2025 Kia Seltos Review

While many of its compact SUVs siblings are compromised when it comes to interior accommodation, the Seltos has more than a few tricks up its sleeve, including a particularly solid value proposition.

The wide-sprawling Seltos range remains relatively unchanged for 2025, though, which begs the question of whether its rivals have overtaken it on the features front or if it remains one of the best small SUVs in the segment.

Join us as we take a look at the latest MY25 Kia Seltos lineup to see how it stacks up as a comfortable, user-friendly, safe and practical small SUV package and how much the ownership costs will set you back.

Kia Seltos Competition

How Much Does the MY25 Kia Seltos Cost?

Prices for the MY25 Kia Seltos range kick off from $30,050 for the entry-level Seltos S and stretch out to $45,470 for the range-topping Seltos GT-Line 1.6T.

You can find pricing for the full 2025 Kia Seltos range below.

• MY25 Seltos S 2WD - $30,050

• MY25 Seltos Sport 2WD - $33,250

• MY25 Seltos Sport+ 2WD - $36,350

• MY25 Seltos Sport AWD - $39,870

• MY25 Seltos GT-Line 2WD - $42,050

• MY25 Seltos GT-Line AWD - $45,470

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change and do not include on-road costs.

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Kia Seltos GT-Line AWD Specifications

What Features Does the Kia Seltos Have?

Kia’s entry-level Seltos S comes riding on a set of 16-inch alloys and receives halogen headlights and daytime running lamps, cruise control, a matte black front grille, roof rails, a rear spoiler, body-coloured mirrors and door handles, a rear-view camera with front & rear parking sensors, cloth upholstery, air conditioning and a shark fin antenna.

Upgrading to the Seltos Sport range adds 17-inch alloys, fog lights, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, climate control and an upgraded steering wheel and gear lever, atop some infotainment tech upgrades.

Kia’s Seltos Sport+ range picks up a range of safety equipment upgrades atop adaptive cruise control, LED interior lighting, cloth and leatherette upholstery, heated side mirrors, an electric parking brake, a rear centre armrest and a sliding front centre console armrest.

The flagship Seltos GT-Line comes riding on 18-inch alloys and receives LED head, tail and fog lights, leatherette upholstery with heated and ventilated front seats with power adjustment, a premium front grille, a head-up display, a panoramic sunroof, powered boot lift, wireless charging pad, ambient lighting and a parcel shelf.

Kia Seltos Connectivity & Infotainment Features

Kia’s base version of the Seltos comes packaged with a pretty basic display while those upgrading to the Sport are treated to a much more respectable infotainment display.

The entry-level Seltos S receives an 8.0-inch display, which is paired with a six-speaker sound system, while the Seltos Sport and above pick up a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system sitting atop the dashboard.

While the base model’s unit is forgivable, considering its more accessible price tag, new rivals, particularly from China, have put the little 8.0-inch unit to shame.

The Seltos’ 10.25-inch infotainment system is packaged with AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio as well as satellite navigation, with the Seltos GT-Line picking up a more powerful eight-speaker BOSE sound system.

Buyers of the Seltos Sport and above - with the larger display - also pick up a seven-year subscription to Kia Connect, which offers remote vehicle controls, location tracking, connected navigation and emergency calls.

Does the Kia Seltos Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

The Kia Seltos does indeed offer wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, though strangely enough, it’s a feature offered only in the entry-level Seltos S range.

That means the rest of the Seltos range equipped with the 10.25-inch infotainment system are stuck with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, meaning you’ll need to bring your own USB cable.

Is the Kia Seltos Comfortable to Drive?

The Kia Seltos ticks all the important boxes for small SUV buyers, while all-wheel versions add a nice slice of versatility into the mix.

One of the most important considerations of a compact SUV package is just how easily it works in and around the tight confines of the urban jungle.

In this respect, the Seltos is a strong performer thanks to its stout footprint and its user-friendly nature, namely the featherweight steering that is easy to throw around while parking or darting through traffic.

Under the bonnet, buyers have the option of two petrol engines.

There’s a 2.0-litre four-cylinder at the base of the range producing a very modest 110kW of power and 180Nm of torque, which powers the front wheels via a CVT automatic.

Those looking for some more pace have the option of a far livelier 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder pushing out 146kW of power and 265Nm of torque which powers all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic.

This gives the Seltos a far more sporty personality while providing more traction on wet or loose surfaces, though the base engine gets the job done if you’re simply looking for a commuter. 

Around town, the Seltos darts around thanks to its sharp steering while the suspension package keeps things relatively smooth and compliant over the bumps.

On country roads, the Seltos is a serious performer for a city-slicking package, with its suspension happy to iron out larger lumps on the road without much of an issue, making it a seriously versatile package.

If you’re looking for more details on how the range-topping Seltos GT-Line AWD drives, we’ve got you covered with our hands-on review.

Is it Fuel Efficient?

The Kia Seltos is relatively fuel efficient for a non-hybrid small SUV package, with the base petrol engine proving the efficiency hero of the range.

On a combined cycle, Kia’s base 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol is rated at 6.0 per 100km while the all-wheel drive Seltos with the more powerful 1.6-litre turbocharged engine is rated at 7.4L per 100km.

• Seltos FWD - 6.0L per 100km (combined cycle)

• Seltos AWD - 7.4L per 100km (combined cycle)

Is it Practical and Spacious?

