2024 Kia Seltos SX Turbo AWD - The right size for me

It's nice when you get into a vehicle, one you haven't driven for awhile, and you just know where all the controls are. It doesn't happen very often. To be honest we own a 2023 Kia, a Rio 5 so we are familiar with Kia controls. 

The Kia Seltos, any year, is just about a perfect size vehicle for me. It will seat 5 - 2 up front and 3 in the rear, there's plenty of storage space, 26.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats. One thing I'd add would be a non-slip cargo mat because the carpet is really slippery. i bought a case of wine and it slid from one side to the other at the first corner! A lot of clanking but nothing broke thankfully.

The Seltos' the base engine in the LX, S, and EX is a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder that puts out 146 hp and 132 lb-ft. The N Line and SX uses a 1.6-liter turbo four that ups those figures to 195 hp and 195 lb-ft, a sizeable increase. An 8-spped automatic transmission is standard with the turbo engine. AWD rounds out the drivetrain. 

Although the Seltos SX Turbo is not a rocket ship, Kia says it will get to 60 mph from a dead stop in 8 seconds, and top out at 130 mph. Fuel economy is down from the non-turbo but still respectable. EPA says it will get 27-mpg highway, and 25-mpg around town. I saw a bit over the highway figure and a few less than the city. Very respectable.

There are some who might not like the Black SynTex seats and corresponding trim. I liked it. The front seats while maybe not as supportive as those found in more sporty vehicles were comfortable, more suited to the long haul instead of canyon carving. The steering wheel was manually adjustable for up/down, and in/out which allowed me to find a comfortable position for my legs and arms.

That's the leg room left when the driver's seat was set for my 6' frame - plenty of room.

The controls were pretty easy to use even though the sound system knobs were small; there was no need to take my eyes off the road to change the station or volume. Ditto for the temperature control - easy to use push buttons I could see with my peripheral vision.

And look at that, a gear shift lever! 

So how did it drive? Just fine thank you for asking. That big round knob up and left of the shift lever lets you select three drive modes - Normal, Sport, and Smart. I preferred Sport because it gave a more positive feel to acceleration and shifts. I couldn't really tell the difference between Normal and Smart, they both felt lazy. 

I enjoyed the Kia Seltos SX Turbo AWD (I never noticed that it was AWD when driving it). For extra traction in snow or whatever you can push a button and lock the center differential. If you're looking for a kick-ass performance vehicle this isn't it. But if you are looking for comfortable, reliable, easy-to-drive transportation, something that looks good (did I forget to mention I like the styling?) the Seltos is something you should check out.

You can get a base 2024 Seltos LX AWD for $24,390. A SX Turbo AWD like the one tested starts at $29,900. The Snow White Pearl paint is $395 extra (there are six colors available at no extra cost). The list of included features is long and comprehensive. Kia has a lot of "Drive Wise Drive-Assist Technology" and I like it because I don't find it intrusive.

If the 2024 Kia Seltos SX Turbo AWD fits your family you should check it out.