2023 Kia Seltos Sees Small Price Bump; Starts at $24,135
The Kia Seltos is a strong contender among affordable SUVs, taking the top spot in the most recent Cars.com comparison test of the segment. Following its 2021 debut, the Seltos received several key updates for 2022: More standard safety features were added to the base model, a new Nightfall Edition replaced the S Turbo, and most trims saw a notable price increase. The 2023 Seltos carries over with minimal changes and, this time, only a small price bump over 2022.
Related: 2022 Kia Seltos Gains Standard Advanced Safety Tech, New Nightfall Edition, Gets a Bit Pricier
What’s New?
According to Kia, the 2023 Seltos has improved noise reduction and the addition of a blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert for the front- and all-wheel-drive S trims. Those features are still unavailable on the LX, however. The new driver-assist technology joins standard safety tech like automatic forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist and automatic high beams.
Powertrains
The 2023 Seltos’ two engine options carry over from the previous model. The base engine is a 146-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission. A 175-hp, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission is standard on the SUV’s two highest trims, the Nightfall Edition and SX. Most Seltos models come with standard AWD, while the S offers the choice of FWD or AWD.
Trims, Pricing and Release Date
The 2023 Seltos is on sale now with six available trims: LX, S FWD, S AWD, EX, Nightfall Edition and SX. Prices (including a $1,295 destination fee) are below and increase $140-$300 from 2022, depending on the trim:
- LX: $24,135
- S FWD: $24,185
- S AWD: $25,685
- EX: $27,435
- Nightfall Edition: $28,335
- SX: $29,635
The LX and S come with a standard 8-inch touchscreen; a larger 10.25-inch screen is optional for the S and standard on higher trims. Cloth seats are standard for the LX, while higher trims get either a combination of cloth and leatherette or leatherette-only upholstery. The LX, S and EX ride on 17-inch alloy wheels, while the Nightfall Edition and SX get 18-inch wheels; there’s an available matte-black finish for the Nightfall Edition. The range-topping SX adds highway driving assist, a Bose premium eight-speaker sound system, wireless charging and a flat-bottom leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Versus the Competition
The 2023 Kia Seltos competes in a crowded field of small SUVs, and its starting price is mid-pack among rivals like the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Mazda CX-30, Subaru Crosstrek and the newly redesigned Honda HR-V. The 2023 Trailblazer starts at $22,995, and the 2023 Crosstrek and 2023 HR-V are priced at $24,870 and $24,895, respectively. Pricing for the 2023 CX-30 has not been announced yet, but the 2022 model starts at $23,725.
More From Cars.com:
- What’s the Best Affordable Small SUV?
- What’s New for Kia in 2022?
- 2021 Kia Seltos Boasts Competitive Fuel Economy Ratings
- 2021 Kia Seltos: The SUV Space Between
- Research the Kia Seltos
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