2021 Kia Seltos SX Turbo Ownership Review

So Long, Seltos – Lessons Learned After a Year

By Matt Degen on March 28, 2022

Price: $29,605 | Price yours
Current Odometer: 6,073 miles
Latest MPG: 24.9 mpg
Maintenance/Service Costs: $85.42
Days out of Service: 0

And just like that, one year in our long-term 2021 Kia Seltos has come and gone. This yellow subcompact Kia crossover was picked up from our fleet a few weeks ago, and in the meantime I’ve reflected on the traits I most liked about the Seltos, and a few that I think could only improve it.

If you’re considering a Kia Seltos, I hope this helps in your decision. First and foremost, though, know that in general the editorial staff at KBB highly recommends the Seltos. It is our Best Buy Award winner two years running. It won its segment in 2021, the first year it went on sale, and also nabbed our award for Best New Model that year. The Kia Seltos retained its crown for 2022, as well.

I should also mention that Kia has hardly rested on its laurels for the Seltos. Just one year after its debut, the 2022 model got even better by adding active safety features to the base LX trim, and more tech to other trims.

But let’s get back to our 2021 model. In all, I logged just over 6,000 miles in about a year’s time. Yes, I realize this is a bit less than usual, but work-from-home mandates kept me largely off the roads during the average workday. Still, this was more than enough seat time to figure out the intricacies of owning a Seltos, and I will forever be grateful to the Seltos and its surprisingly roomy cargo area for helping in a move.

Key Takeaways

Without further adieu, here are the five seemingly small things I appreciated big time about the Kia, and a few things that could only make it better.

1. Quality feel: I mean this literally. Just touch one of the Seltos’ knurled knobs. Not only do these touch points look great, they feel great. They exude quality, and reminded me of a premium vehicle every time I went to adjust the volume or switch a setting.
2. Sunroof: The reason I didn’t get the 2-tone paint scheme with a black roof and contrast-color body. As cool as this looks, the sunroof isn’t available with the dual-color setup. In the end, I opted for fresh air over design.
3. Bose audio: The premium audio system that came on this top-line SX Turbo model is good. Sometimes really good. Not surprisingly, the better quality the audio, the better the sound. And to that end, I’m glad this Bose can play FLAC files, which are non-compressed digital files I rip from CDs and put on a thumb drive.
4. Pulsating speaker lights: This feature has been available in Kias for over a decade now. I remember first seeing it in the Soul back in 2009. Yet it’s still cool. With this feature, lights around the speakers pulsate to the beat. You can turn it on or off, depending on your mood.
5. Rear air vents: Here’s an important detail you don’t think about until you have passengers in back. It’s especially important if said passengers happen to have four legs and a tail. For dog owners, a rear air vent can make a big difference in their comfort.

A few things I wish the Seltos had:

1. Paddle shifters: Previous vehicles I had as long-termers like the VW Alltrack and Mazda3 Hatchback had paddles on the steering wheel that enable the driver to manually shift up and down the gears of the automatic transmission. The Seltos SX, with its turbo engine and 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, seems ripe for this feature. More than once I found myself grabbing for a left paddle to quickly downshift, only to come up empty.
2. More range: The EPA pegs the total range of this turbo, all-wheel-drive Seltos at 356 miles. I never even got close to that. The best I could muster, even with plenty of highway driving, was around 270 miles. Now granted, I’m not one to wait until I’m running on fumes to fill up. But even when adding the range-to-empty estimate shown on the Kia’s display and actual miles from its previous fill-up on trip odometer, the figures didn’t pencil with the EPA figure.
3. Power liftgate: This one is definitely more on the wish spectrum. The Seltos is a mainstream subcompact SUV, after all, and at this time in this segment, you have to step up to a luxury brand to get such a feature. But it would be really nice to have on the Seltos, and would only enhance its premium feel.

And that’s a wrap. Thank you, Sunburst (my endearing name for this yellow runabout), for many miles and many smiles. You done good.

