The Kia Seltos has quietly become one of the smartest buys in the small SUV class, and the 2026 Kia Seltos is the most polished version of the formula yet. It starts at $24,000 (AED 88,100), it can be equipped with all-wheel drive on every trim, and it has a turbocharged engine that most rivals at this price simply don’t. This is also the last year of the first-generation Seltos before an all-new 2027 model arrives, so this is a very interesting time for buyers: you can buy a proven, heavily discounted design now or wait for the redesign.
In this guide I will go through the 2026 Kia Seltos in detail, from the price and interior to features, engine, performance, and specifications, and show them all in detail. I will then trace the past of the model with a comparison table from the 2021 Kia Seltos to the 2027 Kia Seltos so that you can know which year is right for you, new or used Kia Seltos on sale?
Note: The figures below are for US-market Seltos with AED equivalents converted at the pegged rate of roughly 1 USD = 3.67 AED. And the actual UAE showroom prices differ, as the GCC specification Seltos has its own trims and pricing. Kia also sells different versions of the Seltos in India and other markets.
2026 Kia Seltos Overview: What’s New
The 2026 model year is a carryover year, and that’s not a criticism. Kia gave the Seltos a thorough refresh in 2024 so the 2026 car is fully sorted: updated styling, dual 10.25-inch displays on top trims, a stronger turbo engine, and one of the longest warranties in the industry at 10 years or 100,000 miles on the powertrain.
Edmunds calls the 2026 Seltos “a well-rounded SUV” with distinctive style, a roomy interior, and a strong set of infotainment and safety technology, so it’s hard for me to see major faults. That is what I read. The Seltos doesn’t dominate any one category. It just refuses to be bad at anything, and at this price point that is rarer than you think.
Key highlights for 2026:
- Starting MSRP of $23,790 (AED 87,400) for the LX FWD.
- There are two engines: 147-hp 2.0L 4-cylinder or 190-hp 1.6L turbo.
- AWD is available for all trims, with an upgraded multi-link rear suspension on AWD models.
- 26.6 cu ft of cargo space behind the rear seats and 62.8 cu ft with them folded.
- Standard driver features include Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and Driver Attention Warning.
- Kia’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Kia Seltos Price 2026: Trims and MSRP
The Kia Seltos price 2026 pricing is budget-friendly to near-premium. Here is the full trim walk based on published MSRPs (destination charges extra):
| Trim | Drivetrain | Engine / Transmission | 2026 MSRP |
| LX | FWD | 2.0L, CVT | $23,790 (AED 87,400) |
| LX | AWD | 2.0L, CVT | $24,990 (AED 91,800) |
| S | FWD | 2.0L, CVT | $25,490 (AED 93,600) |
| EX | FWD | 2.0L, CVT | $26,490 (AED 97,300) |
| S | AWD | 2.0L, CVT | $26,990 (AED 99,100) |
| EX | AWD | 2.0L, CVT | $28,690 (AED 105,400) |
| SX | AWD | 1.6L Turbo, 8-Speed Automatic (8AT) | $31,490 (AED 115,600) |
The S AWD is the most popular configuration, and it is easy to see why: heated seats, better trim, and all-weather traction, all under $27,000 (AED 99,200). Edmunds recommends the EX as the value sweet spot because it adds several desirable features over the S for not much more money. If you do want the turbo, the SX is your only route, and it comes with AWD standard.
For real-world transaction prices, TrueCar data from early 2026 shows buyers paying almost exactly MSRP, around $25,372 (AED 93,200) on average for base models, including destination. Discounts should grow as the 2027 redesign gets closer, so patient shoppers may do well late in the year.
Kia Seltos Engine and Performance
The Kia Seltos engine lineup gives you a genuine choice, which is unusual in this segment where most rivals offer one engine, take it or leave it.
The 2.0 L four-cylinder (LX, S, EX) has 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque and a CVT system. It is tuned for economy rather than excitement. The car goes 0-60 mph in the mid-9-second range. It feels fine around town, but loaded with four adults on a highway, on-ramp, you will wish for more. KBB politely lists “boring base engine” among the car’s downsides, and I won’t argue.
