The Kia Seltos statistics available here describe U.S.-market 2025 specifications, IIHS laboratory evaluations, and U.S. or North American safety records. They measure vehicle characteristics and controlled tests rather than global sales, ownership, real-world injury rates or confirmed defect rates.
Key Kia Seltos Statistics
The most useful headline figures span engines, dimensions, safety testing and field records:
- In the 2025 U.S. model year, the 2.0L engine measured 1,999 cc on LX, S and EX trims.
- In the 2025 U.S. model year, the 1.6L turbo engine measured 1,598 cc on SX and X-Line trims.
- In the 2025 U.S. model year, the 2.0L engine produced 146 hp at 6,200 rpm on LX, S and EX trims.
- In the 2025 U.S. model year, the turbo engine produced 190 hp at 6,000 rpm on SX and X-Line trims.
- In the 2025 U.S. model year, the Seltos fuel tank held 13.2 gallons across the listed U.S. trims.
- In the 2025 U.S. model year, the minimum turning-circle radius was 5.3 meters for U.S. trims.
- In the 2025 U.S. model year, the steering system required 2.5 turns lock-to-lock for U.S. trims.
- In the 2025 U.S. model year, AWD versions used 12-inch front and 11-inch rear brake rotors in the U.S. trim specification.
- In the 2021 IIHS driver-side small-overlap test, driver-dummy HIC-15 was 219 in the IIHS test.
- In the 2021 IIHS passenger-side small-overlap test, passenger-dummy HIC-15 was 227.
- In the 2024-26 IIHS rating period, SX LED high beams reached 134.4 meters on the right edge of the straightaway at 5 lux.
- In the 2024-26 IIHS rating period, the Seltos reduced speed by 28 mph in a 31-mph centered passenger-car test.
- In the 2024-26 IIHS rating period, the Seltos avoided a crossing-child collision at 12 mph in controlled daytime testing.
- In the 2024 updated moderate-overlap test, rear-passenger neck tension was 2.4 kN.
- In the 2024 updated side test, passenger-dummy HIC-15 was 258.
- In the 2021-26 rating period, two rear seating positions had complete LATCH hardware and one additional position had a tether anchor only.
- In the July 31, 2023 U.S. recall filing, 39,765 vehicles were potentially affected across three Kia model lines.
- From March 3, 2021 through February 1, 2025, 409 potentially related stall allegations were identified for Seltos vehicles with the specified 2.0L engine.
Contents
- Engine output and fuel-system measurements
- Dimensions, capacity and chassis data
- IIHS crash-test statistics
- Crash prevention and lighting results
- Occupant protection and restraint measurements
- Recall and field-incident statistics
Kia Seltos Engine Output and Fuel-System Statistics
The 2025 U.S. Seltos specification separates the naturally aspirated 2.0L MPI Atkinson engine on LX, S and EX from the 1.6L turbo GDI engine on SX and X-Line. Kia’s official specification page identifies the following manufacturer-listed measurements for the 2025 model year.
| 2025 U.S. trim group | Displacement | Output | Torque |
|---|---|---|---|
| LX, S and EX, 2.0L MPI Atkinson | 1,999 cc | 146 hp at 6,200 rpm | 132 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm |
| SX and X-Line, 1.6L turbo GDI | 1,598 cc | 190 hp at 6,000 rpm | 195 lb-ft from 1,600–4,500 rpm |
Source: 2025 Kia Seltos Specifications. These are manufacturer ratings, not independent performance-test results.
The compression ratio is 12.5:1 for the 2.0L engine and 10.0:1 for the turbo engine. The 2.0L uses multi-point injection, while the 1.6L turbo uses gasoline direct injection.
Fuel and oil capacities also vary in the specification:
- The 2025 Seltos fuel tank capacity is 13.2 gallons across the listed U.S. trims.
- The 2.0L engine oil capacity is 4.0 liters on U.S.-market LX, S and EX trims.
- The 1.6L turbo engine oil capacity is 5.0 liters at the plant or 4.8 liters for after-service filling on SX and X-Line trims.
Kia Seltos Dimensions, Capacity and Chassis Data
The manufacturer’s 2025 U.S. data includes steering, electrical and braking measurements. These figures are configuration specifications, so AWD and FWD values should not be treated as interchangeable.
| Chassis or electrical measure | 2025 U.S. specification |
|---|---|
| Minimum turning-circle radius | 5.3 meters |
| Steering ratio | 12.8:1 |
| Steering turns lock-to-lock | 2.5 |
| 2.0L-trim AGM battery | 70 Ah |
| Turbo-trim AGM battery | 60 Ah |
| 2.0L-trim alternator | 150 A |
| Turbo-trim alternator | 130 A |
Source: 2025 Kia Seltos Specifications.
Brake-rotor dimensions differ by drivetrain. AWD versions use 12-inch front and 11-inch rear rotors, while specified FWD versions list 11-inch front and 10-inch rear rotors; Kia’s table uses dashes for some trim and drivetrain combinations.
