Kia Seltos made to do more
A price-conscious compact utility vehicle that can actually be driven off-road
THE arrival of the 2021 Kia Seltos begs the question: Just how many utility-style vehicles can one automaker include in its lineup? The answer, it seems, is as many as it wants, provided there is demand.
The Seltos name, in case you’re wondering, is derived from Celtos, son of Hercules in Greek mythology.
The vehicle squeezes between the smaller Soul, 4 inches shorter, and the larger and more mainstream Sportage, about 7 inches longer.
Although it shares the Hyundai Kona platform — Kia is a division of Hyundai — the two models go their own ways in terms of styling. The rugged-looking Seltos has considerably more carrying capacity, too, whether the rear seat is upright or folded flat.
The Seltos also shows more than a hint of commonality with the full-size Kia Telluride, including the “tiger nose” grille that fronts the rounded front bumper and hood. The sense of ruggedness carries over to the generous 7.2-inch ground clearance and the front and rear skid plates, ensuring that the Seltos can take on rougher terrain than many of its competitors.
The interior and dashboard are pretty much straightforward, but a thick steering wheel and equally substantial gear shifter are not normally associated with smaller utility vehicles. The standard 8-inch touch screen and the available 10.25-inch unit protrude above the fresh-air vents, which some drivers might find restricts their forward vision.
In back, the split-folding rear seat also reclines. Behind it, the cargo floor can be lowered somewhat to accommodate taller objects.
Powertrain choices are the same as those found in the Kona: a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine rated at 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque and an optional 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder that puts out 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet.
For both, selectable Normal, Eco and Sport — which really does feel sporty — settings alter the engine,
transmission and steering performance.
A continuously variable transmission is linked to the 2.0, and the turbo 1.6 gets a seven-speed automatic.
Fuel economy for the front-wheeldrive 2.0 is rated at 29 mpg in the city, 34 on the highway and 31 combined.
On-demand all-wheel drive is optional for the base Seltos S 2.0 but is standard for the LX, S 1.6 T, EX and SX trims. The system comes with a center-locking differential that, when engaged, splits the torque equally between the front and rear wheels, providing more traction for traveling off road.
Torque vectoring, another AWD inclusion, applies light braking force to the inside wheels when turning, which Kia says increases vehicle control.
Awd-equipped models also get independent rear suspensions, while
the front-wheel-drive S comes with a less sophisticated torsion-beam rear axle.
At a starting price of $23,100 including destination charges, the base FWD S 2.0 is equipped with mostly the basics, but it lacks the full suite of active-safety technologies, such as pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist and forward-collision avoidance. All come with the optional Kia Drive Wise package that also includes a reminder to check for passengers in back before exiting the vehicle. Then there is Safe Exit Assist that alerts anyone opening the doors of approaching traffic from the rear.
There are additional comfort and convenience features — depending on the trim level — such as a navigation system, power sunroof, premium seat coverings and a wireless charging pad. A Bose audio package has a mood-lighting feature with six different colors that change with the sound from the system’s six speakers. Somewhat distracting and a bit out of time with the music, it’s similar to the system available in the Kia Soul.
The addition of the niche-filling Seltos gives Kia a total of six tall utility models — seven, if you count the Sedona minivan — from the small Niro to the full-size Telluride. If you can’t find your desired size, content and affordable price-point in this bunch, you probably never will.