Irvine, Calif. — Car prices have gotten completely out of hand lately. Let’s not mince words. Trying to find a brand-new, actual-sized SUV that doesn’t require a second mortgage is starting to feel like a fool’s errand.
But Kia—the South Korean brand that has spent the last decade quietly eating everyone else’s lunch—is trying to pull off a rather neat trick with the release of their completely redesigned, second-generation 2027 Seltos.
They’ve made it physically bigger, packed it with next-gen tech, and somehow managed to keep the starting price at a very reasonable $24,990 USD. Yes, really. Under twenty-five grand.
Granted, you still have to tack on the mandatory $1,495 destination fee, but it’s still a pricing structure that should make the rest of the compact crossover segment sweat.
This isn’t just a mild cosmetic facelift where they tweak the headlight shape and call it a day. The 2027 Seltos has undergone a serious growth spurt. It features a longer wheelbase and a wider stance, borrowing a lot of its blocky, rugged design language from its massive big brother, the Telluride.
Inside the cabin, that extra metal translates directly into what Kia claims is best-in-class passenger space and class-leading maximum cargo capacity. You get a whopping 64.2 cubic feet of cargo room behind the front seats when you fold down the back row, and a highly respectable 27.8 cubic feet when the seats are up.
Inside the cabin, they have gone incredibly heavy on the screens. You get a standard 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster sitting right next to a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, plus a separate 5-inch display just for climate controls. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the board, which is great because having to plug your phone in just to get maps in this day and age is frankly prehistoric.
They’ve also upgraded the interior surfaces with soft-touch materials. I suppose they had to slap some hard plastics in the lower door wells to hit that aggressive price point, but from the driver’s seat, it looks and feels surprisingly premium.
Power-wise, you have options. The lower-spec trims get a sensible 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine. But if you want actual highway-merging power, you will definitely want to spring for the 1.6-liter turbocharged unit. There are also new, rugged X-Line trims available for both engines.
The X-Line packages introduce a more aggressive look with piano-black fender flares, blacked-out trim, and a decent 8.1 inches of ground clearance. If you pair the turbo with the available Torque Vectoring Multi-Mode AWD system, you’ve actually got a pretty capable little soft-roader on your hands.
| Trim Level | Drivetrain | Base MSRP (Excludes $1,495 Destination) |
|---|---|---|
| Seltos LX | FWD | $24,990 |
| Seltos S | FWD | $26,390 |
| Seltos LX | AWD | $26,690 |
| Seltos S | AWD | $28,090 |
| Seltos EX | FWD | $28,390 |
| Seltos X-Line S | AWD / 2.0L | $28,990 |
| Seltos EX | AWD | $30,090 |
| Seltos X-Line SX | AWD / 1.6T | $32,790 |
Now, if you are holding out for the hybrid version, you will have to wait a little longer. Irvine-based Kia America has stated that pricing for the Seltos HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) won’t be announced until closer to its official launch date later this year.
This hybrid rollout is a massive piece of the puzzle for Kia, which was recently recognized as one of TIME’s World’s Most Sustainable Companies of 2025.
While many of their popular SUVs—like the EV6, EV9, Sportage, Sorento, and Telluride—are proudly assembled at their plant in Georgia, the Seltos remains a highly anticipated import.
If you’re shopping for a compact CUV that actually gives you room to breathe without draining your savings, the 2027 Seltos remains a incredibly hard package to ignore.
Click below for more information about the 2027 Seltos:
- Vehicle specifications, including fuel economy
- Features and options
