2027 Kia Seltos: I Came for the Baby Telluride, But I’m Staying for this Stylish Compact SUV

Kia continues to build on the success of the Telluride by bringing some of its best features into the 2027 Kia Seltos. Here’s what makes this compact SUV shine.

When Kia redesigned the Kia Telluride, it inspired waves of SUV envy: the company played on the idea of a sleek and modern yet rugged, boxy SUV and then gave it great new technology and even more capability. It’s the future, but now. 

So, what if you don’t want a large 3-row SUV? Or one that’s $50,000? But you want the modern lights, the boxy shape and the premium feel with a wide touch screen, flush door handles that pop out, a rear window wiper that’s hidden under the roof spoiler and the must-haves, like a good sound system and all wheel drive? That’s what got my attention when I first saw the Kia Seltos: Everything Telluride, but at a more approachable price and scale. 

Priced from $25K to about $37K, the 2027 Kia Seltos is a “compact SUV”—I put that in quotes because it doesn’t feel compact at all—that is roomy and comfortable and delivers way more than you think your budget would afford. 

This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks. Additionally, I was a guest of Kia for this first drive but all opinions are my own.

The 2027 Kia Seltos Builds On What We Already Love 

On first glance you might think the Kia Seltos is actually a Telluride; you’re greeted by the telltale wide mesh grille in gloss black, box-shaped headlights and Kia’s signature star map lighting. The roofline is familiar; it floats squarely above the boxy body accented by black cladding over the wheels and along the lower portions. 

As the Kia Telluride plays on the modern aesthetic of the Range Rover, the Seltos plays on the feel of the Range Rover Evoque with a rear roofline that dips slightly toward the rear bumper. 

The overall look and feel is modern and athletic, but smaller in scale, a welcome change over the large and roomy Telluride. How does this translate inside and in the drive experience? I spent the day in the Seltos and this is what I learned.

Read: Kia Telluride vs. Hyundai Palisade: These 3-row SUVs Are HOT

What This Car Costs

Kia changed the Seltos lineup a bit, adding two X-Line models to the top end and narrowing the rest of the line to three models. Here’s how they line up:

• The LX entry model is powered by a 4 cylinder engine that generates 147 HP and is priced from $24,990; it features cloth trim and 12” driver and multimedia screens, adaptive cruise, 4 USB ports, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a suite of driver assist and safety features
• The S trim, priced from $26,390, adds a wireless phone charger and power driver’s seat 
• The EX is the middle of the pack; priced from $28,390, it adds a smart power lift gate, leatherette seating, rear seat air vents and heated front seats
• X-Line S, priced from $28,990, adds fog lights, X-line exterior and interior design and standard AWD with terrain mode
• X-Line SX, priced from $32,790, is top of the line, adding the larger 4-cylinder turbo engine that generates 190 HP and comes with AWD, a panoramic sunroof, 19” wheels and a heated steering wheel
• EX and X-Line S can add a panoramic sunroof as part of a package for $1500 which also includes a heated steering wheel and black roof rails
• AWD is available for $1,700 on the LX, S and EX models

Read: The 2023 Honda HR-V Delivers on the Promise of a Go-Everywhere Vehicle

Inside, the Telluride’s Vibe Rides On

In many ways the Seltos is simply a Telluride on a smaller scale. And then, in many ways, it isn’t. Kia worked hard to include the features that matter most and to keep the price down and eliminate those that don’t fit the idea of a scaled down SUV. 

The result is a feature-filled SUV with lots of good standard features, like the wide cubby that holds one or two phones, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a smart key, flush door handles and lots of driver assist features. Moving up to the middle of the range adds leatherette seating, more interior color choices and a new wider front screen that holds the driver’s display, a climate control panel and the AI-assisted multimedia system with “Hey Kia” voice assistance. 

Read: The 2026 Toyota RAV4 is All-In on Style, Options and Performance, All Boosted by Electric Power

Driving the Kia Seltos 

I had the chance to drive both the X-Line SX with its larger 190 HP turbo engine and the EX with the smaller 4-cylinder 147 HP engine. Could I tell much difference? Not really. Though, I was alone when I drove the EX, and that can make a difference, but the feel wasn’t dramatically different than driving the X-Line SX.

On the mountain roads and highways of our drive the X-Line SX handled quite nicely; part of the lure is the smaller scale, which makes the Seltos capable of a bit more agility. Even with a powertrain that’s on the small side, there’s plenty of power for its scaled-down frame.

Kia’s done a nice job tuning the suspension, handling and transmission to give you a sense of confidence behind the wheel. And, you don’t hear any of these systems at work; the cabin is relatively quiet, which is also a nice feeling, especially in such an affordable car. 

Read: 2024 Hyundai Kona SUV: A Future-Forward Design for Gas or Electric Driving

The 2027 Kia Seltos’ Engine Specs

The two engines are efficient and deliver adequate power for this compact SUV. Here’s how it breaks down: 

• The LX, S, EX and X-Line S are powered by a 4 cylinder engine that produces 147 HP and 132 pound feet of torque; it’s estimated to get 28 MPG in the AWD models 
• The X-line SX is powered by a 4 cylinder turbo that generates 190 HP and 195 pound feet of torque; it’s estimated to get 26 MPG
• Later in 2026 Kia will introduce a hybrid Seltos; but for now, the HP and MPG are TBA

What Makes the X-Line Unique?

A few years ago Kia introduced the X-Line to its SUVs as a way to add more rugged capability. In some models the company added all terrain tires, tow hooks and higher ground clearance for off-road capability. 

In the Seltos, the X-Line is more of an appearance package than an off-road trim, though AWD is standard and the ground clearance is a bit higher at 8.1”. X-Line models have a unique front face and LED headlights, gloss black wheels, leatherette seats, black roof rails, and an exclusive paint color, Terrain Brown with Smoky Black interior. I liked the Frost Blue exterior color of the EX I drove, and this is available on the X-Line, too, though its light and dark gray contrasting interior is not; X-Line only has the black interior. 

Fitting Kids, Car Seats and Cargo 

The nice thing about the longer, wider and slightly taller 2027 Kia Seltos is that it may now work better for families. It’s still a compact SUV so fitting three kids, or three kids car seats, is probably not possible, but it should accommodate two just fine. I measured the now larger rear seat and found 30” behind my seat (I’m 5’8”), just enough for a rear facing car seat. Adding to the kids car seat capability are rear seats that recline a bit, making for a tighter installation, and rear air vents in the EX and X-Line SX models; the others don’t have rear air vents.  

Behind the rear seats the Kia Seltos has 28 cubic feet of cargo space that’s nicely organized; Kia added a cargo management system consisting of panels with movable utility hooks; they act as hooks for bags or items, or can be used to attach nets or other organizers and the hooks can be  moved so you can set it up how you like. I really liked this feature. Under the cargo floor I found a spare tire in my two test models; in some models a spare tire is part of an optional package. 

Does Style Need to Be Expensive? Kia Seltos Says No

Kia worked hard to polish and sculpt the Kia Seltos. There are exterior design details that are subtle but distinct. Probably my favorite feature, though, are the stylish and modern front seat head rests. They are tucked into the seat, backed by a panel that rises above them slightly; this creates a nice place to hang a bag, a backpack or a jacket. 

The utility is quite clever and when not in use, the look is minimalist. It’s just another detail that accents the main idea of the 2027 Kia Seltos: style doesn’t need to be expensive, it just needs to be smart. And if it’s inspired by something we already love, all the better.