levels decreased in price. Comparing 2023 pricing, the 2024 Seltos LX is just $175 more, and the Seltos S went up by $375. Seltos EX pricing was trimmed by $2,075. The 2023 Nightfall (now X-Line) and the Seltos SX dropped by $75. (The freight charge from Korea went up $50 to $1,375.)

No parking sensors? With all of Seltos’s driver-assistance features, where is this simple alert system when pulling into a parking space?

Windshield glare. In bright sunshine, a broad portion of the dashboard at the center speaker reflects into the glass and can be distracting.

The donut spare is just 16 inches tall and not a reliable replacement if driving off-road. (Mark Maynard)

No seat memory presets? For a $32K vehicle, seat presets are an asset for the couple who share daily driving duties. If the Seltos driver can choose from five digital gauge presentations, why not also have electronic seat presets?

Lack of adventure features. For those who will use their Seltos X-Line or SX in the adventurous way it is intended, the spare is just a temporary donut spare, not a full-size temporary. That could be an issue while off-roading. And there is no 110-volt household outlet or 12-volt plug in the cargo area for using an inflator for tires, chargers, or toys. But there is a 180-watt 12-volt plug in the e-bin.

Why Buy the 2024 Kia Seltos?

In its urban-suburban environment, the Kia Seltos is a Trojan workhorse.

This trusty little SUV fits the old English quote, “Jack of all trades, master of none, though oftentimes better than master of one.” The Seltos will be a good fit for a young family, a ride-share entrepreneur, and drivers wishing to downsize. For those who need all-wheel drive, the Dynamax full-time system with center locking differential is an asset in winter or getting to the backcountry cabin.

Though Seltos is well armed with driver-protecting assistance technologies, it would not be my choice as a long-distance daily commuter — but a 20-gallon fuel tank could change my mind.

At $32,000 for the as-tested Kia Seltos SX, shoppers have a choice. For another $2,000, the larger Kia Sportage SX ($34,065) has all the features of the as-tested Seltos SX, and they move into a bigger vehicle. Otherwise, the Seltos X-Line — $30,165, with AWD — might be the value option.

The Seltos SX has standard on-demand all-wheel drive with a locking center differential.

2024 Kia Seltos SX Specifications

Body style: Large-subcompact, 5-seat, 5-door SUV crossover with standard all-wheel drive

Engine: 195-hp, 1.6-liter turbocharged and direct-injected 4-cylinder; 195 lb.-ft. torque from 1,600-4,500 rpm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic with sport mode

Fuel economy: 25/27/26 mpg city/hwy/combined; 87 octane recommended

0-60 mph acceleration: 8 seconds; top speed 130 mph

BY THE NUMBERS

Length/wheelbase: 172.6/103.5 inches

Curb weight: 3,362 pounds

Fuel tank: 13.2 gallons

Cargo space: 26.6*-46.4 cubic feet *w/in dual-level position

Front head/leg room: 40*/41.4 inches *38.5 inches w/sunroof

Shoulder room, front/rear: 55.5/54.7 inches

Hip room, front/rear: 53.5/52.8 inches

Rear head/leg room: 38.4/38 inches

FEATURES

Standard Seltos SX equipment includes: 18-inch alloy wheels, projection LED headlights and fog lights, Bose premium audio system, sport steering wheel, cargo cover, electric parking brake, rearview monitor, power (heated) side mirrors with LED turn signal;

SX Driver technologies include: smart cruise control with stop and go, highway driving assist, intelligent speed limit assist, and forward collision avoidance assist — junction turning.

Safety features include: 6 air bags, rollover sensor, hill-start assist, downhill brake control, electronic traction and stability controls.

CHASSIS COMPONENTS

Brakes: 4-wheel discs; 12-inch ventilated front rotors, 11.2-inch solid rotors rear

Steering: Motor power-assisted, rack and pinion; turning circle, 34.8 feet

Tires-wheels: Kumho Majesty9 Solus P235/45R18 M+S; temporary spare

Suspension: MacPherson struts, front, coil springs, stabilizer bar; rear multilink with standard valve shock absorbers

PRICING

2024 Seltos SX base price: $31,465, including $1,375 freight charge; price as tested $32,035

Options on test vehicle: Pluton Blue paint with black roof, $395; carpeted floor mats $175.

Where assembled: Gwangju, Korea

Warranties: 10-years/100,000-miles powertrain; 5-years/60,000-miles bumper to bumper with roadside assistance