2027 Kia Seltos Trim Levels: Choose the Drivetrain, Then the Trim

The LX, S and EX each come with front-wheel or all-wheel drive, while both X-Line trims are all-wheel drive only. The table lists each 2027 Seltos trim's engine and its launch price with each drivetrain.

Kia's MSRP at launch for the 2027 model year, excluding the $1,495 destination charge. A dash means that trim does not come with that drivetrain.

On the LX, the S and the EX, choosing all-wheel drive added $1,700 at launch, so price the drivetrain before comparing equipment. Compare trims by these launch prices, and look through our Seltos inventory for what a Seltos costs today.

Fuel economy in the 2027 Seltos depends on both the engine and the drivetrain. The table lists all 3 combinations with their power and EPA ratings.

The turbo's extra power and torque cost the X-Line SX at the pump, where it has the lowest EPA ratings of the 3. With the 2.0-liter engine, front-wheel drive is the most economical choice.

All-wheel drive also changes the drive modes and some of the equipment you can get. On a front-wheel-drive Seltos, Drive Mode Select offers Normal and Sport. Every all-wheel-drive Seltos adds a Snow mode, and the X-Line SX gets Terrain Mode with Snow, Mud and Sand settings. On the LX and S, heated front seats and a compact spare tire are available only with all-wheel drive, as are the LX's heated side mirrors.

The main 2027 Seltos ladder climbs from the LX through the S to the EX.

The LX shares its touchscreen, smart key and core driver-assistance features with every other Seltos and rides on 16-inch dark gray alloy wheels. Inside, it keeps things simple, with cloth seats, manual air conditioning and a 6-way manual driver's seat. It goes without the blind-spot and rear cross-traffic systems that every higher trim adds. Choose the LX if keeping the price down comes first; if you also want heated front seats, the LX offers them only in all-wheel-drive form. Look at the S instead if you want a power driver's seat or a wireless phone charger.

Over the LX, the S adds:

• 18-inch machined alloy wheels
• A 12-way power driver's seat with 4-way power lumbar support
• A wireless charging pad
• Blind-Spot Collision Warning and Avoidance, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist and Safe Exit Warning
• Heated side mirrors as standard with either drivetrain
• Flush door handles that pop out automatically, and gloss black grille trim

The S keeps the LX's cloth seats and manual air conditioning, and it offers heated front seats only with all-wheel drive. Stop at the S if the blind-spot systems and the power seat cover your list, and move up to the EX for SynTex seats or automatic climate control.

Over the S, the EX adds:

• Perforated SynTex seats in place of cloth
• Heated front seats and a compact spare tire, both standard with either drivetrain
• Dual-zone automatic climate control with auto defog, a 5-inch climate display and rear climate vents
• A smart power liftgate
• LED rear combination lamps and a rear center armrest with cupholders

If your budget covers an all-wheel-drive S, a front-wheel-drive EX launched just $300 higher, so the choice between them comes down to all-wheel drive or the EX's comfort equipment. Stop at the S if cloth seats and manual air conditioning suit you. Between an all-wheel-drive EX and the X-Line S, choose the EX if you want automatic climate control and a power liftgate without adding a package. For the turbo engine, look at the X-Line SX instead.

Both 2027 Seltos X-Line trims are all-wheel drive only and share the X-Line look, but they are different buys. The X-Line S changes how a Seltos looks and how its seats feel, while the X-Line SX also changes how it drives.

Ground clearance shows the gap between them, and the table lists it for every 2027 Seltos trim.

Against an all-wheel-drive S, which launched $900 lower, the X-Line S adds:

• 18-inch gloss black C-Type alloy wheels, gloss black roof rails and lower door trim, and LED front fog lamps
• Perforated, quilted SynTex seats
• A compact spare and heated front seats as standard
• LED rear lamps and a rear center armrest

It keeps the S's 2.0-liter engine and ground clearance, and its air conditioning stays manual. A sunroof, power liftgate, heated steering wheel and automatic climate control come only with its Premium Package.

Choose the X-Line S if you want all-wheel drive, SynTex seats and the X-Line look for less than an all-wheel-drive EX. Skip it if all-wheel drive is the only part of the X-Line you want, since an all-wheel-drive S has that for less. The same goes if you were hoping for more ground clearance, which only the X-Line SX adds.

