2026 Kia Seltos S review

What Does the Kia Seltos Cost in Australia?

Kia keeps the Seltos lineup straightforward. Three grades, one engine, front-wheel drive across the board. Here's the breakdown:

Driveaway, the entry S grade comes in around $33,500-$34,500 depending on your state. The Sport+ lands at roughly $40,000-$41,000 on the road. That top-spec price starts overlapping with base-model mid-size SUVs, so it's worth thinking carefully about whether you actually need the Sport+ or whether the Sport hits the sweet spot.

Our pick is the Sport at $34,450. You get the larger 10.25-inch touchscreen, LED headlights, a sunroof for that sense of airiness, and wireless phone charging. The jump from S to Sport adds genuine daily convenience. The Sport+ adds luxury touches that are nice but not essential.

Running Costs

The 2.0-litre Smartstream petrol engine is claimed at 6.9L/100km on the combined cycle. Treat that as a lab number; city driving lifts it. On the claim, at $1.85-$2.00 per litre, the national average of 15,000km a year comes to roughly $1,900-$2,100.

Servicing is capped-price through the Kia dealer network. You're looking at approximately $300-$400 per service, with intervals at 12 months or 15,000km. Over the first five years, total scheduled servicing costs sit around $1,800-$2,200. That's competitive with the Kona and notably cheaper than some European alternatives.

Insurance is reasonable too. A Seltos Sport for a 30-year-old driver in a metro area typically quotes around $1,200-$1,600 per year, depending on your insurer and claims history. It sits in a lower insurance group than the CX-30 and considerably lower than anything German at this price.

Rivals: What Else Should You Cross-Shop?

Hyundai Kona (from $34,300)

The Kona is the Seltos's corporate cousin, sharing the same platform and engine. The key differences: the Kona has a larger 361-litre boot, a more distinctive (some say divisive) exterior design, and a slightly different interior layout. Pricing starts about $3,000 higher than the Seltos for a comparable spec, but Hyundai's 5-year warranty is two years shorter than Kia's seven. The Kona also comes in hybrid and full-electric variants if you want to go down that path. If raw boot space matters, the Kona edges ahead. If warranty and value are your priorities, the Seltos wins. See our Kona vs Seltos head-to-head.

Toyota Yaris Cross (from $30,990)

The Yaris Cross is the other huge seller in this segment. Its trump card is the hybrid powertrain option, which delivers genuinely exceptional fuel economy (4.3L/100km claimed). It's also slightly cheaper at entry level. Where it falls short: the 1.5-litre engine makes less power, and the towing capacity is a paltry 750kg (half the Seltos). The Yaris Cross also has a smaller boot (310L) and Toyota's 5-year warranty. If you never tow and want the lowest possible fuel bills, the Yaris Cross Hybrid is compelling. For everything else, the Seltos is the more rounded choice.

Mazda CX-30 (from $29,990)

The CX-30 leans on design and cabin materials, and its 350-litre boot is bigger than the Seltos's. The downsides: Mazda's infotainment system (controlled via a rotary dial rather than a touchscreen) divides opinion, the 5-year warranty is shorter than Kia's, and the towing capacity matches the Seltos at 1,000kg in some variants. If design and cabin materials matter most, the CX-30 deserves a test drive. Read our Kona vs CX-30 comparison for more on how these two stack up.

The Seltos leads on towing capacity and warranty length. The Yaris Cross wins on fuel economy. The CX-30 wins on cabin materials and boot space. The Kona offers the most boot space and powertrain variety. All four are excellent small SUVs, your priorities determine the winner.

Efficiency: Honest, Not Outstanding

Kia claims 6.9L/100km on the combined WLTP cycle. Like any naturally aspirated petrol, it uses more in stop-start city traffic and less on a steady highway run.

That claim is competitive within the naturally aspirated small SUV class. The Yaris Cross with its hybrid system comfortably beats the Seltos (4.3L/100km claimed), but you sacrifice towing capacity and some power. The CX-30 and Kona with their conventional engines claim similar figures to the Seltos.

The 50-litre fuel tank works out to about 725km on the claim, and less in practice. That's enough for a Sydney-to-Canberra-and-back run without stopping, or Melbourne to the Great Ocean Road and home with fuel to spare. The tank could be bigger, some rivals offer 55-litre tanks, but it's not a dealbreaker.

The Seltos runs on regular 91 RON unleaded, which keeps fuel costs at their lowest. No premium fuel required, and no complicated hybrid system to maintain. There's something to be said for the simplicity of a straightforward petrol engine in terms of long-term reliability and servicing predictability.

