DecodedCarsKia Seltos
7 model years from 2021 to 2027, compared on size, efficiency, safety and reliability.
- Model years
- 2021–2027
- Class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
- Latest engines
- 2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo
- Best MPG
- 29–31 combined, by year
- Latest rating
- ★★★★★ (2025)
- Recalls
- 4 campaigns, all years
- Most complaints
- 2021 (378)
- Fewest problems
- 2023
- Interest
- 19,599 Wikipedia views / 30 days
The 2026 Seltos in brief
The 2026 Kia Seltos is a small SUV offered with 2 engines (2.0L 4-cyl and 1.6L 4-cyl turbo) and all-wheel drive.
It measures about 172 inches long and 71 inches wide on a 104-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 3,186 lb (AWD 4dr SUV).
EPA rates its most efficient version at 29 MPG combined (27 city / 31 highway), 12% better than the 2026 small SUV average of 25.9 MPG, for an estimated $2,300 a year in fuel.
It has 0 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the service brakes.
The Kia Seltos has 7 model years in our data, from 2021 to 2027, classed as Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD.
Its most efficient year was 2025 at 31 MPG combined; across all years the best version ranged from 29 to 31 MPG.
Owners most often report problems with the engine (299), unknown or other (94), power train (87).
Buying used? 2023 has the fewest problems in our data, and 2021 is the year to avoid.
2024 has the most recalls (2); all years together count 4 campaigns and 567 owner complaints.
How the 2021 Seltos compares
The 2021 Kia Seltos is a small SUV offered with 2 engines (2.0L 4-cyl and 1.6L 4-cyl turbo) and front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.
It measures about 172 inches long and 71 inches wide on a 104-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 3,186 lb (AWD 4dr SUV).
About the Kia Seltos
The Kia Seltos is a crossover SUV manufactured by Kia since 2019.
From the Wikipedia article "Kia Seltos", licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
2026 Seltos pros & cons
Full 2026 details →What's good
- Lots of standard safety tech5 of 5 key driver aids standard on the versions we checked.
Watch out for
No weak spots against similar models in the data.
Best and worst years to buy used
2023 Seltos
47 owner complaints · 2 recalls · 4 crash reports
NHTSA overall: ★★★★★
Year to avoid2021 Seltos
378 owner complaints · 2 recalls · 6 fire reports · 13 crash reports
Most reported: Engine
NHTSA recalls and complaints for 4 model years since 2015; use it alongside a pre-purchase inspection. How we calculate this →
Compare head to head
Seltos changes by model year
Years without a measurable change are left out.
Show all 7 model years side by side
| Year | Latest engines | Best MPG / range | Length | Weight | Overall | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 30 MPG | – | – | Not rated | 0 | 2 |
| 2026 | 2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 29 MPG | 172 in | 3,186 lb | Not rated | 0 | 4 |
| 2025 | 2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 31 MPG | 172 in | 3,186 lb | ★★★★★ | 0 | 13 |
| 2024 | 2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 31 MPG | 172 in | 3,186 lb | ★★★★★ | 2 | 47 |
| 2023 | 2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 31 MPG | 172 in | 3,186 lb | ★★★★★ | 2 | 47 |
| 2022 | 2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 31 MPG | 172 in | 3,186 lb | ★★★★★ | 1 | 76 |
| 2021 | 2.0L 4-cyl, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 31 MPG | 172 in | 3,186 lb | ★★★★★ | 2 | 378 |
Alternatives to the 2026 Seltos
| Model | Best MPG / range | NHTSA overall | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Toyota RAV4 | 43 MPG | Not rated | 2 |
| 2026 Ford Bronco | 20 MPG | Not rated | 9 |
| 2026 Toyota Corolla Cross | 42 MPG | Not rated | 1 |
| 2026 Ford Escape | 40 MPG | Not rated | 3 |
| 2026 Jeep Compass | 26 MPG | Not rated | 1 |
| 2026 Hyundai Kona | 31 MPG | Not rated | 3 |
Most common owner-reported problems
Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Kia. How we calculate this →