Kia Seltos 5,000-mile Service Experience

By Matt Degen on December 22, 2021

Price: $29,605 | Price yours
Current Odometer: 5,131 miles
Latest MPG: 26.8 mpg
Maintenance/Service Costs: $85.42
Days out of Service: 0

Some 5,000 miles have been logged on our long-term Kia Seltos test car since it arrived earlier this year, and with the odometer reaching the 5K mark also came this little SUV’s first service appointment.

The Kia Seltos notified me that it was due for service several weeks ahead of time, and I admittedly lagged in getting it done for a while. The vehicle then notified me how many days overdue it was for service every time I started it up. I didn’t know a car could make one feel guilty, but hey, responsibilities, right? In reality, I didn’t sweat it much. This year still isn’t a normal year, with working from home for a majority of the time and fewer trips meaning less miles than I might ordinarily put on a long-term test car.

But I finally got around to bringing the Seltos into the dealership for service, and the entire experience was … perfectly pleasant with no surprises. And I equate that to about as good as it could get for such an automotive duty.

I set up the appointment with a call to a local Kia dealer near the KBB offices in Irvine, California, and here again, there weren’t many surprises. I did have to book the appointment a few weeks out; the customer service rep apologized but said things were busier than normal, leading to longer booking times than expected.

The service day arrived in no time, however, and I brought the vehicle in. I was initially told the service would take 1.5 to 2 hours. I’m happy to report that everything was done by the shorter end of that estimate, which gave me time to walk down the street and grab lunch.

Tacos and an Oil Change

While I ate tacos, the Kia Seltos had its oil and filter changed, its tires roated, and fluid levels topped off. In other words, all the stuff you’d expect in such a service, with no surprises. The total price came to just over $85.

The only thing the service didn’t do that they normally would was a car wash. The service rep was apologetic about this, mentioning something about still using best practices under distancing mandates, but I get it and am happy they are playing it safe.

I don’t think many folks look forward to bringing a car in for service, but it’s something that needs to be done, and Kia’s Irvine dealership made the experience about as good as it could be. And I found some really good tacos in the process.

The Kia Seltos Comes With Soothing Nature Sounds

By Matt Degen on September 30, 2021

Price: $29,605 | Price yours
Current Odometer: 4,414 miles
Latest MPG: 25.2 mpg
Maintenance/Service Costs: $0.00
Days out of Service: 0

While commuting on a traffic-clogged freeway in our long-term Kia Seltos the other day, I was able to relax to the sounds of the sea, a forest, and even the muffled atmosphere of a café.

Wait, what?

I wasn’t near any of those environments. But in a Kia Seltos, you don’t have to be to hear them. That’s because this Kia, like other models from the brand, comes with built-in nature sounds aimed at helping you relax. Think of one of those sound soothers you might have beside your bed or an app on your phone that plays tranquil tones to help you de-stress. The Seltos can play such relaxing sounds while you’re rolling down the road.

At first this may seem like a rather odd thing to have in a car. But think about it: If there’s any one place where we might regularly get stressed or uptight, it’s in a car. The is especially true when stuck in traffic, running late to a meeting, or dealing with a cranky kid in the back seat.

How Kia’s Sounds of Nature Works

Turning on the Selto’s Sounds of Nature is easy. It is accessed through the infotainment menu, and is one of the options when selecting among media options in the audio selections. It’s listed alongside Bluetooth and perhaps an input like a USB stick. The selection can also be made via the “mode” button on the left side of the steering wheel.

Once you select the Sounds of Nature, it will begin playing one of six sounds. The choices are called Lively Forest, Calm Sea Waves, Rainy Day, Open-air Café, Warm Fireplace, and Snowy Village.

Relaxation on the Road

I’ve tried them all and found some I like better than others. My favorite is the ocean sounds, which I find relaxing. There’s something nice about hearing waves softly lapping the shore even – nay, especially – in the grind of traffic. I think I even hear a seagull in the distance in that one.

