2022 Kia Seltos

What kind of car is the 2022 Kia Seltos? What does it compare to?

The Seltos anchors Kia’s crossover lineup with a five-seater with available all-wheel drive, which the smaller Soul lacks. With that feature and crisp styling, the 2022 Seltos also sports a smart base price of $23,665. Rivals include the Hyundai Kona, Kia Soul, and Subaru Crosstrek.

Is the 2022 Kia Seltos a good car?

Review continues below

It earns a TCC Rating of 6.2 out of 10, with a strong score in features. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

What’s new for the 2022 Kia Seltos?

This year the Seltos gains automatic emergency braking on every model. Seltos S, EX, and SX versions all have a 10.3-inch touchscreen standard as well as remote start, and a new Nightfall edition gets 18-inch black wheels and other blacked-out trim. 

The Seltos is only slightly larger than the Soul, but the two look quite different aside from the similar nose. The Seltos sits longer and taller, with crisp lines that give it a resemblance to some European hatchbacks (Skoda, to be precise). The angular fog lights and deeply creased hood set it apart, as do the blacked-out pillars that make the roof appear to float. Inside, the tame layout tips toward the driver with a pleasant and simple design capped by an 8.0-inch touchscreen on the dash of the base LX, a 10.3-inch touchscreen on all other models. 

A 146-hp inline-4 powers most Seltos crossovers. With a CVT distributing power to the front or all four wheels, it’s a tame application of a tame powertrain, with average acceleration that doesn’t hamstring its drivability. We can’t say the same for the 175-hp turbo-4 upgrade; its 7-speed dual-clutch transmission isn’t fluent at city speeds, and it likes to upshift early, which saps the fun. The Seltos’ available all-wheel-drive system helps it keep track of dusty trails; keep the steering in Sport mode to track interstates cleanly.

The Seltos seats four adults well, with a fifth seat possible if your friends are into compromise. The front seats could use more bolstering, but the rear seats recline for power naps—or fold away to boost the Seltos’s substantial cargo space.

For 2022, Kia’s made automatic emergency braking, active lane control, and automatic high beams standard; higher trims get blind-spot monitors and adaptive cruise control. Crash-test scores have been mixed, with a four-star NHTSA rating and a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS in conflict.

How much does the 2022 Kia Seltos cost?

It’s $23,665 for the base Seltos LX, which has all-wheel drive, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. A front-drive version costs a little more but adds a 10.3-inch touchscreen. For $29,165, the Seltos SX Turbo has all-wheel drive, adaptive cruise control, and synthetic leather upholstery.

Where is the 2022 Kia Seltos made?

In South Korea.