A Compact SUV Worth Considering

Like most brands today, Kia has put a lot of its resources and investments into creating SUVs. There is no shortage of once-off-road-only vehicles on our roads; today, there is an SUV for every occasion, and while other Asian names like Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, and Lexus may be getting a lot of the limelight for their SUVs, Kia should not be dismissed.

The South Korean marque currently only sells two sedan models, which we think is a very good indicator of today’s market, with the rest of its lineup consisting of crossovers, MPVs, and SUVs. Models like the Kia Sportage, Telluride, and Sorento are getting a lot of attention at the moment, but there is a compact SUV that is available for less than $25,000 that is being sorely overlooked.

Every Kia SUV And Crossover For Sale In 2026

Kia

There are currently seven gas-engine or hybrid Kia SUV/crossovers for sale this year: the Kia Soul, the Kia Sportage, the Kia Niro, the Kia Seltos, the Kia Sorento, the Kia Telluride, and the Kia Carnival MPV. There are also two electric-only SUVs in the lineup: the Kia EV6 and the Kia EV9.

Prices and what you get are what you might expect from Kia, with prices starting generally low for entry-level models, while still offering a good number of goodies, high levels of reliability, and a versatile ride for what you have paid.

• 2025 Kia Soul. MSRP: $20,490.
• 2025 Kia Seltos. MSRP: $23,690.
• 2025 Kia Niro. MSRP: $26,990.
• 2025 Kia Sportage. MSRP: $28,690.
• 2025 Kia Sorento. MSRP: $32,190.
• 2025 Kia Telluride. MSRP: $36,390.
• 2025 Kia Carnival MPV. MSRP: $36,990.

Within this lineup, you may recognize one or two nameplates more than others, and that’s because these models are selling the most and have recently garnered very solid reputations for everyday versatility, usability, and ease of use. Namely, the Telluride and the Sportage.

The Most Sold Small Kia SUV: Why The Kia Sportage Is Doing So Well

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While the Telluride lineup is making big waves in the full-size SUV market, it is the Kia Sportage that is currently redefining what tech and value mean in the compact segment. So far this year (up to May 2025, as far as current records show), Kia has shifted just shy of 75,000 Sportage models in the U.S.A., and it is easy to see why, really.

Prices are still below $30,000 for the entry-level Sportage LX, which comes equipped with 12.3-inch dual panoramic displays, 17-inch alloys, a 187-horsepower inline-four that can achieve an estimated highway mpg rating of 33 mpg, oodles of safety features, available AWD and Terrain mode, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. There is also a choice of what kind of motivation you want under the hood, with a plug-in hybrid and hybrid engine also available.

Measuring in at 183.5 inches (L) x 73.4 inches (W) x 66.9 inches (H), the Sportage is small enough to get around town, but isn’t cramped inside. You get 41.1 inches of front legroom, 41.3 inches of rear legroom, and 74.1 cubic feet of storage space with the rear seats folded down.

According to reviews left for the 2025 Kia Sportage on J.D. Power, owners have rated it highly at 83 out of 100 overall, 84 out of 100 for reliability, and 86 out of 100 for driving experience. The 2026 MY has yet to be rated. Again, we aren’t surprised that so many have been sold.

Base Trim Engine

2.5L I4 ICE

Base Trim Transmission

8-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Front-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

187 HP @6100 RPM

Base Trim Torque

178 lb.-ft. @ 4000 RPM

Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)

25/33/28 MPG

Base Trim Battery Type

Lead acid battery

Make

Kia

Model

Sportage

The Overlooked Small SUV Option: The Kia Seltos

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While the Sportage is causing all sorts of trouble for the compact SUV market, we think that the Kia Seltos (also a compact SUV) is being sorely overlooked. YTD sales of the Seltos in the U.S.A. are markedly lower than those of the Sportage, with just 35,430 models sold. This marks a 26 percent downturn compared to sales figures from this time in 2024.

We think the Seltos shouldn’t be overlooked, though. One of the main reasons is that it is cheap and offers a lot from stock. The 2026 starting prices are low at $23,690 and stretch up to $31,390 for the top trim.

Like the 2026 Sportage, the 2026 Seltos is yet to be rated on JD Power, but the 2025 MY has done very well, with an overall score of 83 out of 100. This includes a reliability rating of 87 out of 100 and a driving experience rating of 84 out of 100. Also, the Seltos has been rated by owners as 4.2 out of 5 on Kelley Blue Book, with 80% of owners recommending it.

In other words, very close to what the Sportage has been rated, and a highly praised compact SUV. Like the Sportage, the Seltos should also be viewed as an SUV that is built to take on the might of the Toyota RAV4.

Base Trim Engine

2L I4 ICE

Base Trim Transmission

CVT

Base Trim Drivetrain

All-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

146 HP @6200 RPM

Base Trim Torque

132 lb.-ft. @ 4500 RPM

Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)

27/31/29 MPG

Make

Kia

Model

Seltos

Segment

Subcompact SUV

What Makes The 2025 Kia Seltos Stand Out

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Aside from the lower starting prices compared to the highly revered Sportage and the commendable ratings, the Seltos should stand out further in the compact segment because it is a versatile small model.

It boasts starting prices that can be considered very reasonable (even the AWD models); there is the option to juice it up with a lot of tech additions, and there are two engine options that both offer impressive day-to-day driving.

