2024 Kia Seltos: New X-Line Trim, More Power And Tech

The 2024 Kia Seltos is well-positioned between the smaller Soul and the bigger Sportage. It carries forward the strong traits of its predecessor, like refreshing aesthetics, interior space, and technology. The 2024 Kia Seltos gets a refreshed exterior and interior design. Plus, the turbo engine now makes more power than before.

The 2024 Kia Seltos price starts at $25,865 for the base LS trim and goes up to $31,465 for the top SX trim. Today, I’ll be reviewing the all-new 2024 Kia Seltos X-Line trim and seeing if its rugged styling and distinct elements can charm buyers. Also, here's the pricing for the different configurations of 2024 Kia Seltos trims. 

2024 Kia Seltos MSRP For All Trims

2024 Kia Seltos Gets Refreshing Aesthetics

To be honest, the refreshed Kia Seltos didn't rock the boat dramatically, but it did freshen up the overall front-end look. So, you're going to have the latest version of the tiger nose face. The new X-Line is the replacement for the previous Nightfall model. The lighting has also been updated, as we've got a new star map signature DRL that actually continues into the face. It makes a really unique look at night. The headlights themselves are halogen projector headlights on all but the fully loaded SX model. 

The SX model will come with a bi-LED setup. In my opinion, the LED headlights provide much better illumination. Many owners have testified to the importance of the same on dark highways. With the X-Line, even the fog lights are halogen in nature, while the SX gets LED fog light strips on both ends. Kia took what was already a handsome rear profile and just kind of added some details from their most recent models. 

The connected tail light design is more in sync with Kia new design language 

We have our spoiler up top and exposure wiper, but our big change is going to be the tail light design. We have an LED brake light portion, an incandescent reverse light, and an incandescent turn signal indicator. So just one out of three elements is LED. Dropping down to the lower element of the rear bumper, there’s a nice piece of piano black adding to the rugged look of the X-Line trim.

Decent Ground Clearance And Rugged Styling Compliment Each Other Well

Coming to the sides, the Seltos will continue to have 7.3 inches of ground clearance, which gives it a more substantial SUV look. Not only for style, the higher clearance in conjunction with AWD aids for better traction. The wheel options start with 17-inch alloy wheels; however, the X line and the SX both come with 18-inch alloy wheels. The blacked-out look with the gloss black finish looks really nice.

The mirrors you are going to have heating as well as blind spot monitoring on the S trim level, and above now, the side of the Seltos isn't going to see a ton of design changes. The roof rails are standard on all but the very base LX trim level, and if you go for the X line, they're going to be blacked out as well. The Kia Seltos colors like Mars Orange and Valais Green are my favorites and add some more bling. 

2024 Kia Seltos' Interior Feels Upscale 

Getting inside is easy, as there is a smart key along with a remote start function. You also have their new digital key 2.0, which supports Apple and Android devices. So, quite a few things have changed, especially in terms of technology. So, there’s full cloth seating on the LX, S, and X-Line trims. However, there’s leatherette on the side of the seats with the stitching, and cloth is right in the middle for the X-Line trim. 

The front seats are decent, but extra padding would make the journeys more comfortable 

The seats in the X-Line are manually adjustable. We have nice materials for a subcompact crossover. On our armrest of the door trim, we've got a leatherette trim with a stitching detail, and that continues through the center section. We have piano black accents through the middle of the door trim. The upper dash, as expected, would also be finished in hard-touch plastic, and then through the middle section, we have a large piece of piano black trim with some design.

New dual display interior looks futuristic, much in line with Kia's flagship 

The new dual-display setup is just like we've had in a lot of recent Kia cars. We now have the double displays, but they're not as big as they are in the Telluride and the Sportage. It is a double 10.25-inch display setup, including our gauge cluster and infotainment screen. The steering is a nice leather-wrapped one, and you get the piano black accents, and it's going to be manually adjustable.

