Independent · Not affiliated with NHTSA or any automaker MethodologyData sourcesData refreshed Oct 6, 2026

2026 Kia Seltos: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns for the 2026 Kia Seltos. Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the service brakes. In NHTSA crash tests it earned 5 stars overall.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
Caution Fewer than 50 complaints filed. With this few reports, patterns may not be meaningful.
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Recalls (0)

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns for the 2026 Kia Seltos. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Owner complaints (4)

4 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The service brakes is mentioned most often.

1involved a crash
0involved a fire
2injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2026 Kia Seltos, by component (top 5). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 4.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2026 compares with other Seltos years

Best and worst Seltos years →
2021202220232024202520262027
This year (2026)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Crash tests: 5 stars overall

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 4★★★★★★
Side crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 16.9%★★★★☆
Front seat of a modern car with the seat belt buckled across the passenger seat
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2026 Kia Seltos suv fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fuel economy: up to 29 mpg combined

29
mpg combined
27
city
31
highway
EPA annual fuel cost
$2,300
CO₂ tailpipe
309 g/mi
EPA class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle

What it costs you to run

$2,252per year
$188per month
517gallons a year

Miles ÷ 29 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.

EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.

Specs by configuration

2026 Kia Seltos configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
2 L 4-cyl · AV-S8 CVTAll-Wheel Drive27 / 31 / 29$2,300309
1.6 L 4-cyl · 8-speed automaticAll-Wheel Drive24 / 27 / 25$2,700350

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2026 Seltos for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All Seltos years

Where to next

2026 Kia Seltos FAQ

How many recalls does the 2026 Kia Seltos have?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2026 Kia Seltos. Check a specific car with NHTSA's VIN lookup, which also covers newly announced recalls.

What are the most common 2026 Kia Seltos problems?

Owners filed 4 complaints with NHTSA. Service brakes (2), Vehicle speed control (2), Air bags (1) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 2026 Kia Seltos get?

EPA rates the 2 L 4-cyl · AV-S8 CVT version at 27 city, 31 highway and 29 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.

What safety rating did the 2026 Kia Seltos get?

NHTSA rated the 2026 Kia Seltos suv fwd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (16.9% rollover risk).

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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