Starts at $24,590
Rank
What's New for 2025?
Fundamentally unchanged, the Seltos gets a handful of minor feature adjustments this year, starting with standard rear parking sensors on EX and SX trims. A motion-sensing power liftgate is now standard on EX AWD and SX, while the basic S trim gains 17-inch alloy wheels, an auto up/down driver window and a 4.25” TFT instrument cluster. Finally, the EX AWD now comes standard with a cargo cover.
FAST FACTS
"On the styling front, we consider the Seltos a rare miss for Kia these days — that front fascia is just too busy, and too different from other Kia products. But if you're less bothered than we are, this subcompact SUV merits serious consideration. It doesn't even feel small on the inside, so you won't feel like you're giving up much versatility versus larger, pricier SUVs. Just keep in mind that the turbo engine, which transforms the Seltos' driving character with its quick acceleration and eight-speed automatic transmission, comes at a considerable price premium over the insipid base engine, which comes with a less-than-gratifying CVT."—Ranked #1 out of 18 Subcompact SUVs
MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. Ordered by price from low to high, here are the versions of the 2025 Kia Seltos that you need to be aware of, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.
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It's always notable when a non-Subaru comes standard with all-wheel drive, and so it is with the base Seltos LX — if you want front-wheel drive, you have to upgrade to the S trim and pay more. The LX isn't feature-rich, but it's potentially a nice deal if you just need a basic new SUV that can get you through a snowy winter.
Unusually, the cheapest front-drive Seltos is actually more expensive than the cheapest all-wheel-drive version. Kia decided to make the entry-level LX trim AWD-only, while the next trim up the scale — the S — is the first to come standard with front-wheel drive.
The turbo engine is clearly the one to have in the Seltos — not just because it's far torquier and more powerful, but also because it discards the CVT in favor of a conventional eight-speed automatic that feels more precise. It does get significantly worse fuel economy than the base engine, though, and you have to step up to at least the X-Line trim to unlock the turbo, which takes the Seltos into a different price bracket.
Publisher and Donkey-in-Chief
Josh has been reviewing cars professionally since joining Edmunds.com fresh out of grad school in 2008, personally driving most new cars on the market every year since. He also served as the project manager for Edmunds' expert vehicle rankings from their inception in 2018, building the product out from the back end to the front end. Josh is a card-carrying member of the Motor Press Guild and a lifelong car nut who has tested, compared and critiqued a ridiculous number of cars in his career.
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