Safety: Unrated, but Comprehensive Kit

The Seltos does not hold an ANCAP rating. ANCAP publishes the current Seltos as unrated, which is a positive statement that no result applies, not an administrative gap, so there is no independent crash score to weigh here. What you can judge it on is the standard safety suite, which is strong even on the base S grade. Here's what you get across the range:

• Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Lane Keep Assist and lane departure warning
• Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go (Sport and GT-Line)
• Blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
• Driver attention warning
• Speed limit recognition
• Rear parking sensors and reversing camera (all grades)
• Surround-view monitor (Sport+ only)

Six airbags are standard across the range, including front, side, and curtain airbags. The body structure uses a high proportion of advanced high-strength steel, and the Seltos performed well in all Euro NCAP crash test scenarios.

The real differentiator here is that even the cheapest Seltos gets AEB, blind spot monitoring, and lane keep assist. Some rivals at this price reserve those features for higher grades. Kia's approach of making safety standard rather than optional is the right call, and it means you don't have to spend GT-Line money just to get the features that actually matter most.

The one omission: a front-facing camera for the surround-view monitor is only available on the Sport+. The Sport and S grades get a rear camera only. Rear parking sensors are standard on every grade.

Interior: Punches Above Its Weight

The 10.25-inch touchscreen (standard from Sport grade) runs Kia's latest infotainment software with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The dashboard has soft-touch surfaces up top, with harder plastics lower down. The Sport grade gets a D-shaped steering wheel. The Sport+ upgrades to leather-appointed seats with heating and ventilation on the front row, which is a genuine luxury in Australian summers.

The seat adjusts for height (power on Sport+, manual on others) and the steering column tilts and telescopes.

The Sport+ gets a digital instrument cluster; the S and Sport keep analogue gauges.

Storage is well thought out. There's a wireless charging pad in the centre console (Sport and GT-Line), a reasonably deep centre bin, two cup holders, decent door pockets, and a small shelf under the centre stack.

Practicality: Good Enough for Most, Tight for Some

Here's where you need to be honest about your needs. The Seltos boot measures 312 litres behind the rear seats. That's adequate for weekly grocery shops, a couple of soft bags, or a medium-sized pram. It's not enormous. The CX-30 offers 350 litres and the Kona gives you 361 litres, so if boot space is a top priority, the Seltos loses this particular comparison.

Fold the rear seats down (60:40 split) and you open up considerably more space, enough for flat-pack furniture, a mountain bike with the front wheel off, or serious luggage for an airport run. The load floor is flat when folded, which makes sliding things in and out straightforward.

The boxy roofline leaves more room above rear heads than the swoopier CX-30's. ISOFIX anchor points sit on the outer two rear seats.

Towing capacity is a genuine highlight. At 1,500kg braked, the Seltos can pull a single-axle trailer, a small camper, a pair of jet skis, or a decent-sized boat. That's 500kg more than the Yaris Cross (750kg) and matches the CX-30. For a small SUV, that towing figure opens up weekend adventures that cheaper rivals simply can't handle. If you regularly tow, check out our Corolla Cross vs Seltos comparison for a deeper look at tow-capable small SUVs.

The roof rail system can take a roof box or bike rack, adding flexibility for road trips. A full-size spare tyre lives under the boot floor on all variants, a real advantage over the space-saver tyres or repair kits that some competitors provide.

The Kia Seltos S has 180Nm of torque, a claimed 0-100km/h of 9.2s. It turns in 10.6m. These are the figures that shape how quickly a car gets moving and how easily it parks.

Should You Buy the Kia Seltos?

Yes, if:

• You want one of the longest warranties in the small SUV class. Seven years gives serious peace of mind
• You tow regularly. 1,500kg braked is best-in-class for this segment
• You want a well-equipped car without paying top-spec money. The Sport grade is a standout value
• You want comprehensive safety features even on the base model
• Resale value matters. The Seltos holds its value well thanks to strong demand and that warranty

Maybe not, if:

• Boot space is critical. 312 litres is on the small side, and the Kona or CX-30 offer more
• You want the lowest possible fuel costs. The Yaris Cross Hybrid is significantly more efficient
• You want AWD. The Seltos is FWD-only in the current Australian range

The Kia Seltos occupies a sweet spot in the Australian small SUV market. It's not the cheapest, and not the most fuel efficient. But it's the one that ticks the most boxes for the most people. A seven-year warranty you don't have to worry about. Enough towing capacity for proper weekend adventures. A smart-looking design that won't date quickly. Solid safety kit on every grade.

If you're cross-shopping, make sure you drive the Corolla Cross and Kona back-to-back with the Seltos. They're all genuinely close, and it'll come down to which interior you prefer and which deal your local dealer offers.

→ Compare all Kia Seltos variants on CarSorted (200+ specs)