2027 Kia Seltos First Look: Bigger, Smarter & Hybrid-Ready

New platform, bigger body, tech-heavy cabin, and a hybrid on the way—Kia’s second-gen Seltos leans harder into sophistication without abandoning its subcompact roots.

You could argue the first Seltos punched above its weight. It was inexpensive, cheerful, and surprisingly grown-up inside for something that parked shorter than many compacts. The 2027 Seltos, though, feels like Kia has decided this little SUV deserves a proper spotlight. It’s bigger, sharper, and styled like it’s auditioning to join the brand’s EV family—even though there’s still gasoline under the hood for now.

2027 Kia Seltos First Look (8)

Exterior design: EV energy without the plug

At a glance, the new Seltos looks like it’s been hanging out with the EV9. The nose is flatter and more horizontal, with a broad grille that blends into intricate LED lighting signatures, giving it that clean “electric” face even as it sips fuel. Slim lamps and vertical light elements frame the front like brackets, and the rear mirrors that theme with a full-width light bar tying the taillights together. It’s more polished, less cute, and definitely more assertive when you see it in profile.

Flush-mounted door handles now sit nearly level with the body, erasing some visual clutter and making the sides look smoother, almost like a concept car that somehow made it to production. Cladding still traces the wheel arches and lower body, so it hasn’t lost the mild adventure vibe, especially in trims like X-Line and GT-Line that lean into the rugged or sporty look. From a distance, you might mistake it for one of Kia’s dedicated EVs, and that’s clearly the goal.

Size, platform, and proportions

The Seltos has gone through a subtle growth spurt, and it shows up more in how it sits on the road than in any single number. Overall length now stretches to about 174.4 inches, up from roughly 172.6 before, so it fills its lane just a bit more confidently. The wheelbase has been extended from 103.5 to 105.9 inches, and you can almost feel that extra length in the side profile, where the wheels now look better centered under the body rather than tucked in.

Width is up by a little over an inch, while height actually drops slightly, which gives the new Seltos a lower, broader stance without sacrificing the upright SUV posture that made the original such an easy sell. Underneath, it now rides on the K3 platform, which Kia says is stiffer and better tuned for noise and vibration control. Translation: it should feel calmer over expansion joints, less boomy on coarse pavement, and generally more like a class-above crossover from behind the wheel.

Powertrains and performance character

Under the skin, Kia hasn’t gone wild with experimentation, but the mix makes sense for a global subcompact SUV. The standard engine remains a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder with 147 horsepower, paired with a CVT that’s tuned more for smoothness and fuel economy than drama. It’s the engine you choose if your daily grind is mostly city streets and suburban errands.

The more interesting option is the 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, offered in 178-hp or 190-hp versions depending on the market. U.S.-bound cars get the stronger 190-hp tune, coupled exclusively to an eight-speed automatic. No manual here, but the turbo should give the Seltos that extra mid-range pull it previously lacked, especially when merging or climbing hills. Front- and all-wheel drive are still on the order sheet, so you can spec it as an urban runabout or a winter-ready all-rounder.

The real wild card is the upcoming hybrid. Kia has confirmed a hybrid powertrain is coming but hasn’t shared the technical recipe yet. Given what the brand already does with hybrid and plug-in systems in other models, expect something tuned for strong fuel economy and stop-and-go serenity rather than hot-hatch antics. If it comes to the U.S.—and odds look decent—it could be the sweet spot for buyers who want EV-style efficiency without worrying about plugs and charge times.

Interior and tech: small SUV, big-screen feel

Open the door, and the Seltos no longer feels like Kia’s “starter” SUV. Front and center is the company’s now-signature 30-inch dash-mounted display, a seamless band that stitches together two 12.3-inch screens with a slim 5-inch panel in the middle dedicated to climate controls and quick functions. It’s the kind of layout that used to be reserved for halo models; now it lives in a subcompact.

The cabin design leans clean and horizontal, with materials that look and feel a notch more premium than before. Kia says the stiffer structure and NVH work means a quieter cabin, and the visual vibe matches that—less plasticky, more curated. Tech-wise, the Seltos gets the latest infotainment software, over-the-air update capability, and a ChatGPT-powered AI voice assistant that can handle more natural language commands, so you’re not stuck yelling robotic prompts at the dash.

Then there are the comfort tricks. The driver’s seat can transform into a recliner with an extending ottoman—perfect for waiting at a charger or just hiding from a long grocery run. The mesh headrests borrowed from the EV9 add a lounge-like touch, and rear passengers get seatbacks that recline up to 12 degrees, turning the back row into something you can actually tolerate on a long freeway slog.

Practicality and everyday usability

Despite all the extra style and tech, the Seltos still has to pull its weight as a practical daily companion. Here, there’s a small twist: cargo space behind the rear seats is now about 19 cubic feet, which is actually down by roughly seven cubic feet compared with the outgoing model. On paper that sounds like a step backward, but Kia has stretched the dual-level cargo floor by about 3.1 inches, making it more useful for longer items and more flexible in how you stack luggage or gear.

Passenger space should feel slightly more generous thanks to the longer wheelbase and added width, particularly in the second row where knees and shoulders always take the first hit in subcompact SUVs. Combine that with recline-adjustable rear seats and a quieter cabin, and the Seltos starts looking less like an “entry-level” choice and more like the do-everything car for small families, urban couples, or anyone who just doesn’t want a giant crossover.

Pricing and launch timing

Official numbers aren’t out yet, but expectations are pretty clear: when the 2027 Seltos reaches U.S. dealerships sometime next year, the base front-wheel-drive model is likely to start around $27,000. That keeps it in the fight with other well-equipped subcompact and entry-compact SUVs while reflecting the jump in tech and size.

Higher trims—think SX, X-Line, GT-Line with the turbo engine and all-wheel drive—should comfortably clear $33,000, especially once you start layering in options. It’s not bargain-basement money anymore, but compared with similarly outfitted rivals, the Seltos still aims to land on the “good value” side of the ledger, especially if the hybrid arrives with compelling fuel savings.

A small SUV with big ambitions

What stands out about the 2027 Kia Seltos isn’t just that it’s bigger or bolder; it’s how deliberately it borrows the look and vibe of Kia’s EV flagships while staying rooted in the reality of combustion and hybrid power. It wants to be the small SUV that feels more expensive than it is, the one you recommend to a friend who doesn’t want to “just get another crossover.”

If Kia nails the ride quality, keeps the pricing sharp, and follows through on the hybrid’s potential, this second-generation Seltos could easily become one of the brand’s global anchors. It’s still compact, still approachable, but now it looks and feels like it belongs in the same family photo as the EV9 and K4—not just the kid cousin parked at the far edge of the driveway.