2027 Kia Seltos vs Kia Sportage: We Compared the Data
By the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team · Updated November 8, 2026 · how we score
Our pick: the Seltos — it leads our weighted scorecard 4–2.5 across 6 categories, winning on a lower starting price ($24,990 vs $28,990) and better 5-year value retention (55.1% vs 47.8%). Choose the Sportage if fuel economy comes first (41 mpg vs 30 mpg best EPA combined).
Scorecard: Seltos 4 pts · Sportage 2.5 pts across 6 scored categories.
The scorecard
| Category (weight) | 2027 Seltos | 2027 Sportage | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP (2) | $24,990 | $28,990 | Seltos |
| NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2) | — | 0.51 | No data |
| 5-year value retained (1.5) | 55.1% | 47.8% | Seltos |
| Best EPA combined (1.5) | 30 mpg | 41 mpg | Sportage |
| Most horsepower available (1) | 190 hp | 268 hp | Sportage |
| Max towing (1) | — | 2,500 lb | No data |
| Cargo behind rear seats (1) | — | 39.6 cu ft | No data |
| Standard seats (1) | 5 | 5 | Tie |
| Median discount verified buyers got (1) | — | 4.6% off MSRP | No data |
| Recalls, 2023–2025 model years (0.5) | 3 | 8 | Seltos |
| Weighted points | 4 | 2.5 | Seltos |
Which one we'd buy, and for whom
- Commuter. Commuters: the Sportage — 41 mpg vs 30 mpg (best EPA combined).
- Family. Families: it's a wash — Seltos 5 vs Sportage 5 (standard seats).
- Budget. Tight budgets: the Seltos — $24,990 vs $28,990 (starting MSRP).
- Resale. Resale-minded buyers: the Seltos — 55.1% vs 47.8% (5-year value retained).
Price: sticker and what buyers paid
The Seltos starts at $24,990 and tops out at $32,790; the Sportage runs $28,990 to $47,390 (manufacturer MSRP, before destination). Verified Sportage buyers paid a median 4.6% off MSRP across 15 deals; the CarWhere Index target is 8.7% off.
Reliability: NHTSA complaints and recalls
- Seltos: a complaint rate per 1,000 sold isn't available yet.
- Sportage: 0.51 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022 sales years; 60th percentile among the SUVs we track).
- Recall campaigns touching the 2023–2025 model years: Seltos 3, Sportage 8.
Latest rated model years on our years-to-avoid pages: Seltos 2022 (caution), 2023 (solid), 2024 (solid) · Sportage 2016 (caution).
Complaint rates are owner complaints filed with NHTSA divided by vehicles sold — a federal-data signal, not a survey score.
Specs side by side
| 2027 Seltos | 2027 Sportage | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP (base trim) | $24,990 | $28,990 |
| Top-trim MSRP | $32,790 | $47,390 |
| Horsepower | 147–190 hp | 187–268 hp |
| Max torque | 195 lb-ft | 271 lb-ft |
| EPA combined | 26–30 mpg | 24–41 mpg (hybrid avail.) |
| Max towing | — | 2,500 lb |
| Seats (standard / max) | 5 / 5 | 5 / 5 |
| Cargo behind rear seats | — | 39.6 cu ft |
Automaker-published figures; EPA ratings from fueleconomy.gov. "—" = not published.
Resale: 5-year value retained
A 5-year-old (2021) Seltos lists for a median $16,334 — 55.1% of today's median new price of $29,650. A 5-year-old (2021) Sportage lists for a median $16,398 — 47.8% of today's median new price of $34,274.
Shop both
- See 18,434 new 2027 Kia Seltos for sale →Median listed price $31,140 · updated Nov 7, 2026
- See 32,216 new 2027 Kia Sportages for sale →Median listed price $35,635 · updated Nov 7, 2026
Negotiating either one?
CarWhere PRO ($12.99/mo) shows the 75th-percentile target price for your exact trim and zip, comparable nearby deals, and an AI quote analyzer. See PRO → · Checking a specific used one? The $9.99 Full VIN Report covers the federal record + original window sticker.
More on the Kia Seltos
More on the Kia Sportage
Related head-to-heads
FAQ
Is the Seltos better than the Sportage?
On our data, yes. Our pick: the Seltos — it leads our weighted scorecard 4–2.5 across 6 categories, winning on a lower starting price ($24,990 vs $28,990) and better 5-year value retention (55.1% vs 47.8%). Choose the Sportage if fuel economy comes first (41 mpg vs 30 mpg best EPA combined).
Which is more reliable, the Seltos or the Sportage?
We only rank reliability by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold, and that rate isn't available for both models yet. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns touching the 2023–2025 Seltos and 8 for the Sportage.
Which holds its value better, the Seltos or the Sportage?
The Seltos: a 5-year-old example lists for 55.1% of the new price, versus 47.8% for the Sportage, based on median used asking prices against today's median new price.
Which is cheaper, the Seltos or the Sportage?
The Seltos starts lower: $24,990 vs $28,990 starting MSRP (before destination).
Which has better gas mileage, the Seltos or the Sportage?
The Sportage: up to 41 mpg combined vs 30 mpg for the Seltos (best EPA rating across each lineup).
How we score
Each category compares one published number per model and counts only when both models have it. The winner earns the category weight; results inside the tie band earn nothing. Our pick has more weighted points; level points fall back to more category wins, then the reliability winner, then the price winner.
- Starting MSRP: lower wins; tie within 3%.
- NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold: lower wins; tie within 15%.
- 5-year value retained: higher wins; tie within 2 points.
- Best EPA combined: higher wins; tie within 1 mpg (3 MPGe).
- Most horsepower available: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Max towing: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Cargo behind rear seats: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Standard seats: higher wins; tie same count.
- Median discount verified buyers got: higher wins; tie within 0.5 points.
- Recalls, 2023–2025 model years: lower wins; tie within 1.
Towing weighs 2 for pickups and 1 otherwise; seating is only scored between SUVs and minivans, using standard (never optional) seats. Sources: automaker spec pages and order guides; EPA ratings (fueleconomy.gov); NHTSA owner complaints and recall campaigns against published US sales; median used asking prices across active US dealer listings from licensed vehicle-data providers; verified buyer-submitted deal sheets for discounts.
Cite this page: CarWhere, "2027 Kia Seltos vs Kia Sportage: We Compared the Data," carwhere.com/compare-cars/kia-seltos-vs-kia-sportage, updated November 8, 2026.