Kia Seltos 2027 Review

The days of picking up a brand-new small SUV for $25,000 are well and truly behind us, and the new Kia Seltos is another reminder of just how expensive this segment has become.

The second-generation Seltos kicks off at $37,990 plus on-road costs (ORCs), representing a hefty $6740 increase over its petrol-powered predecessor, with prices rising by as much as $7460 across the range. That’s a lot of dosh!

Granted, there's more car for your money, but it's still a big ask for what was once one of Kia's more affordable SUVs.

There are six variants to choose from across four familiar trim levels, starting with the S at $39,990 drive away, or $42,490 with the optional Safety Pack. The Sport and Sport+ follow at $43,990 and $46,990 respectively, while the flagship GT-Line starts at $52,990, climbing to a rather eye-watering $55,490 for the all-wheel drive version.

For the first time, the Australian Seltos range is exclusively hybrid, waving goodbye to the previous 2.0-litre naturally aspirated and 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engines.

Instead, all variants pair a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor and six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, producing a combined 112kW and 265Nm in front-wheel drive versions.

The flagship GT-Line introduces Kia's new electric all-wheel drive (e-AWD) system, which adds a second electric motor to the rear axle and increases total power to 126kW. Kia hasn't published a combined torque figure for the AWD version.

For the increased outlay, the entry-level S comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and push-button start, along with a rather impressive panoramic dashboard display incorporating a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 5.0-inch climate control screen and 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as are Kia Connect services and over-the-air software updates. Rear air vents are also included across the range, which is a welcome inclusion in a small SUV.

The optional Safety Pack adds a 360-degree camera, blind-spot view monitor, side parking sensors, reverse parking collision avoidance and remote smart parking assistance, allowing owners to move the car forwards or backwards using the key fob.

Moving up to the Sport brings larger 18-inch alloy wheels, satellite navigation, Highway Driving Assist 2 and a rear centre armrest with cup holders, while the Sport+ adds heated front seats, a powered driver's seat with lumbar support, rain-sensing wipers, privacy glass and upgraded upholstery.

The GT-Line is where things get particularly fancy, adding 19-inch alloys, a panoramic sunroof, head-up display, eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, driver's seat memory and a powered tailgate.

It's a generous list of equipment, although spending more than $50,000 on a small SUV to get some of these luxuries is becoming increasingly difficult to swallow.

The new Seltos has also grown considerably, making it 45mm longer and 30mm wider than its predecessor. Its wheelbase has stretched by 60mm, contributing to more passenger space, particularly in the second row.

Boot space has also increased by 15 litres to 483 litres, expanding to 1441 litres with the rear seats folded. Thankfully, Kia has retained a space-saver spare wheel across the front-wheel drive range, although the e-AWD model makes do with a tyre repair kit.

Official fuel consumption ranges from 5.1L/100km for the entry-level S to 5.4L/100km for the GT-Line FWD, while the heavier all-wheel drive version claims 5.8L/100km.

On the safety front, all variants receive seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot collision avoidance, lane-keeping assistance, driver attention monitoring and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance.

However, the new Seltos is expected to receive two different ANCAP safety ratings, with the entry-level S anticipated to achieve four stars and better-equipped versions expected to qualify for five stars.

At the time of writing, neither rating has been officially awarded, with European crash-testing results expected in the first quarter of 2027.

As with the rest of Kia's passenger vehicle range, the Seltos is backed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, with seven years of capped-price servicing available. They’re surprisingly expensive, but more on that in a bit.

First things first, the new Seltos is a really handsome little thing. It looks like a baby Kia Telluride, the big, boxy SUV we don't get in Australia, and I'm a big fan. It's bold, a little rugged and a welcome evolution of a car that was already pretty good-looking.

And clearly Australians agreed, with more than 60,000 examples of the original Seltos sold locally since 2019, even as it started getting a little long in the tooth.

Fortunately, Kia hasn't just made it prettier. It's also bigger and more practical, with a 483-litre boot that's 15 litres larger than before and 76 litres bigger than the Hyundai Kona's. There's also a space-saver spare wheel across the range, except in the all-wheel drive GT-Line.

There's noticeably more room inside, particularly in the second row, which should appeal to its target audience of couples without kids and downsizers, while still offering enough practicality for smaller families.

Cabin storage is another highlight, particularly the open space in the centre console, which is perfect for chucking a small handbag or other loose items. The centre console bin itself is a little small, but the door pockets are decent, there are three USB-C ports, and the EV4-style front head restraints are surprisingly plush, once you get your seating position right.

The tech works well, even if the 5.0-inch climate control screen is partially obscured by the steering wheel. Surprisingly, the ADAS systems are also less intrusive than before, with handy shortcuts to switch off certain functions or turn down the volume of repeat offenders, like the speed limit warnings.

Another big tick goes to Kia's commitment to Australian-specific suspension and steering tuning, something not every manufacturer invests in.

Led by local ride and handling guru Graeme Gambold, Kia developed separate tunes for the front- and all-wheel drive versions, benchmarking cars like the Volkswagen T-Roc and focusing on steering accuracy, ride comfort and body control.

And it shows. The Seltos feels composed and predictable, with reassuring steering and suspension that handles our less-than-perfect roads without bouncing around unnecessarily. It's the sort of attention to detail you won't find on a spec sheet, but absolutely notice behind the wheel.