The 1.6L turbocharged four-cylinder (SX only) produces 190 horsepower and pairs with a conventional 8-speed automatic and standard AWD. This is the Kia Seltos performance pick. The 0-60 run drops to roughly the low-8-second range, and the extra midrange torque changes the car’s character on the highway. Passing no longer requires planning.
The Kia Seltos top speed is electronically limited and sits around 120 mph for the base engine and roughly 130 mph for the turbo. Nobody buys a Seltos to chase top speed numbers, but it’s worth knowing the turbo has real legs.
Handling is a quiet strength. AWD versions swap the base torsion-beam rear suspension for a multi-link setup, which noticeably improves stability and composure in corners. The steering is light but accurate. The ride skews slightly firm, which some owners mention in reviews, though I’d call it controlled rather than harsh.
Fuel Economy
- 2.0L FWD: EPA-estimated 28 city / 34 highway mpg, about 31 combined
- 1.6L Turbo AWD: about 24 city / 27 highway mpg
Those base-engine numbers are competitive with the Honda HR-V and Toyota Corolla Cross, though the Seltos offers no hybrid for 2026. That gap gets fixed in 2027; more on that below.
Kia Seltos Interior: Punching Above Its Price
The Kia Seltos interior is where this SUV earns most of its praise. The cabin feels a class larger than the car’s footprint implies. Rear-seat legroom is generous for the segment, the seating position is high and upright, and outward visibility is excellent thanks to the boxy greenhouse.
The dashboard centerpiece on EX and SX trims is a pair of 10.25-inch panoramic displays, one for the gauges and one for infotainment, joined under a single piece of glass. Lower trims get an 8-inch touchscreen. Either way, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the lineup, and Kia’s software remains one of the more intuitive systems in the business. Kia also kept physical knobs and buttons for climate and volume, a small mercy that matters daily.
Available comfort features include:
- Heated and ventilated front seats.
- Sunroof.
- Bose premium audio.
- Ambient interior lighting.
- Remote start and Kia Connect with over-the-air updates on upper trims.
Cargo capacity measures 26.6 cubic feet behind the second row and 62.8 cubic feet with the seats folded, which beats a lot of nominally larger crossovers. A weekend’s worth of luggage for four fits without drama, and the low load floor makes heavy items easier to slide in.
Materials are honest rather than plush. You’ll find hard plastics in the lower cabin, but the touchpoints, the steering wheel, and the seat fabrics all feel appropriate for the money, and the SX dresses things up with synthetic leather.
Kia Seltos Features and Safety
The Kia Seltos features list covers safety thoroughly. The 2026 model ships with nine standard driver-assistance features, including:
- Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with pedestrian, cyclist, and car detection.
- Lane Keeping Assist and Lane Departure Warning.
- Driver Attention Warning.
- Rear occupant alert.
Move up the trim ladder, and you add Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Junction Turning Detection, a Blind-Spot View Monitor that displays a camera feed in the gauge cluster when you signal, and a Surround View Monitor on the SX. The Seltos has previously earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating, and the 2026 model builds on that structure.
Kia Seltos Wheels and Exterior. Kia Seltos wheels range from 17-inch alloys on LX and S trims to 18-inch machined-finish alloys on EX and SX. The 2024 refresh gave the Seltos its present-day look: a wider grille, revised LED lighting signatures, and a full-width rear light bar to see at night. It’s one of the prettiest designs in the class: it’s boxy where other competitors are soft, and two-tone roof options add personality.
Kia Seltos Wheels and Exterior
The Seltos was launched worldwide in 2019 and entered the U.S. as a 2021 model. That last one has since been followed by one major redesign and is now on to the second generation. It’s why if you’re comparing a used Kia Seltos to a new one, this history matters because the difference between years is more substantial than the badge might indicate.
