2027 Hyundai Kona vs. 2027 Kia Seltos

Car Confections says the Kia Seltos offers 39.0 inches of rear legroom and 38.4 inches of headroom, slightly edging out the Hyundai Kona's 38.2 inches of rear legroom and 38.3 inches of headroom, and holds a cargo edge behind the second row at 27.8 cubic feet versus the Kona's 25.5, expanding to 64.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded versus the Kona's 63.7. CarWeek's own trim comparison shows the Kona's turbocharged 1.6L four making 190 hp/195 lb-ft against the Seltos's naturally aspirated 2.0L four at 147 hp/132 lb-ft, with the Seltos slightly thriftier at 28 mpg combined versus the Kona's 26, both getting 24 city/29 highway.

Which to choose, and why

The Seltos has more rear room and cargo space

Car Confections (opens in a new tab) says the Kia Seltos offers 39.0 inches of rear legroom and 38.4 inches of headroom, slightly edging out the Hyundai Kona's 38.2 inches of rear legroom and 38.3 inches of headroom, and holds a cargo edge behind the second row at 27.8 cubic feet versus the Kona's 25.5, expanding to 64.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded versus the Kona's 63.7.

The Kona's turbo engine makes far more power

CarWeek's (opens in a new tab) own trim comparison shows the Kona's turbocharged 1.6L four making 190 hp/195 lb-ft against the Seltos's naturally aspirated 2.0L four at 147 hp/132 lb-ft, with the Seltos slightly thriftier at 28 mpg combined versus the Kona's 26, both getting 24 city/29 highway.

Questions buyers ask

Which has more cargo space, the Hyundai Kona or Kia Seltos?

Car Confections (opens in a new tab) says the Seltos, at 27.8 cubic feet behind the second row versus the Kona's 25.5.

Which has more horsepower, the Hyundai Kona or Kia Seltos?

CarWeek (opens in a new tab) says the Kona, at 190 hp versus the Seltos's 147 hp.

Side-by-side matrix

The published fields that can change the decision.

Hyundai Kona: 4 records · Kia Seltos: 3 records.

Decision field	Hyundai Kona	Kia Seltos
Exact EPA records	4	3
Model / option labels	2	2
Drive layouts	All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive	All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive
Engines / propulsion	1.6L 4-cyl SIDI, 2L 4-cyl	1.6L 4-cyl SIDI, 2L 4-cyl
Transmissions	Automatic (AV-S1), Automatic (S8)	Automatic (AV-S1), Automatic (S8)
Fuel types	Regular	Regular
EPA classes	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Combined efficiency	26–31 MPG/MPGe	26–30 MPG/MPGe
Electric range	Not listed	Not listed
Annual fuel / energy estimate	$2100–2500 per year	$2150–2500 per year

Head to head

Hyundai Kona vs. Kia Seltos: size, power, capability and price.

Measure	Hyundai Kona	Kia Seltos
Starting price (KBB base)	$27,150	$26,485
Top trim price (KBB base)	$35,685	$34,285
Horsepower	147-190 hp	147-190 hp
Torque	132-195 lb-ft	132-195 lb-ft
Curb weight	3,203-3,505 lb	3,318-3,549 lb
Length	171.3 in	174.4 in
Wheelbase	104.7 in	110.2 in
Cargo volume	63.7 cu ft	64.2 cu ft
Seating	5 seats	5 seats
Basic warranty	5 years	5 years

Figures are ranges across each model’s trims from Kelley Blue Book records (2027 model year); prices are KBB base prices.

The Kia Seltos starts $665 lower: $26,485 against $27,150 before options and fees.
Both list the same peak horsepower: 190 hp.
Both list the same peak torque: 195 lb-ft.
The Hyundai Kona is lighter, comparing lightest trims: 3,203 lb against 3,318 lb.
On length, the Kia Seltos leads: 174.4 in against 171.3 in.
On wheelbase, the Kia Seltos leads: 110.2 in against 104.7 in.
On cargo volume, the Kia Seltos leads: 64.2 cu ft against 63.7 cu ft.
Both list the same seating capacity: 5 seats.
Both list the same basic warranty: 5 years.

Background on each vehicle

What public sources say about the Hyundai Kona and the Kia Seltos.

2027 Hyundai Kona

The Hyundai Kona is a subcompact crossover SUV produced by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai. The first-generation Kona debuted in June 2017 and the production version was revealed later that year. The current, second-generation model was revealed in December 2022 and launched in 2023.

Safety: The first-generation Kona body is made from 51% advanced high strength steel with 'hot stamping' and adhesives for added rigidity. Standard safety equipment in some countries includes six airbags, lane keeping assist and a driver attention monitor. Other features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot detection and a rear cross traffic alert.
Recalls and problems: In April 2024, Hyundai Australia recalled 1,726 second-generation (SX2) Kona vehicles equipped with the 1.6-litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol engine and built from the 2023 model year. According to the recall notice, a manufacturing defect could cause the bracket retaining the engine control unit (ECU) to interfere with the vehicle's wiring in the event of a collision, causing a short circuit resulting in a vehicle fire.
Awards: At the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, both the electric and non-electric versions were announced as the winners of the 2019 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, the first for a subcompact crossover SUV in its award history.

Source: Hyundai Kona (Wikipedia)

NHTSA rated the 2025 Hyundai Kona overall 4 of 5 stars, front crash 4 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.

Recent recalls (3 campaigns across the latest model years)

July 2026, Seat Belts: Rear/Other:Buckle Assembly. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Kona Electric and 2024-2026 Kona vehicles. The seat belt buckle in the rear center seat may fail to properly restrain an occupant during a crash. Consequence: A seat belt buckle that fails to properly restrain an occupant in a crash increases the risk of injury.
February 2026, Steering:Linkages:Knuckle:Spindle:Arm. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2026 Kona vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the front steering knuckles may crack and break, which can result in a loss of vehicle steering control. Consequence: A loss of vehicle steering control increases the risk of a crash.
January 2026, Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 IONIQ 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Tucson vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument… Consequence: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.

Owners filed 28 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Hyundai Kona, most often about electrical system (9), unknown or other (6), service brakes (4).

2027 Kia Seltos

The Kia Seltos is a crossover SUV manufactured by Kia since 2019. It is positioned between the smaller Stonic, Soul, or Sonet and the larger Sportage in Kia's global SUV lineup. The first-generation Seltos is designated as a global product with three variations introduced for different markets.

Safety: The SP2 Seltos received a five-star rating from Australasian New Car Assessment Program, and a four-star rating from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Awards: News & World Report ranked the Kia Seltos at No. 4 on its list of Best Subcompact SUVs for 2022, giving it a score of 8.2 out of 10.

Source: Kia Seltos (Wikipedia)

NHTSA rated the 2025 Kia Seltos overall 5 of 5 stars, front crash 5 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.

Owners filed 13 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Kia Seltos, most often about unknown or other (3), forward collision avoidance (3), exterior lighting (3).

Open both dossiers

Resolve the exact engine, drive and EPA ID.

01 · 2027Hyundai Kona4 configurations →02 · 2027Kia Seltos3 configurations →

Comparison answer desk

12 answers for this exact pairing.

Q01Which is more efficient: the 2027 Hyundai Kona or the 2027 Kia Seltos?

Efficiency

The 2027 Hyundai Kona lists the higher combined-efficiency midpoint in this snapshot (28.5 vs. the 2027 Kia Seltos's 28 MPG/MPGe).