The Kia Seltos gets a refreshed exterior and a new S trim for the front-wheel drive model.

The Seltos comes with one of two powerplants under its hood. The base engine is a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine making 146 horsepower which is mated to either all-four wheels or just the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission. In front-wheel drive form, the Seltos is capable of 31 mpg in combined city and highway driving with the base engine. The optional engine is a 195 horsepower 1.6L turbocharged unit. It's paired to a dual-clutch transmission, which sends power to all-four wheels. Even with the more powerful engine and all-wheel drive, the Seltos is still rated at 27 mpg in combined city and highway driving.

There are five different trim levels for the Kia Seltos, starting with the LX trim. Standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, all-wheel drive, automatic projector beam headlights, an 8-inch touch screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a rearview camera, steering wheel mounted controls for the sound system and cruise control, power door locks and power windows.

The S trim adds heated mirrors, chrome exterior highlights, roof rails, LED daytime running lights and taillights, projector beam foglamps, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, a forward collision avoidance assist system, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and lane keep following functions. Interestingly enough, unlike the base LX, the S trim does not come with all-wheel drive, though it can be optioned for an extra cost. The upshot is that the S and the LX trims both cost the exact same amount, so owners who don't necessarily need all-wheel drive can get a ton of options instead for the same low price.

The EX trim adds a power sunroof, machine finished 17-inch wheels, extra USB charging ports, a wireless phone charger, a smart key with push button and remote starter functions, automatic climate control, LED interior lighting, rear seat HVAC vents, a 10-way power adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic avoidance systems as well as all-wheel drive.

At the top of the Kia Seltos range sits the SX Turbo trim. The SX Turbo adds full LED headlights and fog lights, a bigger 10.25-inch touchscreen with built in satellite navigation, satellite radio and voice recognition, a Bose sound system, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, smart cruise control with stop and go functions and Kia's highway driving assist.

The Seltos competes with other small SUVs such as the Mazda CX-30 and the Ford Escape and the Honda HR-V. It offers competitive pricing while offering true, upright SUV proportions, something that the cheaper HR-V can't claim. Kia have made a push towards offering lots of convenience tech with their vehicles, bringing many features further downmarket than they've ever been before. Available options on the Seltos include things such as smart cruise control and lane following assist, meaning that if properly optioned, the Seltos can nearly drive itself on the highway.

Compact, city-ready size; efficient engine choices; available all-wheel drive; well appointed interior with lots of tech; sporty styling