Kia Seltos Through the Years: 2021 to 2027
| Model Year | Generation | Base Engine | Turbo Engine | Turbo Transmission | Infotainment Screens | Key Changes | Starting Price (New) |
| 2021 Kia Seltos | 1st Generation (Launch) | 2.0L, 147 hp | 1.6L Turbo, 175 hp | 7-speed DCT | 8″ or 10.25″ touchscreen | US debut; LX, S, EX & SX trims; AWD available | ~$21,990 (AED 80,800) |
| 2022 Kia Seltos | 1st Generation | 2.0L, 147 hp | 1.6L Turbo, 175 hp | 7-speed DCT | 8″ or 10.25″ touchscreen | Nightfall Edition added; minor feature updates | ~$22,490 (AED 82,600) |
| 2023 Kia Seltos | 1st Generation | 2.0L, 147 hp | 1.6L Turbo, 175 hp | 7-speed DCT | 8″ or 10.25″ touchscreen | Mostly unchanged; final pre-facelift model | ~$22,840 (AED 83,900) |
| 2024 Kia Seltos | 1st Generation (Facelift) | 2.0L, 147 hp | 1.6L Turbo, 195 hp | 8-speed Automatic | Dual 10.25″ displays available | New exterior, redesigned dashboard, X-Line trim, DCT replaced by smoother 8AT | ~$24,390 (AED 89,600) |
| 2025 Kia Seltos | 1st Generation | 2.0L, 147 hp | 1.6L Turbo, ~190 hp | 8-speed Automatic | Dual 10.25″ displays available | Carryover model with minor pricing and feature updates | ~$24,690 (AED 90,700) |
| 2026 Kia Seltos | 1st Generation (Final Year) | 2.0L, 147 hp | 1.6L Turbo, 190 hp | 8-speed Automatic | Dual 10.25″ displays available | Final model year of the first generation; strong value runout model | $23,790 (AED 87,400) |
| 2027 Kia Seltos | 2nd Generation (All-New) | 2.0L, 147 hp | 1.6L Turbo, 190 hp | 8-speed Automatic | Dual 12.3″ displays + 5″ climate display (~30″ total) | Complete redesign, longer wheelbase, first-ever Seltos Hybrid with available e-AWD | Estimated from $25,000 (AED 91,800); Hybrid from ~$30,000 (AED 110,200) |
Prices are approximate US starting MSRPs at launch, before destination. Used values will be lower.
2021 Kia Seltos: The Original
The 2021 Kia Seltos arrived as Kia’s answer to the Subaru Crosstrek and Honda HR-V, and it was cheaper and underpriced for its features. Even the launch car had AWD on every trim, a 10.25-inch navigation screen on the front, and the 175 hp turbo in S-Turbo and SX forms. The turbo’s 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, in particular, felt sluggish in stop-and-go traffic. A 2021 Kia Seltos S with reasonable miles is now one of the cheapest routes to get on this platform, and the powertrain warranty could still exist for original owners.
2022 Kia Seltos and 2023 Kia Seltos: Steady Years
The 2022 Kia Seltos added the moody Nightfall Edition with blacked-out trim, and the 2023 Kia Seltos carried on with minor equipment improvements. Mechanically these cars are identical to the 2021. On the used market they are usually the value picks – new enough to feel current and old enough to be depreciated. If you’re browsing Kia Seltos for sale listings, a clean 2022 or 2023 EX is a lot of car for the money.
2024 Kia Seltos: The Big Refresh
The 2024 Kia Seltos is the year that matters most in this history. Kia tuned the front and rear of the vehicle, redesigned the dashboard around the dual 10.25-inch panoramic display, added the adventure-flavored X-Line trim and, most importantly, increased the turbo to 195 hp while switching off the dual-clutch gearbox for a conventional 8-speed automatic. That change of transmission made the turbo more dynamic. If you’re looking for the turbo, I’d go for 2024 over any earlier year.
2025 Kia Seltos and 2026 Kia Seltos: Refined Runout
The 2025 Kia Seltos was a carryover, as the turbo was re-rated to 190 hp for new testing (no real-world change). The 2026 car remains unchanged as the last first-generation model. Runout years are historically good times to buy, and the 2026 Seltos combines end-of-cycle sales with a fully debugged design. Kia Seltos reviews for these years are excellent, with Edmunds’ consumer rating for early 2026 owners averaging five out of five stars.
2027 Kia Seltos: The All-New Second Generation
The new Kia Seltos (2027) debuted at the New York International Auto Show, and it’s not a facelift but a ground-up redesign. The design is heavily based on the new Telluride’s boxier shape, flush door handles, and wider stance. The wheelbase increases by 2.4 inches; cargo space is increased to 27.8 cu ft behind the rear seats and 64.1 cu ft with them folded, and the ground clearance increases to 8.1 inches.
