Kia's SUV lineup in America keeps getting bigger and bigger every year. While purists don't like that, we think the Koreans offer the best designs for the money. The 2021 Seltos doesn't prove us wrong, nor does it leave us wanting in other departments.
It's got excellent features, a smart interior, big wheels, two-tone paint and comfort on its side. With powertrains going up to a 1.6-liter GDI turbo with 178 horsepower, it's not going to be slow, to the point where we almost don't see the point of buying a Forte. Almost.
What we want from the Seltos is something we probably won't get, a performance model. Another overpriced crossover that's thirsty and pointless? Hear us out before you judge. The job of a hatchback is about to be taken over by this kind of crossover, and the Germans are banking on 300 horsepower models to be their flagships.
Within the last couple of months, we got the Audi SQ2, VW T-Roc R, BMW X2 M35i and AMG GLB 35. Some of those aren't available to American buyers, but Kia is ideally situated to offer a cheaper and equally interesting alternative.
It's not as easy as dropping a 2-liter engine from the Veloster N into this body, but the payoff could be good: good as a brand booster and as an enthusiast's car. So far, Kia hasn't taken advantage of the performance know-how of its sister brand Hyundai. But we know the 252/275 horsepower turbo mill matches this platform and will get a twin-clutch gearbox option in about a year.
Crucially, a $35,000, 252 horsepower Seltos Performance would be one of the most interesting cars in this segment, taking customers away from the GTI or even the Miata. It's a stretch of the imagination, but that's the kind of enthusiasm created by this rendering from the Russian website Kolesa.
It just looks like a T-Roc R, but better, thanks to all the extra air intakes and trim bits. Everybody knows that quad exhausts make a car faster, so in that regard, the Seltos Performance is twice as good as the GLB 35.
What we want from the Seltos is something we probably won't get, a performance model. Another overpriced crossover that's thirsty and pointless? Hear us out before you judge. The job of a hatchback is about to be taken over by this kind of crossover, and the Germans are banking on 300 horsepower models to be their flagships.
Within the last couple of months, we got the Audi SQ2, VW T-Roc R, BMW X2 M35i and AMG GLB 35. Some of those aren't available to American buyers, but Kia is ideally situated to offer a cheaper and equally interesting alternative.
It's not as easy as dropping a 2-liter engine from the Veloster N into this body, but the payoff could be good: good as a brand booster and as an enthusiast's car. So far, Kia hasn't taken advantage of the performance know-how of its sister brand Hyundai. But we know the 252/275 horsepower turbo mill matches this platform and will get a twin-clutch gearbox option in about a year.
Crucially, a $35,000, 252 horsepower Seltos Performance would be one of the most interesting cars in this segment, taking customers away from the GTI or even the Miata. It's a stretch of the imagination, but that's the kind of enthusiasm created by this rendering from the Russian website Kolesa.
It just looks like a T-Roc R, but better, thanks to all the extra air intakes and trim bits. Everybody knows that quad exhausts make a car faster, so in that regard, the Seltos Performance is twice as good as the GLB 35.