2022 Kia Seltos Nightfall Turbo AWD – Pairs Style With Practicality

The 2022 Kia Seltos sits snuggly between the Sportage and Soul in the company’s SUV lineup. Our first impression of the 2022 Kia Seltos Nightfall Turbo AWD is that it perfectly pairs style with practicality. It is, for most people, the perfect size and shares its powertrain with the Kona. The upside to sharing the same platform and powertrain is that the vehicle delivers a much more engaging driving experience and better fuel economy, dare we say, better than the Sportage.  

While the base models are powered by the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the more upmarket trims like the Nightfall (our review unit) come with a 1.6-liter, 175 HP under the hood. Speaking of the Nightfall, it, along with other higher-end trims, comes with many other goodies, which make the upgrade worth considering. 

The slightly larger size of the 2022 Kia Seltos means a roomier interior, and that also means it has an advantage over similarly priced subcompact SUVs like the Nissan Kicks and Mazda CX-30. 

Driving Performance 

One of the first things we noticed when behind the wheel of the 2022 Kia Seltos was how responsive the vehicle felt. From the time we fired it up, right up to when we were cruising at 60mph, the vehicle feels calm and in control, with the least amount of body roll we’ve experienced with other vehicles in this segment. 

Acceleration, as you’d expect, is quick; our unit went from 0-60mph in a mere 6.6 seconds. While the engine is mated with a CVT, considered by purists as being sluggish, that isn’t our opinion of the Seltos’ transmission. The seven-speed automatic is zippy and highly responsive. 

The All-wheel drive is standard with the turbo four, but you can buy it as an option with the non-turbo engine. The ride is smooth, and the handling is sharp for the most part. We found it more entertaining and engaging than the Jeep Compass or even the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. 

Cabin Comfort 

One of the first things most people will notice is that the 2022 Kia Seltos is noticeably roomier than the Kona. The materials used throughout the vehicle are of excellent quality and offer a more refined experience. 

Ambient lighting is standard, and it can also be set to pulse along with the music. Speaking of which the sound system is also of outstanding quality, thanks to the eight-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system. 

All models come with a touchscreen infotainment system, supporting Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. While navigation is optional, we’d recommend that you get it since it offers the ability to split your screen and have the map running on one side while you change radio stations on the other. 

Final Word 

The 2022 Kia Seltos Nightfall Turo is one of the best compact SUVs you can buy today. It is spacious, handles well, and offers 35mpg on the highway, but it’s also the perfect daily driver that isn’t too large or too small for narrow city driving. It is priced competitively, which is one of the many reasons we recommend it to anyone in the market for a sub-compact SUV that does not make many compromises.