Reliable Auto DB

2022 Kia Seltos reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2022 Kia Seltos holds 72 complaints after 5 years, a rate of 8 per year. That is the fewest complaints per year among the 4 Seltos years on this site. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Internal engine parts.

2021 Kia Seltos
Photo by Gold Pony, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY 3.0
Complaints

72

Per year

8

Recalls

1

Years on the road

5

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (37 of 72), then Powertrain (10) and Engine and engine cooling (9). The most filings arrived in 2025 (33 of 72). Those filings include 6 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2021 and 2023

The 2021 Seltos has 369 complaints, 43 per year, and the 2023 has 46 complaints, 12 per year. The 2022 has fewer complaints per year than the 2021. The 2022 has fewer complaints per year than the 2023.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2022 Kia Seltos. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall engine and cooling, engine, internal engine parts 2025-02-17 · NHTSA campaign 25V099000
Summary Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.

Complaints by component (72 total)

Engine
37
Powertrain
10
Engine and engine cooling
9
Electrical system
8
Air bags
3
Forward collision avoidance
3
Lane departure
2
Wheels
2
Back-over prevention
1
Fire-related
1
Fuel and propulsion system
1
Structure
1
Suspension
1
Tires
1
Show 6 more Show less
Crash-flagged

6

Fire-flagged

3

Injury reports

2

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

32021720226202372024332025162026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Uneven wear 8/16 ones at 7/16 and one is 6/16 and the other is at 5/16 and has been riding ruff since we purchased them."
    Tires · filed 2026-08-17
  • "The contact owns a 2022 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated and stalled while driving at various speeds with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was…"
    Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-07-27
  • "My 2022 Kia seltos with 47669 miles does while while driving. It DID NOT make a noise or shake. The engine light and oils light come on and the car dies. I have maintained regular oil changes and maintenance on the…"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-26
  • "My 2022 Kia Seltos is burning through oil at a very high rate. I was reading that there is a recall for 2021-2023 Kia Seltos for this exact issue with the engine, but my vin from my vehicle is not listed on the recall.…"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-11
  • "I pulled into the drive and put the car in park I left it running for the air conditioner.I got out opened back door to adjust the babies car seat shut the door and went into the house. My in-law told me my car was…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-07-02

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2022 Kia Seltos SUV AWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2022 Kia Seltos SUV FWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Seltos all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S8) All-wheel drive 27 31 29 MPG $2250
Seltos all-wheel drive 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S7) All-wheel drive 25 30 27 MPG $2400
Seltos front-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S8) Front-wheel drive 29 35 31 MPG $2100

Specs and fitment

First generation, 2021–present
Oil 5W-20 (2.0 MPI US OM); 5W-30/5W-40 (1.6T chart); some caps corrected to 0W-20 (SC224) , 4.23 qt capacity
Tire size 215/55R17, 235/45R18 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

First-generation US Seltos (2021-on) pair a 2.0L with IVT or a 1.6T with dual-clutch / conventional automatics depending on trim. Owner complaint themes center on CVT/IVT shudder on the naturally aspirated path and dual-clutch hesitation on turbo trims—both familiar Kia/Hyundai patterns rather than a single campaign. Confirm open NHTSA recalls on the VIN (including any dual-clutch software campaigns that apply to your transmission code) and keep oil at the 0W-20 grade on the filler cap; leave capacity null until verified against the exact US engine code in the owner’s manual.

Compare

Previous year 2021 Kia Seltos Next year 2023 Kia Seltos See every Kia Seltos model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2022 Kia Seltos reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2022 Kia Seltos holds 72 complaints after 5 years, a rate of 8 per year. That is the fewest complaints per year among the 4 Seltos years on this site. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Internal engine parts.

What are common problems with a 2022 Kia Seltos?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (37 of 72), then Powertrain (10) and Engine and engine cooling (9). The most filings arrived in 2025 (33 of 72). Those filings include 6 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Is the 2022 Kia Seltos more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2021 Seltos has 369 complaints, 43 per year, and the 2023 has 46 complaints, 12 per year. The 2022 has fewer complaints per year than the 2021. The 2022 has fewer complaints per year than the 2023.

Has the 2022 Kia Seltos been recalled?

The 2022 Kia Seltos has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2022 Kia Seltos?

Owners have filed 72 complaints about the 2022 Kia Seltos with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2022 Kia Seltos get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2022 Kia Seltos is 29 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Kia Seltos take?

US 2021 owner’s manual lists SAE 5W-20 for the Nu 2.0 MPI and SAE 5W-30/5W-40 for the 1.6 T-GDI viscosity chart. Kia service campaign SC224 corrected some early filler caps that incorrectly said 5W-20 when the correct marking was SAE 0W-20. Confirm the filler-cap grade and manual for your VIN.

What tire sizes does the US Kia Seltos use?

US 2021 owner’s manual lists 215/55R17 and 235/45R18 depending on trim/wheel package.

What powertrains does the first-generation US Seltos offer?

A 2.0L with IVT or a 1.6T with dual-clutch / conventional automatics depending on trim. Owner complaint themes include CVT/IVT shudder on the NA path and dual-clutch hesitation on turbo trims.