The Lively Forest is nice, too. I don’t really understand the café one, with its muffled sounds and occasional clanking of cups. It actually gave me flashbacks to working in restaurants in college.

The crackle of the fireplace is neat, too, as is the pitter-patter of the rain effect. I’m sure each sound will find its own fans.

While I admittedly spend most of my commute listening to music or newscasts, the nature sounds are an intriguing feature and can be a welcome reprieve to help relax. And it’s just another one of the Seltos’ many surprising and delightful features.

Kia’s Driving Assist System is Really Good

By Matt Degen on August 20, 2021

Price: $29,605 | Price yours
Current Odometer: 3,720 miles
Latest MPG: 27.0 mpg
Maintenance/Service Costs: $0.00
Days out of Service: 0

There’s been some automotive irony happening in the months since the Kia Seltos SX Turbo arrived as my latest long-term test vehicle: I haven’t been driving it every single day, but when I do go out, it tends to be on longer, highway-focused trips. I’m probably not alone in this situation, which is due largely to the ongoing pandemic.

I’ve been working from home, which means no more daily trips to the office. When I do drive now, it’s as much for running errands as it is to get a change of scenery. It’s not uncommon for me to put 100-plus miles on the odometer in a few hours’ time, with much of it being on the freeway. And here the Seltos absolutely excels thanks to a feature that is on the topline SX Turbo model: Highway Driving Assist, or HDA.

Highway Driving Assist is Kia’s semi-autonomous driving system. Versions of it are also available on vehicles from corporate cousin Hyundai and its luxury brand, Genesis.

What is Highway Driving Assist?

Highway Driving Assist makes smart cruise control even smarter. Like other adaptive cruise control systems, it can pace the car ahead at your choice of distances (i.e. closer or farther back). But this system also has the ability to adjust to designated highway speed limits via information from the navigation system. It also has the ability to slow the vehicle when entering curves, then accelerate when the road straightens.

When combined with the Seltos’ lane-centering system (called Lane Following Assist) to keep the vehicle within lane markings, the system makes for a much less stressful driving experience. In fact, it’s one of the best semi-autonomous systems I’ve tested, and it’s even more remarkable that it can be found on a value-oriented subcompact crossover like the Seltos.

I used to dread freeway commutes here in Southern California. With the Seltos SX’s smart cruise control and Lane Following Assist engaged, it’s a lot less stressful. Now let’s be clear: This system isn’t fully autonomous (none are at this stage of automotive history), but it does a fantastic job of minimizing the otherwise constant inputs a driver needs to perform to make steering adjustments and keep a safe distance in freeway driving.

I should also mention that the adaptive cruise control on the Seltos SX Turbo has stop and go functionality, meaning it can bring the vehicle to a complete stop when traffic comes to a halt, then resume, even after several seconds’ time.

Another note: Both adaptive cruise control and the Lane Following Assist function can work independently of each other. And engagement is rather easy. Simply pressing a button on the steering wheel (that looks like a steering wheel, actually) engages or disengages the lane-centering function. And in this vehicle it comes on automatically when adaptive cruise control is engaged (though, as I mentioned, can be defeated).

I wish I had this system years ago when I had a particularly brutal daily commute. But even amid these uncertain times and uncertain commuting schedule, I vastly appreciate that it’s here now. This feature alone might well be enough to sway Seltos buyers to step up to this top model.

About the Kia Seltos Turbo’s Transmission

By Matt Degen on July 27, 2021

Price: $29,605 | Price yours
Current Odometer: 3,436 miles
Latest MPG: 25.5 mpg
Maintenance/Service Costs: $0.00
Days out of Service: 0

If there was one thing that gave me pause when choosing the turbocharged Seltos as my latest long-term test vehicle, it was the transmission. See, while most Seltos models – that is, those without the turbo engine – use a continuously variable transmission (CVT), the turbo model has a more specialized one.

