Kia Seltos 2022 review: S

The exterior is quite pleasing. It looks robust in its shape but sleek in its lines, giving it a softly rugged appearance.

The roof rails end in a little tail that immediately draws your eye and makes the roof line graceful. The windows are large and offer good visibility even through to the rear, which can sometimes be compromised on small SUVs.

Even though this is classed as a small SUV, it doesn’t feel ‘small.' I like the way the rear doesn’t slope down, because it isn’t much smaller than a Mazda CX-5, but its boxier rear gives the illusion that it’s bigger.

The wide grille, as well as the large front and rear lights add to the overall curb appeal and this design should age well, which is always good for a family car you intend to keep for a while.

The interior is large for the class, with the wide body offering spacious front and second-row seating.

The interior is large for the class, with the wide body offering spacious front row seating (Image: Dean McCartney).

Second-row space, in particular, is a highlight. There’s plenty of leg and headroom in the back, to make even taller occupants feel comfortable.

The second row's two-step reclining function is a plus because it offers a bit more flexibility for rear passengers.

Second-row space is a highlight (Image: Dean McCartney).

However, it's perplexing that a family car doesn’t have basic amenities in second or third rows. Take this model, there are no air vents, there's no middle armrest, no map pockets for storage, or even a USB port, which compromises comfort, particularly for younger passengers with limited reach.

Like my five-year old, for example. In hot weather I'd have to either roll down the back windows to get some fresh air on him or blast the air-con up front to help him get comfortable.

I consider these things for our family because an unhappy child just adds unnecessary stress to your day.

The middle console and glove box space are about average for a car of this size. There are also two cupholders up front, along with one bottle holder in each door in the front and rear.

The boot space is decent at 468L. The cargo floor can be shifted to a higher position if you’re not wanting to bend as much with the daily errands.

Or you can position it lower when you need to fit a pram and some luggage. The trade-off is that this grade has a space saver spare wheel, where higher spec models get a full-size spare.

The dash has a simple layout with no nonsense dials but there’s some nice detailing with chrome and piano black finishes. It’s easy to use and gives off some old-school vibes.  

The reversing camera is crisp and clear and coupled with the rear sensors, this car is quite easy to park. I feel confident backing the Seltos into a tight spot or around a congested shopping centre car park. The size of the car is very accommodating around the city.

Surprising to not find a physical manual in the glove box, rather a 'Quick Information' flyer with a QR code to scan and download the manual… which is in two parts. Maybe not super appealing for the old school drivers out there but I guess it saves on storage space.

I wonder, though, if this might be a pain if you're ever stuck in the middle of nowhere without mobile coverage and need to access the manual for whatever reason.

Securing our car seat was easy, with plenty of space to manoeuvre it and myself. The top tether anchor points are easy to access, too.

My five-year old liked how easy it is to get in and out of this car, the height and the door were simple for him to handle.

This Seltos S has the Safety Pack which costs $1000, and I think it should just come standard.

It has a maximum five-star ANCAP rating from 2019. This model comes with driver and front passenger airbags, front side airbags and curtain airbags for both rows. Some newer small SUVs have even greater airbag coverage.

Crash-avoidance features include front AEB (but not for the rear), active cruise control, 'Driver Attention Alert', a reversing camera and rear parking sensors, as well as lane keeping assist. Worth noting after a few days, I turned off the lane keeping assist as I found it too sensitive.

I do like the big windows in this car, though, because visibility is great and that’s always important for an SUV.  

There are two ISOFIX positions and three top tether anchors but you’re realistically only going to fit two car seats in the second row as the middle seat is narrow.

The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 6.8 litres per 100km, and during my time with the car, including lots of long-distance driving, I saw an average of 6.7L/100km, which is pretty good for the real world.

Kia provides a seven-year/unlimited km warranty, which is great for the class. You get 24-hour roadside assistance for the duration of the warranty when the car's serviced at a Kia dealership. 

Kia provides a seven-year/unlimited km warranty (Image: Dean McCartney).

Kia also offers a seven-year capped price servicing program with servicing every 12 months or 15,000km.

Lowest yearly charge is $275, and the highest is $632, with the overall annual average over the seven years landing at $459. That's relatively high for the category.