The 2021 Kia Seltos. |
In case you're wondering, "Seltos" is meant to evoke "Celtus", the son of Hercules in Greek mythology (though alternate mythology has him as the son of Polyphemus), as a way of conveying strength. That's what Kia says.
What matters is that the Seltos, like its cousin, the Hyundai Venue, is a new entrant in what, until mid-March, a pandemic and the largest job loss in American history, was a hot segment of the automotive market, the subcompact crossover. And, like the Venue, it finds itself perfectly positioned for a world where utility, economy and longevity are likely to be prized among the people able to buy new cars.
Seltoses (Selti?) start at $21,990, with a 147-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder, but our tester was the top-of-the-line, much more powerful SX Turbo AWD. Base price for this one is $27,890.
As with the Venue, there's room for five people and more than a little cargo (26.6 cubic feet with the rear seat up, 62.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded flat). And the SX Turbo AWD comes packed with standard equipment:
- Forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian detection
- Blind spot collision warning
- Blind spot collision avoidance-rear
- Rear cross-traffic warning and avoidance assist
- Lane keeping assist
- Lane following assist
- Lane departure warning
- Driver attention warning
- High beam assist
- Electronic stability control
- Downhill brake/hill-start assist control
- 10.25-inch touchscreen with UVO Link (one year trial), navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Bose Premium audio
- Sound-connected lighting
- Seven-inch color LCD instrument cluster
- Rear camera with dynamic guidelines
- USB multimedia port
- Heated front seats
- Sofino leatherette seat trim
- Ten-way power driver's seat with power lumbar
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
- Sliding front center armrest
- Rear center armrest
- Remote keyless entry
- Steering wheel controls (Bluetooth/audio/cruise)
- 60/40 spilt folding and reclining rear seat
- Dual-level cargo floor
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Upgraded grille with integrated LED light bar
- LED daytime running lights and LED taillights
- LED headlights and fog lights
- Power, heated outside mirrors with LED turn signal indicators
- Compact spare tire
- Smart cruise control with stop & go
- Highway driving assist
- Electronic parking brake
- Smart key and pushbutton start
- Remote start
- Wireless phone charger
- Full automatic temperature control
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror
- Illuminated sunvisor mirror
- LED interior lamps
- Rear USB charge port
- Rear passenger air vents
- Cargo cover
- Safe exit assist
That's so comprehensive a list of standard equipment that the only extra-cost options on our tester were the Starbright Yellow body with Black roof paint ($345) and carpeted floor mats ($130).
So, with $1,120 inland freight and handling, the bottom line on the window sticker ends up at $29,485. A strong mix of economy, capability and power, all accompanied by Kia's 10-year/100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty.
There may still be four-wheeled fun in the era of limits we're entering.