- Kia has released teaser photos of a redesigned Seltos subcompact SUV for the 2027 model year
The Kia Seltos is one of our top picks for subcompact SUV drivers. With a reasonable price, a 10-year powertrain warranty, and a spacious cabin in a small footprint, it offers a lot of bang for the buck.
But it’s getting a little long in the tooth. Rivals like the Hyundai Kona and Honda HR-V are newer designs with similar driving manners and pricing. It’s time for a new Seltos.
Kia offered our first glimpse of the second-generation Seltos this week with a series of teaser photos. The company offered no mechanical details or glimpses of the interior. But the four teaser shots, taken together, give you a sense of what the 2027 Seltos will look like.
It uses Kia’s linear “star-map” lighting style, angular body panels reminiscent of the EV9, and a partially blacked-out D-pillar for a floating roof look. Flush-mounted door handles borrowed from the 2027 Telluride lend it an upscale look.
Kia says the design is meant to blend “the rugged heritage of past ICE SUVs with the clean, aerodynamic sophistication of Kia’s latest EVs.”
A persistent industry rumor says that may hint at an available hybrid powertrain. Subcompact hybrids remain rare. Manufacturers keep prices down in this category by avoiding complexity. But Kia has introduced hybrids of many of its models at this point, and a hybrid Seltos would have an advantage in the market.
Kia does, however, tell us a rugged-looking X-Line trim and a GT-Line with a sportier appearance will appear on the new model. We expect to know more in the coming weeks.
