Kia just pulled the wraps off the 2027 Seltos in Newport Beach, and the subcompact SUV that once quietly punched above its weight now openly raids its big brother’s parts bin. Flush door handles, mesh headrests, a squared-off steering wheel, a stalk-mounted shifter — all lifted from the Telluride flagship. The message is unmistakable: Kia thinks it can sell a $25,000 vehicle on a $55,000 truck’s reputation.
The numbers back up at least part of the ambition. The new Seltos is longer, wider, and rides on a wheelbase stretched 2.4 inches over the outgoing model. Kia claims best-in-class passenger volume at 103.5 cubic feet, class-leading second-row legroom at 39 inches, and 64.2 cubic feet of maximum cargo behind the first row.
Ground clearance climbs from 7.5 to an available 8.1 inches. This is no longer a city runabout with trail pretensions. It is a genuine small SUV trying to obsolete the segment above it.
Three powertrains make the Seltos unique in its class. The base 2.0-liter four-cylinder carries over with Kia’s Intelligent Variable Transmission. A turbocharged 1.6-liter making 190 horsepower sits exclusively in the X-Line SX trim, paired with an eight-speed automatic and standard multi-mode all-wheel drive.
The real headline is a hybrid joining the lineup for the first time, built around a 1.6-liter engine and six-speed dual-clutch transmission. It will be offered with front-wheel drive or an electric all-wheel-drive system — a first for any Kia hybrid SUV.
Kia is holding back hybrid specifics, including fuel economy numbers, until closer to its on-sale date later this year. That’s a conspicuous absence. Buyers cross-shopping the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid or Honda HR-V will want hard MPG figures before writing a check.
Pricing starts at $24,990 for the base LX, climbs to $30,090 for the EX, and tops out at $32,790 for the turbo X-Line SX. Those numbers represent a meaningful jump from the outgoing Seltos, but Kia is betting the tech and space gains justify it.
And there is a lot of tech. Dual 12.3-inch screens are standard. An available five-inch climate display brings the total screen real estate to nearly 30 inches.
The infotainment runs Kia’s connected car navigation cockpit with over-the-air updates, and available streaming includes Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube. There are display themes for all 30 NBA teams and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Five USB-C ports come standard — an absurd amount of connectivity for a vehicle in this price bracket.
The safety suite has been beefed up too. Forward Collision Avoidance Assist now includes junction turning. A 360-degree surround-view monitor and blind-spot view monitor — both previously reserved for pricier Kia models — are available on X-Line trims.
Standard kit includes lane-keeping assist, driver attention warning, and smart cruise control with stop and go.
The tension in the 2027 Seltos is whether this trickle-down strategy cannibalizes Kia’s own lineup. A loaded Seltos now overlaps uncomfortably with the Sportage in size, features, and price. The hybrid version narrows that gap further.
Kia seems willing to accept that risk, gambling that conquest buyers drawn in by a $25,000 entry point will trade up within the Seltos range rather than cross-shop a competitor. The 2.0-liter and turbocharged models are available at dealers now. The hybrid arrives later this year, and with it, the real test of whether a small SUV wearing a flagship’s clothes can deliver on the promise — or whether it simply blurs the line Kia spent years carefully drawing.
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