The Seltos SX turbo uses a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). This type of automatic is more common in higher-end and performance-oriented vehicles. It is an automatic, but it has some characteristics that make it more like a manual. Among them are improved fuel efficiency – a good thing – but also more noticeable shifts. If you’re the type of driver who desires little to no feel when shifts occur, the latter can be annoying.

When our team of editors tested the Seltos SX Turbo last year, we noted that its DCT had pronounced shifts at times, especially at lower speeds. This is hardly uncommon of DCTs, and the issue wasn’t a deal breaker. In fact, the Seltos went on to win our Best Buy Award among its class of subcompact SUVs, in addition to being named Best New Model.

Still, this was in the back of mind several months ago when choosing this Seltos. At the model’s media introduction last year, I briefly drove a standard version with the CVT and found it perfectly pleasant. But in the end I opted for this loaded loaner model from Kia so I could best assess a version with all the bells and whistles.

A Mostly Smooth Operator

And I’m glad I did. That’s because, like so many other things in life, something I initially fretted about hasn’t really been an issue at all. After months of driving the Seltos SX Turbo and putting several thousand miles on its odometer, its DCT hasn’t been a big deal, nor has it marred my experience in the vehicle.

Yes, it can be a bit rough at times, especially on initial acceleration and between first and second gear. But the majority of the time, I’ve found that it does its job competently and without overtly pronouncing itself. It reminds me of past Audis I’ve tested, as well as the DCT that was in another long-termer, my beloved VW Alltrack.

So far, I’m still very glad I opted for this loaded Seltos SX with the DCT over a lower model with a CVT. In addition to higher-end features, it also comes packed with a more powerful engine, a little turbo delight that I will write about in a future post.

 

Small But Useful – Kia Seltos Scores with Cargo Space

By Matt Degen on June 25, 2021

Price: $29,605 | Price yours
Current Odometer: 2,731 miles
Latest MPG: 22.3 mpg
Maintenance/Service Costs: $0.00
Days out of Service: 0

The Kia Seltos’ boxy design doesn’t just make it look tougher on outside. It pays off on the inside with surprisingly abundant interior space. And that means more room for people and stuff.

Impressive cargo space — especially for a subcompact SUV — is one of the reasons I chose the Seltos for a long-term test vehicle. That’s because I tend to transport stuff often. This usually involves things for projects around the house, finds from the thrift store, or bringing things back to the thrift store to donate. Call it the circle of life for stuff.

But it’s been in the past couple of weeks where I most appreciated the Seltos and its cargo-swallowing capability. That’s because I moved.

Practical by Design

Here I’ll point out the Seltos’ numbers, and what they mean for real-world practicality. The 2021 Kia Seltos has an impressive 26.6 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, which expands to 62.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

That’s a lot for such a small SUV. It even bests the Honda HR-V, which is highly regarded in this aspect. The Honda, for comparison, has 23.3 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 58.8 with them folded.

As I mentioned above, key to this Kia’s cargo-carrying capacity is its angular design. Simply put, you can fit more into something shaped like a box than something with more rounded edges. It’s why cargo vans look like rectangles rather than ovals.

And while the Seltos won’t replace a dedicated van when moving a family (I rented one for a weekend, in addition to getting a moving pod), it still came in handy for the first and last several trips from the old house to the new one. I was able to fit all manner of objects and gear into the Seltos. Most impressively was a tall desk, a matching chair, and the kind of necessities needed when moving into a blank house. Think toaster oven, cleaning supplies, dishes, and the like.

As I write this, I’m still unpacking things and unloading a moving pod — and reloading the Kia Seltos for a donation trip to the Goodwill. Circle of life, remember?

This Kia Color is Anything But Mellow

By Matt Degen on May 24, 2021

Price: $29,605 | Price yours
Current Odometer: 1,921 miles
Latest MPG: 23.6 mpg
Maintenance/Service Costs: $0.00
Days out of Service: 0

I have yet to lose our Kia Seltos long-term test vehicle in a parking lot yet. And how could I? Just look at that color.

