5 Questions About The 2021 Kia Seltos Answered

The Kia Seltos is an all-new subcompact SUV
Pricing hasn’t been released, but expected around $23,000
Will arrive on the market in early 2020

There were rumors of the 2021 Kia Seltos being at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Those rumors were confirmed the second the L.A. Convention Centre came into view thanks to the huge Seltos display covering the entire auto show building.

With the new Seltos, Kia is entering a crowded market of entry-level utility vehicles where the competition is already fierce. The Kia Seltos will slot under the Kia Sportage in the Kia new vehicle lineup.

2021 Kia Seltos Arrives In Style At Los Angeles Auto Show

What’s New About The 2021 Kia Seltos?

Everything is new about the Seltos for us here in North America. The subcompact SUV was actually unveiled back in September at the Chengdu Motor Show after being introduced in concept form at the 2018 Auto Expo in February 2018. The Seltos goes on sale in China in December 2019.

For North America, however, the Seltos is a brand-new model that will serve as Kia’s entry-level SUV. It will feature two engines taken from the Hyundai Kona starting with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that delivers 146 horsepower. An optional 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo with 175 horsepower will be available as well. All-wheel drive will be available on every version of the Seltos, but base models will come with front-wheel drive.

Although the Seltos shares many components with the Kona, it’s design is completely different with the Kia SUV getting a higher ride height to please traditional SUV buyers. Kia also says that the Seltos will have more upscale available features.

How Much Will It Cost?

We aren’t sure of the 2021 Kia Seltos’ price just yet. Expectations are that it will be more expensive than the Hyundai Kona which currently starts at around $21,000 in Canada and roughly $18,000 in the US.

We’re thinking that Kia won’t want to price the Seltos too high in Canada, but at the same time it will be positioned as a more upscale alternative to the Nissan Qashqai, Kona, Mazda CX-3, and Subaru Crosstrek. Pricing the Seltos at $24,000 to $25,000 in Canada, and around $22,000 in the US, would make sense.

When Will It Be Released?

The 2021 Kia Seltos goes on sale in early 2020.

Which Models Will It Compete With?

There’s a ton of competition in this segment starting with the aforementioned Hyundai Kona. There’s also the Mazda CX-3, Nissan Qashqai, upcoming Chevrolet Trailblazer, Subaru Crosstrek, Toyota C-HR, and the Honda CR-V.

What Do We Think About the 2021 Kia Seltos?

Pricing will be key. We think Kia can’t charge more than $1,000 over a Kona if it hopes to make a dent in the market. Entry-level SUVs can’t be $30,000 after taxes and options. Buyers want value, and a high sticker price will kill interest. That said, we like the design and the fact that it actually looks like an SUV. If they pricing structure is right, it should do well.