Kia just released info regarding its small SUV that has, for the most part, been overlooked in favor of Japanese models, like the Subaru Crosstrek, Mazda CX-30, and Toyota Corolla Cross. Though it may just make its way up the ranking with a thorough update that Kia promises will, at the very least, place it among the segment leaders in terms of space and versatility. With a bigger wheelbase, a chiseled appearance, and more features than ever, the second-gen Seltos aims to dethrone Japan's SUV dominance. The New Seltos Takes Design Cues From The 2027 Telluride Kia For the second generation, Kia plans to make the Seltos more competitive in the small SUV space than ever, and, quote, "Raise the bar for the segment." The Korean firm aims to achieve this by giving the small Seltos everything it needs to appeal to the modern SUV buyer, subcompact or not. This includes, firstly, an appearance that immediately gives it a more muscular, chiseled look, taken from the second-gen Telluride, which was revealed in late 2025.Kia The 2027 Seltos will adopt the "Opposites United" design philosophy, which sees it gain amber DRLs around the front fascia, bold, commanding angles, clean lines, and flush door handles, which Kia states bring together contrasting elements of nature and humanity in a thoughtful and expressive design. It definitely adds an air of modernity to the SUV thanks to the futuristic, digitized take on the traditional SUV shape. The traditional SUV shape in question is on full display, thanks to the upright, boxy stature of the 2027 Seltos. The Second-Gen Seltos Bulked-Up For 2027 Kia The 2027 Seltos, along with receiving a full redesign, also got bigger. It's longer and wider, with a solid 2.4 inches tacked onto its wheelbase. While it may not sound like much, it's enough to qualify the Seltos' rear legroom as best-in-class, whilst providing more headroom, shoulder, and hip room, and more passenger and cargo space than before. This added space is made more versatile with the addition of Kia Add Gear cargo organization, which will allow buyers to take full advantage of the available space. Segment-Challenging Powertrain Versatility Kia The 2027 Seltos will offer a choice of either a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder, a 1.6-liter turbo-four, or a new 1.6-liter four-cylinder hybrid option, making it the only one in its segment to offer all three. This will also be the first time the Seltos has offered a hybrid unit in its lineup. The 2.0-liter N/A and 1.6-liter hybrid option will be available with either FWD or AWD, while the turbo-four, found under the hood of the X-Line trim only, will be exclusively AWD. There's also the addition of Multi-Mode AWD for the non-hybrid units (optional on non-X-Line trims), and ground clearance has been bumped up to 8.1 inches, depending on the trim, up from 7.3 on the outgoing generation. The Cabin Layout Combines Smooth Tech Design With Daily Usability Kia We find the "Opposite United" design language in the cabin as well, with smooth, connected lines throughout that deliver an undeniably modern, tech-forward take we find in the Telluride. What we also find is an ergonomic layout that puts controls within the natural placement of the driver's hands. The Seltos Hybrid draws inspiration not only from the Telluride but also the EV9, with a stalk-mounted shifter that opens up the center console for a more airy, minimalist front cabin experience.Kia A standard 12.3-inch touchscreen sits center-dash, and is available with a 12.3-inch gauge cluster and five-inch digital climate-control panel, pushing digital real estate up near 30 inches. The ADAS system brings a heap of useful driver assist features to the 2027 Seltos, and the addition of Kia's generative AI assistant helps keep many features hands-free, which, combined, allow the driver to focus on the road more effectively.Kia The cabin is further enhanced by the increased cabin space mentioned earlier, which clocks around a one-inch growth in rear legroom, with incremental increases across the board; cargo cap pushes an estimated 64.1 cubic feet behind the first row and 27.8 cubic feet behind the second. Kia expects the 2.0-liter and 1.6-liter turbo Seltos to arrive at dealerships in Q2 2026, with the hybrid arriving sometime in Q4.Source: Kia