The 2021 Kia Seltos is entering the small SUV segment with style, roominess and decent comfort features. The Seltos is Kia s newest SUV, slotting between the boxy Soul and sleek Sportage . We recently drove from San Antonio to Houston and spent a long weekend in Kias stylish new SUV, learning some of the pros and cons it has to offer. Pro: Bose Audio System Although its only available in the top-trim SX, the eight-speaker Bose audio system sounds clear and crisp. This is the first time Kia equips a vehicle with a Bose system (the automaker used Harman Kardon in past models), and the sound is great for a subcompact crossoverit might battle the Nissan Kicks for the best-sound system in a cheap SUV. Con: Interior Materials Yes, the Kia Seltos is inexpensive, but the amount of hard plastics and poor materials are all around the cabin. Thats something normal for a $23,000 SUV, but when the top-trims price is closer to $30,000, some customers may expect better materials. The leatherette on the seats and door panels also could be better quality. Pro: Electrochromic rear-view mirror Although during our First Drive we drove during daylight hours, we didnt have a chance to see some of the features the interior offers at night. I was surprised to see that the rear-view mirror in the SX is electrochromic, which dims the mirror when it senses light, preventing any kind of reflection from the headlights behind you. I drove a base Honda CR-V LX for one year and complained about the lack of a dimming rear-view mirror, so I was surprised to see that the Seltos SX has it. Con: Powertrain The Seltos is equipped with two powertrainsa 2.0-liter that delivers 146 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque and a 1.6-liter turbo thats good for 175 hp and 195 lb-ft. Although neither powertrain is awful, the 2.0-liter feels slow and thrashy at full throttle, while the turbo is peppy but lacks refinement during stop and go traffic, primarily because of its dual-clutch transmission. Pro: Space and Cargo Room Despite its small size, the 2021 Kia Seltos is pretty spacious inside. Its square-ish shape allows back-seat passengers to have enough headroom, while theres plenty of legroom for 6-feet adults. During the weekend, my dad (who is almost 64 and a big guy) had a bit of trouble when he sat in the rear seat, but for the average-size American, the interior is roomy. Theres also plenty of cargo room, and you can lower the cargo floor for more volume. Con: Disco-like ambient lighting Like the Soul, the top-trim Seltos is equipped with ambient lighting that changes color with the melody of the songs youre playing, providing a lounge-like interior. But unlike the Soul, the ambient lighting isnt as bright or as noticeable. When driving the Seltos at night, I had to look hard to see if the ambient lighting was on, and it was hard to see the colors change with the reggaeton songs I was playing. In contrast, the Souls interior turns into an Ibiza-style club. Pro: MPG Kia estimates the Seltos to deliver up to 34 mpg in highway for front-drive models with the 2.0-liter, which is better than what the Mazda CX-30 , Nissan Rogue Sport, and Jeep Compass offer in front-drive form, and ties with the Honda HR-V . Getting all-wheel drive reduces the numbers by about 2 mpg, while the 1.6-liter turbo delivers 25/30/27 city/highway/combined mpg with AWD. --> The post 2021 Kia Seltos Pros and Cons: The Small SUV Has the Looks and Interior Space appeared first on MotorTrend .