Kia America has recently operated a few changes to the Seltos, bringing the small crossover into the 2025 model year. It's better across the board in terms of standard kit, although said equipment comes at higher prices than equivalent 2024s.
S FWD is what Kia America calls the most basic specification of the bunch, which – at $25,090 excluding the $1,375 destination charge – slots the Seltos between the $20,190 Soul and $27,190 Sportage. Back in April 2023, the 2024 model used to kick off at $24,390 plus an extra $1,325.
What changed, though? Both the $25,090 S FWD and the $26,590 S AWD now come as standard with an integrated 4.25-inch TFT cluster and a driver power window with automatic up/down function. 17-inch wheels featuring a two-tone finish are standard for model year 2025 as well.
The South Korean manufacturer also mentions improved finishes and materials for the interior. The EX and SX trims come with the Parking Distance Warning-Reverse system, whereas the EX AWD and SX boast a smart power liftgate for added convenience. The EX AWD further sweetens the deal with a standard cargo cover.
Other than the improved cockpit finishes and materials, the LX AWD and X-Line trims don't appear to have received anything else for 2025. The most expensive specification of the bunch is the SX, which carries an MSRP of $31,090. Depending on trim, prospective customers are presented with either a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated I4 or a 1.6-liter turbo I4 powerplant.
Photo: Kia
Before going into their numbers, it should be noted that Seltos can be had with either a coupled torsion-beam rear axle (front-wheel drive) or a multi-link independent setup (all-wheel drive), whereas the front end is equipped with MacPherson struts. All-wheel-drive trims also get larger brake rotors for both the front and rear ends, namely 12.0/11.0 inches and 11.2/10.3 inches.
That said, both engine choices are designed for 87-octane regular unleaded. The lesser engine is an Atkinson-cycle affair with multi-port fuel injection, packing 146 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 132 pound-feet (179 Nm) at 4,500 rpm. It's joined by the Intelligent Variable Transmission.
If you can't stand continuously variable trannies, you have to upgrade to either the X-Line or SX. Connected to an eight-speed automatic, the 1.6-liter turbo rocks direct fuel injection, 195 ponies at 6,000 revolutions per minute, and 195 pound-feet (264 Nm) from 1,600 through 4,500 rpm.
Miles to the gallon? That would be 31 mpg (7.6 l/100 km) for the 2.0-liter mill with front-wheel drive or 29 mpg (8.1 l/100 km) with all-wheel drive. Going for the turbo and all-wheel drive means 25 miles per gallon or 9.4 liters per 100 kilometers to those who prefer metric units.
Seltos moved a grand total of 14,783 examples in the United States in the first quarter of 2024, representing a small improvement over the 13,894 sold in the first three months of 2023. However, the best-selling nameplates in Kia America's lineup remain the Sportage and soon-to-be-discontinued Forte. Regarding the latter, the K4 sedan and hatch will replace it for MY2025.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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