Each trim is relatively well-equipped, with the LX trim boasting a basic yet still modern look and everything you’d expect from a sub-$25K SUV. It features an 8-inch touchscreen, smartphone connectivity, a 4.2-inch driver display, cloth seats, and a comfortable padded center armrest.

The S trim takes things up a little with a 10.25-inch touchscreen, which includes navigation and voice recognition, a slightly plusher look all around the cabin, automatic climate control, and improved safety tech in the form of blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts.

Baldauf  /  TopSpeed

The Seltos EX is the more premium 2.0-liter inline-four-equipped model and showcases more in the way of comfort features. You get a 10-way power driver’s seat, heated front seats, dual 10.25-inch panoramic displays, and a wireless phone charging pad.

At the top of the pile is the 1.6-liter turbo-four-equipped Seltos SX, which comes equipped with a Bose audio rig, ambient lighting, SynTex upholstery, and ventilated seats.

The Strengths Of The Small Seltos SUV

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First and foremost, Kia and the Kia Seltos are both considered a very reliable brand and a very reliable compact SUV to own, both by owners and organizations that keep tabs on that kind of thing. There is currently not enough information about the Kia Seltos’ yearly maintenance costs on RepairPal; this is due to the Seltos only being released in 2021 here in the U.S.A., but they have said that Kia, overall, boasts a very respectable reliability score of 4 out of 5. This ranks them third out of all car brands they keep track of.

The Seltos rides on a 103.5-inch wheelbase and measures in at a very city-friendly 172.6 inches (L) x 70.9 inches (W) x 64.2 inches (H), and though it is smaller than a Sportage, you still get 40.2 inches and 39.4 inches of front and rear legroom, and a maximum cargo capacity of 62.8 cubic feet (with the 60/40 split rear seats folded down).

Also, considering that you get a lot of space for its size, all the entry-level features that are effectively industry-standard today, and that the lineup weighs approximately 3,182 pounds, it is relatively fuel-efficient. There is no hybrid option for the ’26 Seltos, but that doesn’t seem to have affected the mpg ratings it has been estimated to achieve. According to Fueleconomy.gov, the 2025 Seltos (there is no EPA estimate for the 2026 MY yet) can achieve a maximum combined mpg rating of 31 mpg (28 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway).

The exterior design is stylish and won’t look out of place on city streets or in the suburbs alongside more expensive models; it is tight-road-friendly; the interior can be very well-equipped (especially the ‘S’ trim upwards); there is plenty of space for you and the family; you can lug a fair amount around in the back, and it can be very fuel-frugal despite the lack of hybrid engine option.

Where The Seltos Could Do Better

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Unfortunately, though, it can’t all be praise for the Seltos; alongside the swathe of good things about it, there are also some things you should be aware of.

Firstly, the cargo capacity and legroom are less than you’d find in a 2026 Kia Sportage, which is down to the comparable overall size of them both. There is also less available front legroom and cargo capacity than what you’d find in the 2026 Toyota RAV4. While the RAV4 is larger (181.1 inches (L) x 74 inches (W) x 67.8 inches (H)), it is available with a maximum cargo capacity of 69.8 cubic feet of storage space with the seats folded down.

The 2026 Seltos can achieve impressive fuel economy, considering both engines are non-hybrid, but it does raise the question of how much more could be achieved if it were available with a hybrid engine option. This would likely put the price up, but could it save you money in the long run? Also, with an available hybrid option, or even a plug-in hybrid option, we could see a bit more power to improve on the base engine’s admittedly meager output and some all-electric driving range to complement its very city-friendly size.

Kia

Cost-wise, the Seltos does do well in terms of gas bills, and it also does very well in terms of perceived reliability. But, according to Car Edge, it doesn’t do so well for long-term ownership costs. They say that over 5 years, the Seltos will lose 50% of its value, putting it in line with some of the more prestigious SUVs on the market, which the Seltos can’t be considered as one of.

On top of that, Car Edge also says that maintenance costs in the long run are not too stellar, with 10-year maintenance and repair costs racking up to $8,355. This puts the Seltos in 101st position in terms of long-term maintenance costs, or $147 more expensive compared to other similarly-sized popular SUVs. To put that into perspective, the RAV4 has a 10-year repair and maintenance cost of $6,006.

Should Your Next Small SUV Buy Be A 2026 Kia Seltos?

CarBuzz

We think the Seltos should be your next small SUV buy if you are looking for entry-level prices, a lot of versatility, and reasonable comfort for its price-point, an impressively frugal and powerful engine for the top-trim SX, reasonable light-duty towing work rates, and city-friendly driving.

The available-on-all-trims AWD system can make it more useful in wet conditions or for some very light adventuring down to the lake; the interior may be simple, but it gets the job done in a no-fuss kind of way; fuel costs are low if you are looking at the less-powerful trims, and the whole build looks modern.

Kia

The Kia Seltos should also be considered if you are looking for something that isn’t a Sportage or a RAV4 and you want something a little less obvious than the headline-grabbing compact SUVs this year. But, with the rise of crossovers and compact SUVs overtaking sedans, there is a lot of competition out there.

You can pick up both Kia models, like the Niro, for just under $27K, and non-Kia models, like the Honda CR-V or the arguably slightly plusher Mazda CX-50, for just under $33,000 and just under $30,000, respectively. The 2026 Seltos is a strong choice for buyers seeking entry-level usability and easy everyday driving—exactly what a well-priced compact SUV should offer.