1 Year Ago
Kia Seltos goes sunbathing upside down on busy beach
A brand new Kia Seltos with P-plates has smashed through a concrete wall and landed on a busy beach in Balmoral, Sydney. No one was injured.
Jade Credentino
About the Kia Seltos
Last updated Oct 23, 2024The 2023 Kia Seltos is classified as a 4 Door Wagon currently on sale in Australia as part of the SP2 PE MY24 generation, starting from $28,900 MLRP for the S (FWD) and topping out at $43,900 for the GT-LINE (AWD) (TWO-TONE).
There are 16 variants available for our market and the current year model went on sale in May of 2023. The Seltos is built in Korea and is available with 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection, equipped with a Continuous Variable transmission with the drive sent to FWD. The Seltos is offered with a 7 year, unlimited kilometre warranty.
Pros
- Great tech across the range
- New 8-sp Automatic is a massive improvement
- One of the most practical SUVs in its class
Cons
- Annoying speed limit assist warnings
- Basic halogen headlights on entry grades
- Some odd spec decisions
Kia Seltos Rating
Mitsubishi ASX
Entry-level
Audi RSQ3
Best in class
Overall rating
8.2
7.3
8.6
Kia Seltos News
2023 Kia Seltos Reviews
2023 Kia Seltos Price
| Variant | Price From* | Price To* |
|---|---|---|
| S (FWD) | $28,900 | $28,900 |
| SPORT (FWD) | $32,000 | $32,000 |
| SPORT+ (FWD) | $35,100 | $35,100 |
| SPORT+ (AWD) | $38,500 | $38,500 |
| GT-LINE (FWD) (TWO-TONE) | $40,600 | $40,600 |
| GT-LINE (FWD) (SUNROOF) | $40,600 | $40,600 |
| GT-LINE (AWD) (SUNROOF) | $43,900 | $43,900 |
| GT-LINE (AWD) (TWO-TONE) | $43,900 | $43,900 |
*excl. on-roads
2023 Kia Seltos Dimensions
1630mm
1800mm
4385mm
The dimensions shown above are for the base model.
See all 2023 Kia Seltos Dimensions2023 Kia Seltos Boot Space
All models bar the entry-level S – which feature a full-size spare – get 433 litres of volume with the rear seats in play, while the base model with its space-saver spare gets 468L.
Fold the rear seats down and that figure expands to 1428 litres in the Seltos S, and 1393 litres for everything else.
2023 Kia Seltos Gallery
CarExpert High Resolution Photos of the Kia Seltos
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2023 Kia Seltos Safety Rating
The Kia Seltos was crash tested by ANCAP in 2019 and it received a five-star safety rating.
It received an adult occupant protection score of 85 per cent, child occupant protection score of 83 per cent, vulnerable road user protection score of 61 per cent, and a safety assist score of 70 per cent.
All 2023 Kia Seltos models come standard with the following safety features:
- Front, front-side and curtain airbags
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Car
- Pedestrian
- Blind-spot assist
- Rear cross-traffic assist
- Safe Exit Warning
- Intelligent Speed Limit Assist
- Lane-keep assist
- Lane Following Assist (lane centring)
- Driver Attention Alert
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Rear-view camera
- Tyre-pressure monitoring system
Sport+ and GT-Line models receive AEB with cyclist avoidance and junction turning assist, as well as adaptive cruise control and lead-vehicle departure alert.
2023 Kia Seltos Fuel Economy
The 2023 Kia Seltos, when equipped with the standard 2.0-litre four-cylinder, consumes 6.9L/100km on the ADR combined city and highway cycle.
The turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder uses 7.4L/100km on the ADR combined city and highway cycle.
Both engines need 91RON regular unleaded fuel and can run on E10 with a 50L fuel tank.
| Kia Seltos | Fuel Type | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| GT-LINE (AWD) (SUNROOF) | UNLEADED PETROL | 7.4 |
| GT-LINE (AWD) (TWO-TONE) | UNLEADED PETROL | 7.4 |
| GT-LINE (FWD) (SUNROOF) | UNLEADED PETROL | 6.9 |
| GT-LINE (FWD) (TWO-TONE) | UNLEADED PETROL | 6.9 |
| S (FWD) | UNLEADED PETROL | 6.9 |
| SPORT (FWD) | UNLEADED PETROL | 6.9 |
| SPORT+ (AWD) | UNLEADED PETROL | 7.4 |
| SPORT+ (FWD) | UNLEADED PETROL | 6.9 |
Cost of ownership
What is the running and servicing costs of a Kia Seltos?
| Variant | Engine Type | Month | Kilometre |
|---|---|---|---|
| S (FWD) | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| S (FWD) | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT (FWD) | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT (FWD) | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT+ (FWD) | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT+ (FWD) | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| SPORT+ (AWD) | 1.6L Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection | 12 Months | 10,000km |
| SPORT+ (AWD) | 1.6L Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection | 12 Months | 10,000km |
| GT-LINE (FWD) (SUNROOF) | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| GT-LINE (FWD) (TWO-TONE) | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| GT-LINE (FWD) (TWO-TONE) | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| GT-LINE (FWD) (SUNROOF) | 2.0L Multi Point Fuel Injection | 12 Months | 15,000km |
| GT-LINE (AWD) (SUNROOF) | 1.6L Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection | 12 Months | 10,000km |
| GT-LINE (AWD) (TWO-TONE) | 1.6L Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection | 12 Months | 10,000km |
| GT-LINE (AWD) (TWO-TONE) | 1.6L Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection | 12 Months | 10,000km |
| GT-LINE (AWD) (SUNROOF) | 1.6L Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection | 12 Months | 10,000km |
You should service your Seltos at your authorised Kia dealer or service centre, however servicing it at third party mechanics that follow OEM servicing instructions should not impact the Seltos’s warranty.