Yes, it’s time to address that paint tone, because my choosing it was intentional. Kia calls it Starbright Yellow. I have simply dubbed this little guy Sunburst.

Yellow isn’t exactly a popular color for cars. Seriously, when was the last time you saw a yellow car, much less driven or owned one? Yellow is anything but subtle. But in that respect it matches the Seltos’ personality.

This is a little SUV with a big attitude. It is definitely worthy of standing out in its competitive class, and it truly does. Remember, the 2021 Kia Seltos earned the Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award for its class, and was also named our Best New Model.

Instant Recognition

I picked this vibrant hue because it is a notable launch color of the Seltos. Sometimes when manufacturer’s debut a car, they consistently feature one with a particular color in their advertising and marketing materials. For the Seltos, more often than not the one you’ll see promoted is a model dressed in this yellow. It breeds familiarity.

I actually wanted this Seltos to be recognizable, and I figured the best way to do that was by ordering one in this color. Now more often than not the Seltos you’ll see in ads in this color is tied to a black contrast-color roof, but there is also a particular reason I did not choose that. I’ll address that aspect in another post.

Now, where did I park that Seltos? Oh, right there. Amid a sea of boring white, black and silver cars, this Seltos is like having an automotive highlighter. It can’t help but grab your attention.

Leading Vehicle Departure Alert — Or how the Seltos keeps you off your phone

By Matt Degen on April 14, 2021

Price: $29,605 | Price yours
Current Odometer: 1,053 miles
Latest MPG: 24.8 mpg
Maintenance/Service Costs: $0.00
Days out of Service: 0

The Kia Seltos has a function that, admittedly and possibly unfortunately, we could all use at some point behind the wheel: An alert that tells you the vehicle in front has driven away. I believe the formal name of this feature is called Leading Vehicle Departure Alert, but I refer to it as: “Hey, stop looking at your phone and drive.”

I actually found this feature because it activated on me. But don’t worry, I wasn’t texting at a stoplight. Rather, I was in one of the notoriously long drive-through lines at In-N-Out (yes, Animal Fries are pretty much life-changing).

There I was, replying to emails, when I heard the Seltos ding. The audible alert made me look up – ding, ding, just as intended! – and I saw a space in front of me where the car ahead had been. As if to emphasize the point, the Seltos’ digital instrument displayed the message “Leading vehicle is driving away,” with a diagram of a car ahead and an arrow in front of it.

This is a great feature, and one that is sorely needed in an ever-distracted society where drivers see every stoplight as an opportunity to grab their phone. I first heard about this technology on Subaru vehicles, and I’m happy to see it implemented in other new cars, including this Kia.

Along with driver aids like automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assist, I think it’d be super beneficial for a lead vehicle alert to be on every new vehicle. Because let’s get real: I don’t think people will cease stoplight texting anytime soon. Just think of how many honks and irritated drivers this could alleviate.

---

Opt for the Seltos puddle lights

By Matt Degen on March 17, 2021

Price: $29,605 | Price yours
Current Odometer: 710 miles
Latest MPG: 24.5 mpg
Maintenance/Service Costs: $0.00
Days out of Service: 0

The big benefit of a long-term test car is that you become keenly aware of details you might otherwise miss vs. merely reviewing a vehicle for just a few days. You get to experience the vehicle day in and day out, and at all times of the day, including long after the sun has set.

To that end, I’m already finding features I hadn’t noticed on the official media launch of the 2021 Kia Seltos last year.

One that keeps drawing my attention might seem like a small detail but has become apparent more often than I would have expected. In fact, I’ve come to appreciate it every time I approach the vehicle at night: puddle lights.

In truth, I pretty much forgot I’d even checked the $275 option box for these lights when configuring this Seltos, but I’m so glad I did. Because they work great and make a strong visual statement.

Puddle lights are hardly new on vehicles. They’ve been on luxury cars for decades and work by illuminating the ground at night as you enter or exit the vehicle. Presumably they will help prevent you from ruining your Louboutin or Air Jordan 1 shoes by stepping into a puddle of water — or something worse.