For a car that looks this good on the outside, I wish Kia had been a little more adventurous with the GT-Line's interior.

Unlike Hyundai's N-Line models, which get sporty touches like red stitching, the Seltos GT-Line doesn't feel particularly special. There's ambient lighting, but the white stitching and two-tone upholstery aren't dramatically different from the cheaper variants. The seat colours are lovely, although there's no choice of combinations.

There's also a fair bit of hard plastic throughout the cabin, which is pretty standard for the segment, but harder to excuse when you're spending more than $50,000.

Fuel consumption is another area where the Seltos doesn't quite wow. We recorded 6.3L/100km in the all-wheel drive GT-Line, slightly above Kia's official 5.8L/100km claim.

Granted, the Seltos has been tested under Australia's newer WLTP-based fuel consumption requirements, while rivals like the Hyundai Kona Hybrid and Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid still advertise figures under the older NEDC cycle.

But even allowing for the different testing standards, both rivals have proven more economical in independent real-world testing, including the all-wheel drive Corolla Cross. It's worth noting that the Kona Hybrid is front-wheel drive only.

But if there's one thing that really gets under my skin, it's the servicing costs. Remember how up in arms we motoring journalists were when Hyundai revealed the servicing costs for the Kona Hybrid? Well, Kia isn't far behind.

The Seltos costs a whopping $3830 over seven years under Kia's capped-price servicing program, regardless of variant. That's actually $501 cheaper than the Kona Hybrid and around $200 less than the larger Sportage Hybrid, but hardly a bargain.

Your second service alone will set you back $695, while the fourth is an eye-watering $913. And just when you think the worst is behind you, the sixth service comes in at another $856.

For context, the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid costs just $275 per service for its first five years. Over that period, Seltos owners will spend $2620 compared with Toyota's $1375. That's a staggering 91 per cent more.

Sure, the Kia is slightly cheaper to maintain than its Hyundai sibling, but spending nearly $4000 servicing a small hybrid SUV over seven years is a pretty tough pill to swallow.

And unfortunately, the hybrid powertrain isn't without its frustrations either.

Front-wheel drive variants offer Eco and Sport driving modes, while the all-wheel drive adds Snow. But neither Eco nor Sport feels like the perfect all-rounder.

Eco is sluggish, with an almost turbo-lag-like delay when you put your foot down, which can be unnerving when overtaking or merging onto a busy motorway. Sport improves the response but tends to hold onto gears longer than necessary, making it less pleasant for everyday driving.

It's perfectly happy zipping down to Woolies in Eco, but merging onto a freeway can feel unnecessarily stressful. Switching between modes solves the problem, but you really shouldn't have to.

And finally, only the all-wheel drive GT-Line gets the more powerful 126kW hybrid setup, meaning you'll need to fork out $55,490 drive away for the strongest-performing Seltos.

What I loved about the outgoing Seltos was its tactility. Physical buttons adorned the cabin, and it felt like an old car in the best way. Basic, functional and simple to use.

Thankfully, much of that has carried over to the new model, while the updated technology and big screens bring it into the modern day. It's also pretty good-looking inside and out, and regardless of variant, it's a cool little car.

Kia is targeting dual-income couples without kids (DINKs) and downsizers, with a price bracket for both. Personally, I couldn't justify $55,000 for the flagship when the entry-level S with the Safety Pack offers just about everything I'd need. A downsizer, on the other hand, might have the savings to splurge on a few luxuries.

And by almost every measure, Kia has nailed the brief. It's spacious, comfortable, well-equipped and genuinely nice to drive. As a standalone small SUV, it's a fantastic offering and one I'd happily recommend.

But can we just acknowledge how wild it is that we're spending $55,000 on a small SUV? In this economy?

To be fair, Kia hasn't lost the plot. Its flagship is priced broadly in line with the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, although it's dearer than the top-spec Hyundai Kona Hybrid and Honda HR-V e:HEV. But those rivals have been around for years, with the Corolla Cross arriving in 2022 and the current Kona in 2023.

Had Kia launched the Seltos alongside them, I'd probably be telling you it's the pick of the bunch. But we're practically in 2027, and the goalposts have moved.

At the other end of the range, $40,000 now buys you some genuinely convincing electric cars, which become even more appealing if you can charge at home using solar or access tax benefits through an eligible novated lease.

Meanwhile, the Seltos still uses more than five litres of petrol per 100km on paper, and we recorded 6.3L/100km in the AWD. Hardly outrageous, but even in the larger FWD Sportage Hybrid I’ve gotten 5.5L/100km.

And that's Kia's challenge. At $55,000, the Seltos is up against established hybrids, while at $40,000, it's competing with increasingly affordable EVs that could cost considerably less to run.

None of that makes it a bad buy. Far from it. For anyone who isn't ready or able to go electric, I'd happily recommend the Seltos, particularly in its more affordable variants.

As someone who's been begging for a bit of tactility to return to new cars, I'm glad Kia has put the right ingredients into its new Seltos, even if she's a little slow.

It's a fantastic small SUV. I just wish it had arrived a few years earlier.

2027 Kia Seltos at a glance:
Price: $37,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: 74kW/139Nm (electric motor: 45kW/203Nm)
Combined output: 112kW/265Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 5.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 115g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested

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