2027 Kia Seltos: Trims, MPG and Pricing for New York City Drivers

Published August 10, 2026 · Last updated September 14, 2026

Most small SUVs ask New Yorkers to choose between a vehicle that fits the parking spot and one that fits the family. The Seltos always split that difference well, and for 2027 it has been rebuilt from the floor up — bigger inside without becoming a problem outside.

What's changing on the 2027 Kia Seltos?

Nearly everything. This is a full second-generation redesign, so a 2026 and a 2027 Seltos share a name and very little else. The wheelbase stretched 2.4 inches to 105.9, the body went upright and squared in the Telluride idiom, and ground clearance climbed to as much as 8.1 inches.

Inside, the change is larger still: dual 12.3-inch displays plus a 5-inch climate panel are standard on every trim, running Kia's ccNC system with over-the-air updates, and soft-touch surfaces replaced hard plastic. The lineup changed too — four gas trims run the 2.0-liter, only the X-Line SX gets the 1.6-liter turbo, and for the first time there will be a hybrid.

How it compares with the car it replaces

The first-generation Seltos ran from 2021 through 2026 and got a restyle for 2024 — new fascias, a bigger screen, the switch to the 2.0-liter. That was a facelift; this is a different car. Stepping between them you notice three things: rear seat space, now genuinely adult-usable at 39.0 inches of legroom and 55.4 of shoulder room; cargo, reaching 64.2 cubic feet with the seats down; and ride quality, since AWD and X-Line models swapped the torsion beam for a multi-link rear.

Will the 2027 Kia Seltos cost more?

Yes, and openly so — a redesign year is not a carryover year. The range opens at $24,990 for the LX front-drive and tops out at $32,790 for the X-Line SX, before the $1,495 destination charge. In between: S from $26,390, EX from $28,390, X-Line S at $28,990.

Two numbers decide most budgets. All-wheel drive adds $1,700 on the LX, S and EX — the option most New York households should think hard about, not for deep snow but for the first unplowed morning and the wet ramp onto a parkway. And in a redesign year existing equity usually decides which trim is realistic, so get a trade-in value before you shop payments.

2027 Kia Seltos trims compared

Five gasoline trims plus the coming hybrid. Prices exclude the $1,495 destination charge; fuel figures are Kia estimates pending EPA certification.

Which trim fits which New Yorker

• LX FWD — mostly parked, used on weekends; still gets all three screens and the full safety suite.
• S — the value sweet spot: power seat and wireless charging are what you touch daily.
• X-Line S — AWD without thinking about it, plus the multi-link rear.
• X-Line SX — for daily merges onto the Belt or the BQE; its Surround View Monitor is the most useful parking feature on the car.

Two engines now, a hybrid next

The 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle engine makes 147 horsepower through an Intelligent Variable Transmission. Not quick, and not pretending to be: efficient, quiet at city speeds, cheap to run. At 30 mpg combined with a 13.2-gallon tank, front-drive models go close to 390 miles between fill-ups.

The 1.6-liter turbo in the X-Line SX brings 190 horsepower through a conventional 8-speed automatic and holds gears the way a highway driver expects. Torque Vectoring Multi-Mode AWD is standard, so you select a setting for snow rather than hoping the system sorts it out.

The interior is where the money went

Kia leaned on the Telluride here. The dashboard runs wide and flat, the console opens underneath for bags, and rear passengers get 38.9 inches of headroom — usable for adults rather than the token bench this class often delivers.

Awards and recent Kia news

The Seltos is brand new for 2027, so it has not been through the independent test cycles yet and carries no crash-test award of its own. What it has is a brand collecting hardware steadily.

In the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Initial Quality Study the Carnival finished first among minivans and the K4 took the top spot among compact cars, ranking second industry-wide. Kia collected 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ awards on the Sportage, Sorento, K4 and EV9. Kia is also the official automotive partner of the NBA and WNBA — which lands close to home when the Nets and the Liberty both play in Brooklyn.

Behind it sits the warranty that became the brand's calling card: 10 years or 100,000 miles of powertrain coverage, 5 years or 60,000 miles basic, both limited. Kelley Blue Book has noted Seltos resale values running above the segment average — and resale is the award that reaches your bank statement, since residuals set lease payments.

What the Seltos does well on our streets

Start with the tape measure, because in this city that is the whole argument. At 174.4 inches long the Seltos stays in range of the spots that open up on a block in Midwood or Bay Ridge, and at 72 inches wide the gap between a double-parked van and a bike lane stays workable.

The number that surprises people is the turning circle: roughly 32 feet curb to curb. That is the difference between a clean U-turn on a one-way street and a five-point reversal with someone behind you leaning on the horn.

Ground clearance rose too, from 7.5 inches on the LX to 8.1 on the X-Line SX. Nobody here needs that for trail work — you need it for potholes after a freeze-thaw week and the plowed ridge at the end of a side street.

• Visibility and parking aids. The upright shape gives you a hood you can place, and the available Surround View and Blind-Spot View Monitors make parallel parking and merging past cyclists far less stressful.
• AWD without the size penalty. Available on every gas trim, standard on both X-Lines — winter traction without moving up to something that no longer fits your block.
• Standard safety tech. Every trim carries the driver-assist suite, including Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with junction turning, aimed at the intersections that cause city collisions.
• Garage realities. At 63.0 to 65.0 inches tall the Seltos clears height limits that a taller three-row SUV will not.

One honest caveat: the Seltos seats five. Need a third row? Look at the Sorento, the Telluride, or our 2027 Kia Carnival guide.

Cross-shopping without leaving the block

Driving the Seltos against its rivals the same afternoon is realistic here. Compare it with the Hyundai Kona or smaller Venue at Plaza Hyundai, or the Toyota Corolla Cross and C-HR at Plaza Toyota. Sizing up? The Hyundai Tucson and Toyota RAV4 are a short walk away, Acura of Brooklyn covers upscale, and Plaza Honda is on the same block — our 2027 Honda HR-V comparison covers the closest Honda rival. On a budget? Browse the group used inventory.

Shopping a Seltos at Plaza Kia

Start with a number instead of a guess. Our pre-approval form returns a real payment range and asks for no Social Security number or date of birth.

Then check current Kia incentives and our dealership promotions — factory support and store offers often stack. Replacing something? Get a trade-in value first.

Not set on new? Our certified pre-owned Kia lineup and used inventory are worth a look, and you can schedule service online anytime.

Frequently asked questions

Pricing is MSRP and excludes the $1,495 destination charge, taxes, title, license, options and dealer charges. Fuel economy figures are Kia estimates; EPA ratings were pending at publication and actual mileage varies. Features and availability vary by trim and are subject to change.