Subcompact SUV: 2021 Kia Seltos
KBB’s Best New Model for 2021 also takes home the trophy for best buy in its class. Kia has high hopes for its Seltos and early indications are it’s come through with a product that has every chance to succeeding in an intensely competitive segment.
As we mentioned, the Seltos is actually more of an in-between model sitting astride the subcompact and compact size categories, but then it’s not alone in that space, so its victory here is meaningful – it had to outpoint Nissan’s Qashqai, Mazda’s CX-30 and Chevrolet’s Trailblazer, remember. All of those offer a bit more room and bit more car than the actual, honest-to-goodness subcompact models, and the Seltos beat them all in the view of KBB.
What KBB liked:
- Roominess, both in front and in the second row
- Comfortable front seats
- Reclining back seats
- Excellent interior finishing and amenities
- Lots of safety tech
- Standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, standard 8-inch screen
- Best-in-class cargo space
- Reasonable base-model price point
- Solid Kia warranty
See also: 2021 Kia Seltos Review: When’s a subcompact not a subcompact?
See also: 2021 Kia Seltos EX pictures