Inside, a 12.3-inch touchscreen is standard, and upper trims combine it with a 12.3-inch digital cluster and a 5-inch climate panel for nearly 30 inches of total display area.
The headline is the first-ever Seltos Hybrid, which features an electric motor and 6-speed dual-clutch transmission with front-wheel drive or electrified all-wheel drive. Gas models will be made available in mid-to-late summer 2026, with hybrid in late 2026. Edmunds expects the gas model to start around $25,000 (AED 91,800) while the hybrid is around $30,000 (AED 110,200).
So should you wait? If a hybrid Seltos is what you have always wanted all along, yes. And if you want maximum value, the discounted 2026 will be thousands cheaper than an in-demand, first-year 2027.
Kia Seltos vs Sportage: Which Kia SUV Fits You?
Shoppers tend to cross-shop the Kia Seltos and Sportage, and the deciding factor is size and budget. The Sportage is a full class bigger, with more rear legroom, more cargo room, and hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, but it starts several thousand dollars higher and costs more to run. The Seltos is easier to park, cheaper to insure, and honestly not far behind on interior tech. If you often take people in the back seat or have big stuff to carry around, pick the Sportage. For everybody else, the Seltos does 90 percent of the work and does it for less money.
Verdict: Should You Buy the 2026 Kia Seltos?
Any honest Kia Seltos review 2026 falls right into that same spot: this is a value-first SUV that gives up very little for its price. The styling is personality-driven, the cabin is big and tech-forward, the safety equipment is comprehensive, and the warranty is the longest in the mainstream business. There isn’t a hybrid this year, and the base engine is boring. Those are the only real complaints.
Buy the 2026 Seltos if you want a well-equipped, proven small SUV at a run-out price. Consider a used Kia Seltos from 2022-2024 if your budget is tight. And wait for 2027 if a hybrid powertrain or the latest tech is more important than the deal.
FAQs
Q. What is the Kia Seltos price for 2026?
A. The 2026 Kia Seltos starts at $23,790 (AED 87,400) MSRP for the LX FWD, before destination charges. The most popular trim for this year is priced at $26,990 (AED 99,100), and the turbocharged SX AWD is $31,490 (AED 115,600) in the range. Real-world transaction prices in early 2026 have been around sticker, but discounts typically improve during the last year of a model.
Q. What engine does the Kia Seltos have, and how fast is it?
A. The 2026 Seltos is available with two engine options: a 2.0L four-cylinder with 147 hp and CVT, or a 1.6L turbo with 190 hp and an 8-speed automatic on the SX trim. The turbo hits 60 mph in the low-8-second range, and Kia Seltos top speed will be limited to around 130 mph for the turbo models. The base engine is fuel efficient, returning an EPA-estimated 28 city/34 highway mpg with FWD.
Q. Which used Kia Seltos model year is best to buy?
A. For turbo shoppers, the 2024 Kia Seltos or newer is the most appropriate model year because that refresh replaced the sometimes-jerky dual-clutch transmission with a smooth 8-speed automatic and dual 10.25-inch displays. For maximum value with the base engine, a 2022 or 2023 Kia Seltos has the same mechanicals as the launch car at relatively low prices. Always check if the transferable portion of Kia’s warranty still applies.
Q. What is new about the Kia Seltos in 2027?
A. The redesigned Kia Seltos 2027 looks like a complete redesign. It features a 2.4-inch longer wheelbase, more cargo space (up to 64.1 cu ft), more than 30 inches of combined display area on the top trims, and the first-ever Seltos Hybrid with electrified AWD. Gas models will be launched in summer 2026 and hybrids in late 2026 with a starting price of just over $25,000 (AED 91,800).
Q. Is the Kia Seltos reliable, and what warranty does it come with?
A. The Seltos has a good reputation for reliability, and owner reviews average five stars on Edmunds. Every Seltos is covered by Kia’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which remains the benchmark coverage in the mainstream SUV market and provides meaningful long-term protection whether you buy new or lightly used.