With many cars moving to physical shift buttons, a traditional shift lever in the Seltos 2024 is more welcoming 

We've got a traditional-style shifter unit in the X-Line trim, and there aren't paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Besides the shifter, there’s heated seat control, and ventilated seats are optional on the top SX trim. The audio quality on the standard six-speaker sound system is pretty decent for the class. You get the Bose sound system on the top SX trim, which I would surely recommend for audiophiles.

Single zone climate control, wired smartphone connectivity and no sunroof are some of its drawbacks 

The X-Line trim gets single-zone climate controls with physical buttons. The infotainment system runs on the latest Kia software, and it includes an integrated navigation system, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. However, they do not run wirelessly, so you will have to plug them in with the USB port. Yes, there’s no sunroof here, and most trims miss on it, but you can get one on both the EX and SX trim levels. 

The Rear Seat Comfort and Space Outperform Most Competition 

Coming to the rear seats, you get 38 inches of legroom and 38.4 inches of headroom, which are very impressive figures for the segment. It is more than the Honda HR-V and the Toyota Corolla Cross. However, it falls behind the Chevrolet Trailblazer. We're going to have rear vents on all but the very base LX trim. If we fold down the center armrest, we do have two cup holders inside.

More than enough cargo space for a compact SUV

Now we do have a manually opening tailgate on the vast majority of Seltos models. The same is an option on the SX trim level in its sunroof package. So there’s 27 cubic feet behind the second row seats, and if we fold the rear seats down, we're looking at about 63 cubic feet of cargo capacity, which is very good for this segment of vehicle.

The 2024 Kia Seltos Gets More Power With The Turbo Engine Option 

The 2024 Kia Seltos specs include a 2.0-liter inline-four engine as standard. It makes 146 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque. The same is mated to a CVT. Talking about the available 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, it makes an additional 20 hp over the previous model year, totaling 195 hp. Even the torque output stands at 195 lb-ft. 

With more power there’s new transmission as well

The turbo engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic, replacing the previous 7-speed automatic transmission. So, AWD is standard on all trims except the S and EX trims. The X-Line trims get a more powerful engine, and it can do a 0–60 sprint in a matter of 7.0 seconds. 

The standard engine delivers decent fuel economy

The 2024 Kia Seltos gets EPA-estimated fuel efficiency figures of 28 mpg city, 34 mpg highway, and 31 mpg combined with the 2.0-liter engine and FWD. The 1.6-liter engine is more powerful, pairs with AWD, and delivers fuel economy figures of 25 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined. 

2024 Kia Seltos Drives Well For Its Class 

Driving the 2024 Seltos X-Line is fun. The 0–60 time is decently quick. The only thing that's going to be quicker than the Seltos in this segment would be the Mazda CX-30 Turbo, which is going to command quite a bit of a price premium. The low-end torque from the turbo engine really pushes you back. The new 8-speed automatic transmission, under hard acceleration, shifts well and quickly. 

Most importantly, when you're around town, you don't have any jerking harshness, and that's much appreciated. The ride quality is quite composed, with decent NVH levels. When you hit a bump, it does a really good job of soaking it up. So, there's not a lot of rattle or intrusion into the cabin. The steering is accurate and responsive. However, the Seltos is not exactly a driver’s car around the corners. 

Should The 2024 Kia Seltos Make Its Way To Your Garage? 

The 2024 Kia Seltos brings much-needed updates to entice customers. The added power bump, redesigned aesthetics, and new X-Line trim are some of its USPs. Also, for the price, the Kia Seltos offers good value considering warranty coverage and features. Some owners consider the interior of their 2024 Seltos to match European standards. 

The MSRP of 2024 Kia Seltos is also tempting. The Kia Seltos reliability should not be a concern, as the J.D. Power Consumer Reports have given it 87/100 for quality/reliability. However, not everything's rosy, as handling is not very enthusiastic and performance from the base engine is underwhelming. Anyways, the Kia Seltos must be on your bucket list if you consider buying a subcompact SUV, as it has more pros than cons.