How does the 2023 Kia Seltos drive?
Our expert take on Kia Seltos drivability.
The 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine carries over from the pre-update model and produces 110kW of power and 180Nm of torque. It’s available across the entire range.
The engine is mated to a continuously-variable transmission (CVT), with drive sent to the front wheels only.
For the 2023 Kia Seltos, the 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine is carried over from the original Seltos but now produces 146kW and 265Nm, which is 16kW more than the outgoing model. It’s available only on Sport+ and GT-Line trim levels.
The turbocharged engine is now mated to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission instead of the outgoing dual-clutch, with drive sent through an all-wheel drive system.
For the turbo model 0-100km/h takes 8.4 seconds while 80-120km/h takes 5.7 seconds. A less relevant metric is top speed, which has increased by 10km/h to 210km/h.
The Seltos strikes a nice balance between comfort and engagement across all trim levels. The steering is accurate and lightly weighted for everyday use, while the pliant ride doesn’t come at the expense of handling.
The new Seltos also offers impressive body control and cornering abilities. This isn’t a proper corner-carving crossover trying to be a hot hatch, but the Seltos is definitely one of the more connected vehicles in the segment.
Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) also received attention in this update, and while the pre-facelift model was already good for the class, the new one is more refined again.
Kia says it added more sound-absorbing materials in the floor carpet, door trims, wheel guards and C-pillars to mitigate road noise. As a result, the new Seltos claims to be 0.3dBA quieter with road noise than the old model.
Further, the exhaust system has been retuned for reduced acceleration noise, which contributes to a 1dBA claimed improvement for 2.0 MPi models. In a segment where some rivals can get quite noisy on anything but perfect bitumen, these attributes make the Seltos a good choice if you want a compact SUV that can do the odd road trip.
2023 Kia Seltos Options
Options list for the Kia Seltos
You can find more details on all the options and inclusions across the Kia Seltos variants on the official website, and within the official Kia Seltos specifications page.
2023 Kia Seltos Colours
What colours are available for the Kia Seltos
Seven colours are offered across the line-up, including a new Pluton Blue finish. The outgoing models’ Starlight Yellow has been dropped, while Clear White and Pluton Blue are available with a contrast Fusion Black roof exclusively on the Seltos GT-Line.
The other single colours include Neptune blue, Mars orange, Steel grey, Gravity grey, Cherry black and Snow White pearl.
- Mars Orange
- Pluton Blue*
- Snow White Pearl*
- Steel Grey*
- Gravity Grey*
- Fusion Black*
- Neptune Blue*
- Pluton Blue & Fusion Black roof^
- Clear White & Fusion Black roof^
2023 Kia Seltos Warranty
Kia offers seven years of capped-price servicing in addition to its seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty for the Seltos.
The 2023 Kia Seltos 2.0-litre requires servicing every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, while the Kia Seltos 1.6T requires servicing every 12 months or 10,000km.
When equipped with the 2.0-litre four cylinder naturally-aspirate engine, the Seltos has an average cost per service of $402 while Seltos models with the turbocharged 1.6-litre have an average service cost of $466.
2023 Kia Seltos vs other SUV's to consider
The Seltos should be compared to the Mitsubishi ASX, Toyota CH-R, Hyundai Kona, Nissan Juke, Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-30, Skoda Kamiq and MG ZS.
Should you buy the 2023 Kia Seltos
Is this the right car for you? Out experts buy or not guide.
The Kia Seltos is our favourite small SUV, it presents a very clean package with more room than one might expect from a small SUV. It comes feature packed with a modern interior and all the latest technological gadgets one could ask for in the price point.
It unfortunately misses out on some great features such as automatic boot (tailgate), but other than that, it’s a pretty good package overall and should be very high on your consideration list.
Kia Seltos FAQs
The cheapest Kia Seltos is the S (FWD) that starts from $28,900.
The most expensive Kia Seltos is the GT-LINE (AWD) (SUNROOF) that starts from $43,900.
The best towing capacity of a Kia Seltos is 1250Kg offered by the following variants
- SPORT+ (AWD)
- GT-LINE (AWD) (SUNROOF)
- GT-LINE (AWD) (TWO-TONE)
The largest Kia Seltos is the SPORT+ (AWD) which measures 1800mm wide, 4385mm in length and sits 1635mm tall.
The most powerful Kia Seltos is the SPORT+ (AWD) which has 146kW of power from its 1.6L Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection engine.
The Kia Seltos is built in Korea and shipped to Australia.
The heaviest Kia Seltos is the SPORT+ (AWD) which weighs 1950 kg (kerb weight).
The Kia Seltos uses unleaded petrol.