Kia Seltos IIHS Crash-Test Statistics
IIHS crash-test numbers are dummy, intrusion and compartment measurements from controlled laboratory protocols. They are not injury rates in people, and the 2021 test data is reported for model-year rating periods rather than as a longitudinal real-world trend.
In the 2021 driver-side small-overlap tests, the driver HIC-15 was 219 in the IIHS test and 105 in the Hyundai-Kia test. Neck tension was 1.1 kN and 1.0 kN, while chest compression was 28 mm and 25 mm, respectively.
The same paired tests recorded left-femur force of 1.1 kN and 3.8 kN. In the IIHS test, left and right driver-foot acceleration reached 68 g and 80 g.
The passenger-side small-overlap measurements included 10 cm of intrusion at the lower hinge pillar, 11 cm at the footrest and 9 cm at the right toepan. The passenger dummy recorded HIC-15 of 227, neck tension of 0.8 kN, extension bending moment of 33 Nm, and left and right knee displacements of 4 mm and 8 mm.
Source: 2024 Kia Seltos.
The original moderate-overlap test, whose rating applies to 2021-25 models, recorded 12 cm of footrest intrusion, 21 cm of left intrusion and 13 cm of center intrusion. Driver HIC-15 was 160, chest compression was 33 mm, and left and right foot acceleration measured 75 g and 132 g.
Kia Seltos Crash-Prevention and Lighting Results
The IIHS 2024-26 rating-period lighting data distinguishes SX LED headlights from the halogen headlights listed for LX, S, EX and X-Line. Distances below are average minimum useful illumination at 5 lux.
| Headlight configuration | Low-beam straightaway, right / left | High-beam straightaway, right / left |
|---|---|---|
| SX LED | 75.6 m / 54.4 m | 134.4 m / 136.1 m |
| Non-SX halogen | 72.6 m / 33.6 m | 135.6 m / 85.2 m |
Source: 2024 Kia Seltos. The listed groups and rating period are specific to the IIHS evaluation.
Controlled crash-prevention testing measured speed reductions rather than field collision rates:
- At 31 mph with a centered passenger-car target, the Seltos reduced speed by 28 mph.
- At 37 mph with a centered passenger-car target, it reduced speed by 22 mph.
- At 31 mph with a centered motorcycle target, it reduced speed by 25 mph.
- At 31 mph with an off-center motorcycle target, it reduced speed by 19 mph.
- In a daytime crossing-child test, it avoided collision at 12 mph and reduced impact speed by 20 mph at 25 mph.
Kia Seltos Occupant Protection and Restraint Measurements
The updated 2024 moderate-overlap test recorded rear-passenger neck tension of 2.4 kN, compression of 0.1 kN and a chest index of 28. Rear-passenger shoulder-belt tension was 5.9 kN.
In the updated 2024 side test, driver and passenger HIC-15 values were 234 and 258. Maximum torso deflection was 30 mm for the driver and 51 mm for the passenger, while maximum viscous criterion was 0.52 m/s and 1.20 m/s.
The IIHS child-seat-anchor evaluation for the 2021-26 rating period found two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and one additional position with a tether anchor only. This is an equipment evaluation, not a child-seat usage survey.
Seat-belt reminder acoustics were measured in the front row at two test speeds:
- At 24 km/h, background cabin sound was 53 dB and the audible signal was 58 dB.
- At 40 km/h, background cabin sound was 56 dB and the audible signal was 61 dB.
Source: 2024 Kia Seltos. These are controlled acoustic and dummy measurements, not population-level compliance or injury statistics.
Kia Seltos Recall and Field-Incident Statistics
NHTSA recall and investigation figures describe potentially affected or potentially related populations. They should not be presented as confirmed failure rates, confirmed fires or crash counts.
Recall 23V-531, reported on July 31, 2023, covered 39,765 potentially affected vehicles across the 2023 Soul, 2023 Sportage and 2023-24 Seltos model years. The Seltos portion included model years 2023 and 2024, but the supplied recall count is for the three model lines together.
Source: NHTSA Recall Acknowledgment Letter 23V-531: Electric Oil Pump Assembly May Cause Fire.
A 2025 NHTSA defect-determination record identified 409 potentially related stall allegations for Seltos vehicles with the specified 2.0L engine. The field data was received from March 3, 2021 through February 1, 2025, and covers North American Seltos field data.
The same reviewed field-data summary identified 0 potentially related fires for Seltos and 4 for the companion Soul population. The Soul comparator preserves the source population context; it is not a Seltos result.
Source: 2021-2023MY Seltos & Soul: Piston Oil Ring, Basis of Safety Defect Determination.
The evidence is concentrated in U.S.-market specifications and U.S. or North American safety records. It does not establish global Seltos sales, ownership, adoption, real-world collision frequency or worldwide recall prevalence.