Which is cheaper to maintain, the Kia Seltos or the Kia Seltos?

Based on 5-year routine maintenance labor at a $150/hr indie shop rate, the Kia Seltos is cheaper to maintain — about $2,459 less over 60,000 miles. Parts cost is not included.

What's the labor difference between the 1.6L I4 Turbo T-GDi and the 2.0L I4 Smartstream?

Across 28 common maintenance jobs, hours vary by drivetrain and engine layout. See the side-by-side table on this page for each job's labor hours and estimated cost.

Are there any active recalls on the Kia Seltos or Kia Seltos?

The Kia Seltos has 0 open NHTSA recalls. The Kia Seltos has 0 open recalls. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer.

2025 Kia Seltos vs 2025 Kia Seltos — Labor Times, Costs & Recalls

Specifications

Year

2025

Engine

1.6L I4 Turbo T-GDi

2.0L I4 Smartstream

Drivetrain

AWD

FWD

Transmission

automatic

Fuel

gas

Powertrain

Engine output, acceleration, top speed, handling, braking — and Nürburgring if either car ran one.

Horsepower

195hp

146hp

Torque

195lb-ft

132lb-ft

0–60 mph

7.3s

9.2s

Quarter Mile

15.6s @ 90 mph

17s @ 82 mph

Top Speed

124 mph

118 mph

Skidpad

—

60–0 Braking

—

70–0 Braking

—

Curb Weight

3,474 lb

3,281 lb

Max Towing

2,000 lb

Max Payload

1,100 lb

1,150 lb

Performance specs synthesized from manufacturer figures and instrumented magazine tests (Car and Driver, Motor Trend, Road & Track). MPG from EPA fueleconomy.gov. Numbers flagged as "low confidence" by AI generation are conservative estimates from related platforms.

Cost of Ownership

5-Year Maintenance

$14,921

0.25 $/mi

★ WINNER

5-Year Maintenance

$12,462

0.21 $/mi

🏆

ADVANTAGEKia Seltos — Saves you $2,459 over 5 years (16% less in routine maintenance labor)

Routine maintenance only. Cost = labor hours × $150/hr × estimated 5-yr frequency. Parts cost not included.

Maintenance Breakdown

Hours per common service. Lower is faster (and cheaper) at the shop.

Dual-Clutch Transmission Shudder and Mechatronic Failure (1.6T models)

— hrs$3,250 / 5yr

Oil & filter change

0.5 hrs$1,380 / 5yr

0.4 hrs$1,200 / 5yr

Timing Chain Stretch (1.6T)

— hrs$1,050 / 5yr

Front brake pads

1.4 hrs$580 / 5yr

1.2 hrs$520 / 5yr

Tire rotation

0.5 hrs$600 / 5yr

0.4 hrs$480 / 5yr

Rear brake pads

1.4 hrs$560 / 5yr

1.2 hrs$500 / 5yr

Direct Injection Carbon Buildup (Both Engines)

— hrs$504 / 5yr

Differential fluid

1.2 hrs$440 / 5yr

1.5 hrs$530 / 5yr

Fuel Injector Failure (1.6T)

— hrs$385 / 5yr

Wiper blades

0.3 hrs$300 / 5yr

Engine Mount Failure (Transmission Mount Specifically)

— hrs$293 / 5yr

Brake fluid flush

0.9 hrs$300 / 5yr

0.8 hrs$270 / 5yr

12V battery

0.5 hrs$275 / 5yr

0.4 hrs$260 / 5yr

Fuel filter

0.6 hrs$240 / 5yr

0.5 hrs$210 / 5yr

Cabin air filter

0.3 hrs$210 / 5yr

Transmission Oil Cooler Line Leaks

— hrs$210 / 5yr

Spark plugs

0.9 hrs$215 / 5yr

0.8 hrs$200 / 5yr

Water pump

2.9 hrs$194 / 5yr

2.5 hrs$173 / 5yr

Coolant flush

0.9 hrs$185 / 5yr

0.8 hrs$170 / 5yr

Intake manifold gasket

3.5 hrs$185 / 5yr

3.0 hrs$162 / 5yr

Oil pan gasket

4.0 hrs$163 / 5yr

3.5 hrs$144 / 5yr

Engine air filter

0.3 hrs$150 / 5yr

Alternator

1.7 hrs$139 / 5yr

1.5 hrs$131 / 5yr

Serpentine belt

0.7 hrs$140 / 5yr

0.6 hrs$125 / 5yr

Valve cover gasket

1.7 hrs$126 / 5yr

1.5 hrs$114 / 5yr

Starter motor

1.7 hrs$91 / 5yr

1.5 hrs$85 / 5yr

PCV valve

0.5 hrs$95 / 5yr

0.4 hrs$80 / 5yr

Thermostat

0.9 hrs$61 / 5yr

0.8 hrs$56 / 5yr

Active Recalls

Open NHTSA Recalls

CLEAR

Open NHTSA Recalls

CLEAR

✓ Both vehicles are completely clear of open safety recalls.

Fluid Capacities

Kia Seltos

ac_refrigerant · R-1234yf

brake0.90 qt · FMVSS 116 DOT 3/4

coolant6.80 qt · MS591-08

engine_oil5.10 qt · API SP or ILSAC GF-6A

power_steering · none — electric power steering

rear_diff1.30 qt · API GL-5

transfer_case0.90 qt · API GL-5

transmission_auto7.40 qt · Hyundai/Kia SP-IV-RR

washer1.30 qt · Windshield washer fluid (all-season)

Kia Seltos

ac_refrigerant · R-1234yf

brake0.90 qt · FMVSS 116 DOT 3/4

coolant6.30 qt · MS591-08

engine_oil4.80 qt · API SP or ILSAC GF-6A

power_steering · none — electric power steering

transmission_auto8.60 qt · Hyundai/Kia SP-IV-RR

washer1.30 qt · Windshield washer fluid (all-season)

The Verdict

🏆

THE WINNER

2025 Kia Seltos

2.0L I4 Smartstream

Kia Seltos is cheaper to maintain (saves ~$2,459 over 5 years)

Based on objective maintenance and recall data. Driving feel, looks, brand loyalty, and ownership experience are separate (and very valid) considerations.

Open the full dashboard for either truck

Labor times, torque specs, fluid capacities, DTC codes, repair procedures, recalls, common platform problems.