Nowadays you can even get puddle lights on high-value mainstream cars such as this Kia. But that’s not the biggest surprise here. What continues to delight me is just how bright they are, and how well they work.

When equipped on the Seltos, you get a pair of bright and prominent LEDs on each side of the vehicle that deftly light up the area beneath the front and rear doors.

They are not only useful for helping prevent one from planting their foot into a puddle, but further make the Seltos look and feel like a premium vehicle. They are available on every trim of the Seltos, even the least-expensive LX model that starts under $22,000.

For just $275 I think they are a smart value – and a lot less than it would cost to replace a pair of soaked designer kicks.

---

Introduction

By Matt Degen on February 26, 2021

Price: $29,605 | Price yours
Current Odometer: 141 miles
Latest MPG: TBA
Maintenance/Service Costs: $0.00
Days out of Service: 0

The newest vehicle to join the Kelley Blue Book garage of long-term test vehicles is the 2021 Kia Seltos.

The Seltos itself is all new, debuting just last year as a 2021 model. The Seltos is a subcompact SUV that is a rival to vehicles such as the Honda HR-V, Subaru Crosstrek and Hyundai Kona.

This Kia quickly established itself as the leader of the pack thanks to its sleek design, greater-than-expected interior room, value, adventurous attitude and the fact that most models come standard with all-wheel drive.

We were so impressed with this all-new model that it won not only the 2021 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award among subcompact SUVs, but went on to be named Best New Model overall.

To say the Kia Seltos already made a great impression on the Kelley Blue Book editorial staff would be an understatement. Now we are eager to spend even more time in it. During our forthcoming year with the Seltos, we will get to know this small SUV in a big way. As with our other long-term test vehicles, we will drive, use and live with it just as we would a vehicle of our own. There’s a reason we call these “ownership reviews.”

Among our dozen-strong staff, I’m probably the most familiar with the 2021 Kia Seltos. I attended the media launch of this vehicle almost exactly a year ago in San Antonio, Texas, where it immediately struck me as a winner, and then did even more testing when a model arrived at our office last year.

Topline, turbocharged Seltos

There are several trims of the Seltos, starting just under $22,000 before destination price. One of the biggest choices you’ll make when buying one is whether to go with the standard 146-horsepower 4-cylinder 2.0-liter engine connected to a continuously variable automatic transmission, or a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder that makes 175 horsepower and uses a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.

I’ve driven both and found each have merit. For this vehicle that I’ll be living with for the next 12 months, I opted for the turbo model. Moreover, I chose a loaded 2021 Seltos SX Turbo.

While I would likely have been perfectly content with a lower trim, I chose a top-line model because it has the most features, and my hope is that by sharing my experiences I can help the most people who might be thinking of buying a Kia Seltos.

Kia Seltos features and extras

In addition to the upgraded powertrain, this Seltos has goodies like a 10.25-inch display (vs. the standard 8-inch screen), automatic climate control, wireless phone charger, Bose premium audio system, navigation, upgraded leather-like Sofino upholstery, heated front seats and power-operated driver seat.

All but base Seltos models come standard with a slew of active safety features such as automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist and driver-attention monitor. This topline SX Turbo builds on that suite with blind-spot monitoring, and the SX Turbo exclusive features of adaptive cruise control and Highway Driving Assist, which can handle steering and help reduce driver fatigue.

I checked a few other options boxes, notably a sunroof for $700 and cool looking puddle lights for $275. Altogether, this loaded Kia Seltos stickers for $29,605 (destination is an additional $1,175).

Hello, yellow

One other thing to mention – the color. This vibrant yellow is the launch color and the one Kia often uses when showing the Seltos. While I wouldn’t normally pick a yellow car, I chose this for its recognizability. Officially it’s called Starbright Yellow, but I’ve already named this little guy Sunburst.

I look forward to sharing my adventures with Sunburst with you in the days ahead.