More often than not, buyers opting for a compact SUV are forced to make some practicality sacrifices.

Not in the Seltos, though, which provides an impressive amount of interior space for the segment and makes for one of the most practical of the bunch.

Up front, the Seltos cabin provides excellent headroom and forward visibility, while the GT-Line’s power-adjustable seats will come in handy for tall drivers looking for a hunkered-down driving position, or some added lumbar support.

The Seltos GT-Line also picks up leatherette upholstery as well as a flat-bottom sporty steering wheel and creature comforts like heated and ventilated seats and a heated steering wheel.

The design itself isn’t anything too exciting, with Kia opting for a button-heavy layout, particularly for the media and climate inputs, but we’d still take this over a display-dominated control environment.

Storage options in the front of the Seltos include two tiers of storage in the tray behind the gear lever, one of which doubles as a wireless charging pad, while the other houses a pair of USB ports.

There’s also a pair of cupholders, a narrow tray - perfect for smartphones and keys - behind the parking brake lever, a sizable storage area underneath the armrest and large bottle holders on either side of the cabin.

Move to the rear and the virtues of the Seltos platform begin to really shine, with more than enough legroom on offer for adults back here, even while sitting behind a leggy driver or front passenger.

Compared to the contortions required to sit behind a tall driver in some of its rivals, the Seltos provides outstanding real estate in the second row.

There’s no issue with headroom, either, with amenities like air vents, a pair of USB-C charging ports, a small storage tray, map pockets, bottle holders and a folding armrest with cupholders making the second row a particularly nice place to sit.

That’s not something you can say about all members of the compact SUV segment - top marks to Kia for that one.

The Seltos’ second row also picks up two ISOFIX anchors and three top tether mounts on the seatbacks to accommodate a range of forward and rear-facing child seats.

All things considered, we think the Seltos is amongst the best in class for outright interior space and practical touches that make it a compact SUV without any major interior sacrifices, with the GT-Line variant receiving a healthy amount of luxuries on top.

How Big is the Kia Seltos’ Boot?

While it’s not an outright giant, the Seltos offers a healthy amount of boot space for the compact SUV segment.

With the second row in place, the Seltos GT-Line has a boot measuring in at 433L, with a full-sized spare tyre hiding beneath the boot floor which is a particularly nice touch.

Fold down the rear seats and you’ll unlock a total of 1,393L of boot space when it’s time to lug around some sports gear, bulky cargo or make a dash to the airport.

For reference, the Seltos’ 433L of boot space puts it square-pegging with the Toyota Corolla Cross and Mazda CX-30, but slightly down on the Hyundai Kona.

• Kia Seltos Boot Space Minimum: 433L

• Kia Seltos Boot Space Maximum: 1,393L

Is it Safe?

Kia equips all members of the MY25 Seltos range with a hefty list of safety equipment, though some tech is reserved for higher-ranking members of the range.

As standard, buyers pick up autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and vehicle detection, as well as blind-spot and rear cross-traffic assistance, lane-keep assistance with lane-centring, a rear-view camera with front & rear parking sensors, driver attention alerts, safe exit alerts and tyre pressure monitoring.

The Seltos Sport+ and GT-Line pick up adaptive cruise control alongside an updated AEB system with junction assist and cyclist detection and lead-vehicle departure alerts.

Does the Kia Seltos Have an ANCAP Safety Rating?

The Kia Seltos has been awarded top marks from ANCAP, scoring a five-star safety rating after testing in 2019 saw it score the following marks.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 85%

• Child Occupant Protection: 83%

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 61%

• Safety Assist: 70%

This five-star ANCAP safety rating is set to expire in December, 2025.

What Warranty Does the Kia Seltos Come With?

The Kia Seltos comes backed by Kia’s outstanding seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Buyers also receive seven years’ worth of capped-price servicing and up to eight years of roadside assistance, if they keep the vehicle serviced within the Kia dealer network. 

The total price of Seven years worth of capped-price servicing for both the Seltos 2.0 FWD and the Seltos 1.6T AWD can be found below.

• Seltos 2.0 FWD Seven-Year Servicing Cost: $3,061*

• Seltos 1.6T AWD Seven-Year Servicing Cost: $3,490*

Service intervals for the Kia Seltos stand at between 12 months and 10,000km for the 1.6-litre turbocharged AWD range, stretching out to 15,000kms in the case of the 2.0-litre petrol FWD.

*these prices are accurate as of May, 2025.

Our Verdict: Is the Kia Seltos Worth it?

The Kia Seltos is a great car for those looking for all the convenience of a small SUV package without sacrificing too much in the way of practicality.

It’s a fun, user-friendly package to drive around town with a particularly strong value proposition in base versions, while Kia’s seven-year warranty certainly helps to sweeten the deal for buyers.

All up, the Seltos is a fun little SUV package that isn’t afraid to tackle a country road on the weekend and impresses with its practical cabin, making it well worth a spot on any compact SUV shortlist.

If you’re looking to upgrade to a new car, be sure to reach out to one of our car-buying experts who can help find you the best possible price.

Five Kia Seltos Specs You Need to Know

1. Seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty

2. Two petrol engines available

3. 6.0 - 7.4L/100km fuel economy figures (FWD vs AWD)

4. 433 - 1,393L boot space

5. Five-star ANCAP safety rating (expires December 2025)