• Auto123 gets in a first drive of the 2027 Kia Seltos.
Seoul, South Korea — The Kia Seltos has always had a specific talent: offering a larger-than-life presence without requiring you to take out a second mortgage on your home. For 2027, Kia pushes this concept even further with a completely redesigned second generation.
First, the vehicle is 45 mm longer, its wheelbase gains 60 mm and its width increases by 30 mm. More technological, more refined and now available as a hybrid, the 2027 Seltos arrives with ambitions that reach far beyond the simple role of small urban utility vehicle. At first glance, it looks like a Telluride that forgot to eat its vegetables. And that is by no means a bad thing.
2027 Kia Seltos - What's new?
The big news is the arrival of a hybrid version, which includes an all-wheel-drive (AWD) variant. In this segment, that’s a particularly compelling quality. Kia also adds a host of driver assistance features, nearly 30 inches of screen real estate, and a significantly more modern cabin. In short, the 2027 Seltos is no longer playing in the bargain-basement economy league. It is now targeting established players like the Honda HR-V, Toyota Corolla Cross and Subaru Crosstrek.
Design of the 2027 Kia Seltos – 9.0/10
The change is immediately striking. The new Seltos adopts a squarer, more rugged silhouette inspired by the Telluride. Amber daytime running lights, flush door handles and cleaner lines finally give it the upscale look that the previous model lacked.
The stretched wheelbase improves both on-road stability and interior space, especially for rear passengers.
Interior of the 2027 Kia Seltos – 8.0/10
The cabin represents arguably the biggest leap forward. The dashboard features a massive panoramic interface spanning nearly 30 inches. It combines two 12.3-inch screens and a 5-inch climate control screen nestled between the driver's instrument cluster and the central display. It feels like a vehicle from two segments above.
Fortunately, Kia keeps essential physical controls, saving you from having to dig through three submenus to adjust the temperature in the dead of January or the heat of July.
Rear legroom clearly benefits from the elongated wheelbase. Passengers gain valuable centimetres of legroom, and cargo volume increases as well. With the rear seats folded down, the Seltos becomes surprisingly practical for weekend getaways or those IKEA trips you usually wish you’d never made once you start trying to assemble the furniture.
That said, not everything is perfect. Some surfaces remain heavily plasticky, particularly in the base trims. It’s obvious Kia invested in the screens ahead of upgrading the materials. Additionally, the placement of the 5-inch screen is questionable - it’s completely blocked by your right hand on the steering wheel.
Technology in the 2027 Kia Seltos – 8.5/10
Kia continues its technological offensive. The standard infotainment system features a 12.3-inch screen, wireless charging and wireless compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The interface is fast, intuitive, and now supports over-the-air (OTA) updates. Higher trims add a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, 360-degree camera, blind-spot view monitor directly in the instrument cluster and a Harman Kardon audio system.
Kia even allows video streaming via Netflix, YouTube and Disney+ when the vehicle is parked. Because apparently, waiting for someone for 10 minutes without binging a series has become impossible in 2026.
On the safety front, the Seltos continues to impress. Autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, intersection monitoring and traffic sign recognition are now widely available across the lineup.
Powertrains of the 2027 Kia Seltos – 7.5/10
The gasoline engines remain familiar. The naturally aspirated 2.0L 4-cylinder produces 147 hp and maintains a strictly utilitarian purpose. This engine gets the job done but lacks any real passion. Acceleration is honest, but nobody is buying a base Seltos to impress the next car over when the light turns green.
The 1.6L turbo engine remains far more interesting. With 190 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, it offers convincing passing power and a more energetic drive. The 0-100 km/h trick takes around 7 seconds, which is very respectable for the class.
Those two powerplants are essentially carried over from the outgoing Seltos. It’s the hybrid powertrain that’s the shiny new bauble. Borrowing parts of its setup from the departing Kia Niro Hybrid, it combines a 1.6L engine with an electric motor. The front-wheel-drive version could achieve fuel consumption numbers near 5.2L/100 km, while the hybrid AWD variant should stay under the 6.0L/100 km mark. Our test drive in South Korea concluded with an average of 6.7L/100 km in the hybrid version. That is good, but Kia hasn't quite mastered Toyota's secret recipe yet.
Driving the 2027 Kia Seltos – 8.0/10
The previous Seltos occasionally suffered from a stiff ride and slightly nervous behavior on rough pavement. Kia has revised the chassis to improve comfort and refinement. Steering feel is satisfying, and the longer wheelbase provides a more stable footprint on the road. The Seltos has no pretensions of being sporty; instead, it prioritizes a reassuring drive, good visibility and excellent maneuverability in the city. A ground clearance bumped up to 20.5 cm also adds a credible adventurous edge, especially on X-Line trims.
While the base version protests a bit under heavy acceleration, the 1.6L turbo fares much better. The 8-speed automatic transmission paired with the turbo and the 6-speed automatic in the hybrid both do an honest job. Conversely, the base model's CVT remains the family member we don’t talk about.
Fuel economy
The gasoline variants should maintain figures similar to the previous model. The front-wheel-drive 2.0L engine is expected to rate at roughly 8.4L/100 km in the city and 6.9L/100 km on the highway. Expect a slight penalty with all-wheel drive. The turbo engine climbs higher, to around 9.8L/100 km in the city, which remains reasonable given the performance.
The hybrid version stands out as the most economical, though there is still room for improvement if it wants to catch the segment leaders.
2027 Kia Seltos Canadian pricing
No pricing has been released by Kia just yet. Figures will be made official shortly before the 2027 model hits the market this autumn. For context, the current Seltos retails between $30,000 and $40,000 depending on the trim level selected.
The final word
The 2027 Kia Seltos arrives with a clear mission: transform a good, affordable little SUV into a much more mature and desirable product. The more assertive design works beautifully, the cabin takes a massive step forward, and the introduction of a hybrid powertrain is perfectly timed. While a few hard plastics remain and the base version still lacks mechanical personality, the overall package becomes incredibly difficult to ignore.
Kia understands what buyers actually want better than many of its competitors: space, tech, safety and a price tag that remains reasonable. The Seltos doesn't reinvent the segment, but it easily becomes one of the smartest and most versatile choices in its class.
Your questions about the 2027 Kia Seltos
What are the 2027 Seltos' main competitors?
Key rivals include the Subaru Crosstrek, Toyota Corolla Cross, Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-30 (or CX-5, depending on the size you’re cross-shopping from - remember, the Seltos is bigger than the Niro subcompact and smaller than the compact Sportage).
Will this model hold its resale value well?
Backed by a 5-year warranty and a solid reputation for reliability, the Seltos is already highly sought after on the used vehicle market. There's no real reason to think it will be any different with this new generation.