Used Kia Seltos for Sale nearBakersfield, CA

How much does the Kia Seltos cost in today's market?

Used Kia Seltos prices span a wide range depending on model year. Here's what the market looks like right now:

The Kia Seltos's current nationwide average price is $20,973, and over the past year that nationwide average reached a low of $20,010. Recently, prices have come down for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 models, making now a good time to shop recent model years.

Is the Kia Seltos a good car?

Yes — the Kia Seltos is a strong used-car pick if you want a compact SUV that blends style, space, and everyday usability. The all-generations owner rating is 4.8/5 across every model year in the data.

Owners consistently praise its comfort, spaciousness, and stylish design, and they also highlight its handling, safety features, and value for money. Across the model years, the Seltos is repeatedly described as practical, easy to live with, and appealing for shoppers who want useful space and a polished feel.

Expert reviews rate the 2027 and 2021 models among the highest across all years.

The main trade-offs called out by experts are the standard engine’s sluggishness, the soft and springy ride in some versions, and the base trim’s limited driver-assistance coverage. Even so, the Seltos remains a compelling used buy because it delivers a lot of utility and character for the money.

37.3% of listings are priced as good or great deals.

Are Kia Seltos models reliable?

Owners consistently praise the Kia Seltos for comfort, spaciousness, stylish design, and value for money. Expert reviews also point to a practical cabin, intuitive controls, and a well-rounded overall character that makes it easy to live with.

• Owners rate the Kia Seltos between 4.7 and 4.8 out of 5 stars across all model years in the data.

For used buyers, long-term ownership risk is best managed by checking model-year history carefully, especially on earlier examples.

What should I look for when buying a used Kia Seltos?

Across all model years, accident-free inventory is solid at 85.3% — always verify the vehicle history report.

Older model years carry meaningfully higher accident rates, so always verify the vehicle history report on pre-2022 models.

Key things to evaluate:

• Safety package: Forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking with intersection turning assist, front and rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, and adaptive cruise control are standard on all trim levels.
• Infotainment: The infotainment system features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Kia Connect connected services.
• Fuel efficiency: In Normal mode, it averaged 26.5 mpg on our Southern California fuel-economy evaluation route, which is a 50:50 mix of city and highway driving in a relatively flat area.

Which Kia Seltos trim should I buy?

The 2027 Kia Seltos offers these trims:

• LX: The entry trim gives you the Seltos’ roomy cabin, simple but intuitive controls, and standard 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen; it’s the value-focused starting point.
• S: This is the best-value trim, adding the safer-feeling upgrade path the experts recommend, along with a safe-exit warning system.
• EX: A smart step up if you want more comfort and convenience while staying with the standard 2.0-liter engine and CVT.
• X-Line S: This trim adds standard AWD, making it the right choice if you want extra traction without jumping to the top turbo model.
• X-Line SX: The top trim brings the turbocharged 1.6-liter engine, eight-speed automatic, torque-vectoring AWD with 4WD Lock and Terrain mode, plus available Prestige Package upgrades such as premium audio, ventilated front seats, camera-based visibility aids, and Highway Driving Assist.

What Kia Seltos do most buyers choose?

The Kia Seltos years with the most listings are 2024, 2025, and 2023.

Those higher-volume years tend to be popular because they combine strong availability with pricing that still sits below the newest model years. That gives you more choices while keeping the shopping pool focused on recent Seltos versions.

What is the Kia Seltos's resale value?

The table shows broad downward movement across the model years, which is good news if you’re shopping used. The larger drops are concentrated in the older years, while the newer years have moved down more gradually. That pattern gives you more room to find value in recent Seltos models without paying close to original-market pricing.

The 2025, 2024, and 2021 model years have held their value best, with the smallest year-over-year price changes.

Is the Kia Seltos safe?

• 2027: 8/10
• 2024: 9/10
• 2022: 9/10
• 2021: 8/10

Forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking with intersection turning assist, front and rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, and adaptive cruise control are standard on all trim levels.

For the safest used buy, the 2022 and 2024 models both post the highest confirmed score of 9/10.

Should I buy a used Kia Seltos now or wait for the next model?

Buy now if:

• Price trend: The 2025 model is at −1.76% versus a year ago, and the 2024 model is at −3.52%.
• Deal availability: The 2025 model has 37.7% good and great deals, and the 2024 model has 37.4%.
• Sweet-spot year: The 2024 model has the most listings at a current average price of $22,514. The Kia Seltos offers a roomy cabin and practical cargo space, which makes it easy to live with every day.

Consider waiting if:

• Powertrain/efficiency: Every 2027 Seltos except the X-Line SX is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while the X-Line SX introduces a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 190 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque.
• Tech: The infotainment system features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Kia Connect connected services.
• Safety: Forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking with intersection turning assist, front and rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, and adaptive cruise control are standard on all trim levels.
• Starting price: Kia sells the new Seltos in LX, S, EX, X-Line S, and X-Line SX trim levels, at prices ranging from $26,485 to $34,285, including the $1,495 destination charge.

If you're buying used today, the 2024 model year offers the best mix of value and availability. If you want the latest tech and features, it may be worth waiting for the next model year's inventory to build up.

How does the 2024 Kia Seltos compare to the 2024 Hyundai Kona?

Expert Pros & Cons (per CarGurus review team)

2024 Kia Seltos:

• Pros: Lots of helpful standard safety features, Functional cabin with intuitive technology, AWD standard on base trim level.
• Cons: Base engine feels underpowered, Optional turbo engine suffers from low-speed turbo-lag.

2024 Hyundai Kona:

• Pros: Multiple powertrain options, Impressive technology, Standard advanced safety features.
• Cons: Fairly pedestrian performance, Not enough covered storage in the cabin.

Our experts score the 2024 Kia Seltos 7.5/10 and the 2024 Hyundai Kona 8.3/10. The Kona earns the higher score and brings more powertrain variety, while the Seltos counters with standard AWD on the base trim and a functional cabin with intuitive technology. Both are practical small SUVs, but the Kona’s stronger overall rating gives it the edge if you want the more polished package.

Read our full side-by-side expert comparison here.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from November 3, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.