Over the X-Line S, the X-Line SX adds:

• The 1.6-liter turbo with an 8-speed automatic
• Terrain Mode with Snow, Mud and Sand settings
• 19-inch gloss black alloy wheels
• A panoramic sunroof with a power shade and a heated steering wheel, both standard
• Dual-zone automatic climate control and a smart power liftgate
• LED wide projection headlights and solar glass for the windshield and front doors

It also has the lowest EPA ratings of any Seltos and costs the most. Pick the X-Line SX if you want the extra power or Terrain Mode, or the sunroof and heated steering wheel without adding a package. Pass on it if fuel economy matters more to you than power.

Three 2027 Seltos trims offer a factory package, while the LX and S have none. The table lists each package's launch price and what it adds.

The Prestige Package, offered on the X-Line SX alone, is the only way to get ventilated seats or navigation on a 2027 Seltos. Along with its sunroof, the X-Line S's Premium Package brings a power liftgate and automatic dual-zone climate control, both standard on the EX.

Every 2027 Seltos, the LX included, comes standard with these driver-assistance features:

• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with pedestrian, cyclist and junction-turning detection
• Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go
• Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist and Lane Departure Warning
• Driver Attention Warning and Hands-On Detection
• High Beam Assist and Intelligent Speed Limit Warning
• Front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera and Rear Occupant Alert

From the S up, every trim adds Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist and Safe Exit Warning.

The X-Line SX's Prestige Package goes further, with driver-assistance features that no other trim offers. For parking, it adds side parking sensors to the standard front and rear sensors, plus Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist-Reverse for backing up. For cruise control and speed limits, it adds Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control-Curve and Intelligent Speed Limit Assist. It also brings the Surround View Monitor and Blind-Spot View Monitor.

On the technology side, every trim comes standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster with a 4.2-inch screen built in. The X-Line SX's Prestige Package is the only way to change either one, adding navigation to the touchscreen and replacing that cluster with a 12.3-inch full digital one.

All 5 trims also carry dual front advanced airbags, dual front seat-mounted side airbags, dual rear side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet rated the 2027 Seltos. Ratings change as new tests are published, so check NHTSA.gov for the latest.

Most shoppers should choose the S, because no lower 2027 Seltos trim has its blind-spot systems, power driver's seat or wireless charger. If your list looks different, stop at the first trim that covers it:

• Spending the least: The front-wheel-drive LX.
• All-wheel drive on the smallest budget: The LX with all-wheel drive.
• The best fuel economy: Any front-wheel-drive LX, S or EX.
• SynTex seats and the power liftgate, without paying for all-wheel drive: The front-wheel-drive EX.
• All-wheel drive and SynTex for less than an all-wheel-drive EX: The X-Line S.
• A sunroof and heated steering wheel: An EX with the Sunroof Package, an X-Line S with the Premium Package, or any X-Line SX. Check with us to see which EX drivetrain the Sunroof Package is offered on.
• The turbo, Terrain Mode or ventilated seats: The X-Line SX, adding the Prestige Package for the ventilated seats.

Every 2027 Seltos seats 5 and has a touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Each one also has a smart key with push-button start and remote start from the key fob, plus 2 USB-C charging ports up front and 2 in back.

Cargo space is the same on every trim: 27.8 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 64.2 cubic feet with the 60/40 split rear seat folded, measured with the dual-level cargo floor in its low position. The rear seatbacks recline, too.

Every Seltos carries a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty for the original owner and a 5-year/60,000-mile limited basic warranty, each ending at its time or mileage limit, whichever comes first. Kia adds a 5-year/100,000-mile limited anti-perforation warranty and 5-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance. See Kia's basic and powertrain warranty coverage for what each one includes.

Here in Western Pennsylvania, the case for all-wheel drive is winter on hilly roads. Butler County is part of the Allegheny Plateau, and on a slick hill an all-wheel-drive Seltos gets going more easily than a front-wheel-drive one.

If most of your driving is highway miles, such as Route 8 south toward Pittsburgh or I-79 through Cranberry Township, front-wheel drive gives you the better EPA ratings for less money. If your driveway or your route to work climbs, all-wheel drive is the better bet. If a 2026 Seltos is on your list too, our Seltos all-wheel-drive guide shows which of that model year's trims have it.

The best way to choose between Seltos trims is to drive your finalists back to back, with the drivetrain you plan to buy. Look for them in our Seltos inventory, then schedule a Seltos test drive and tell us which trims you are weighing.

If you plan to finance, our Kia finance office can show you the payment on each of your finalists side by side. If you have a car to trade, bring it along and ask us to appraise your trade-in. Our specials change from month to month, so check the new Kia specials running now to see what currently applies.