2027 Kia Seltos First Drive: Plenty of SUV for Not Much Money

2027款起亚 Seltos 试驾：花小钱，买大 SUV

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—Although it sometimes feels like automakers have all but abandoned everything other than high-end luxury model vehicles, it’s not universally true. While some car companies have lobbied the government, terrified, asking to build protective walls to fend off cheap Chinese competition, others have looked at the problem from a different angle, trying to meet the moment. One such effort is the new Kia Seltos, a small SUV that takes inspiration from the Telluride but with a starting price of just $24,990 plus delivery charge.

加利福尼亚州纽波特比奇——尽管有时感觉汽车制造商似乎已经放弃了高端豪华车型以外的一切，但这并非绝对。当一些汽车公司因恐惧而游说政府，要求建立保护墙以抵御廉价的中国竞争对手时，另一些公司则从不同的角度看待这个问题，试图顺应时势。起亚新款 Seltos 就是这样一种尝试，这是一款小型 SUV，其设计灵感来自 Telluride，起售价仅为 24,990 美元（外加运费）。

The US almost didn’t get the Seltos in the first place; the first-generation model was designed with China in mind. Seltos take two is more considered, and also a little more substantial. The new body with its Telluride-like design cues has been stretched, mostly in the wheelbase. That said, at 174.4 inches (4,430 mm) long, 72 inches (1,829 mm) wide, and 64.9 inches (1,648 mm) tall, it’s still a subcompact, one segment smaller than something like a Toyota RAV4 or Mazda CX-5.

起初，美国市场差点就无缘 Seltos；第一代车型是专为中国市场设计的。第二代 Seltos 考虑得更加周全，也更显扎实。新车身采用了类似 Telluride 的设计元素，并进行了加长，主要是轴距的增加。尽管如此，其长 174.4 英寸（4,430 毫米）、宽 72 英寸（1,829 毫米）、高 64.9 英寸（1,648 毫米）的尺寸，依然属于小型 SUV（subcompact），比丰田 RAV4 或马自达 CX-5 等车型小一个级别。

Kia is offering a choice of three different powertrain variants. The 1.6 L hybrid is the one we’re most interested in. But that version won’t be in showrooms until Q4 this year; don’t expect an Ars first drive of the hybrid Seltos until early next year. Or any other details in this first drive report—the hybrid Seltos is still undergoing its EPA certification, and Kia isn’t prepared to talk power, torque, or efficiency until that’s done and dusted.

起亚提供了三种不同的动力总成选择。我们最感兴趣的是 1.6 升混合动力版本。但该版本要到今年第四季度才会进入展厅；预计要到明年年初才能看到 Ars 对混合动力 Seltos 的首次试驾。本篇试驾报告也不会包含该版本的任何细节——混合动力 Seltos 目前仍在进行 EPA（美国环保署）认证，在认证完成之前，起亚尚未准备好公布其功率、扭矩或能效数据。

Most will come with a 2.0 L four-cylinder under the hood that generates 147 hp (110 kW) and 132 lb-ft (180 Nm). You can have that engine with either front-wheel drive and a combined 30 mpg (7.8 L/100 km), or all-wheel drive and 28 mpg (8.4 L/100 km) combined. This engine is available in various trims, from the sub-$25,000 entry-level FWD Seltos LX to the $30,090 AWD Seltos EX.

大多数车型将搭载 2.0 升四缸发动机，最大功率为 147 马力（110 千瓦），峰值扭矩为 132 磅-英尺（180 牛·米）。该发动机可选择前轮驱动（综合油耗 30 mpg，约 7.8 升/百公里）或全轮驱动（综合油耗 28 mpg，约 8.4 升/百公里）。该发动机适用于多种配置，从售价低于 25,000 美元的入门级前驱 Seltos LX 到 30,090 美元的四驱 Seltos EX。

The other alternative at launch finds a 1.6 L turbocharged four-cylinder engine up front. This powertrain is only available with AWD, the SX trim level, and the X-Line package, which gives the car some glossy black exterior accents and bigger wheels, and commands a more substantial though still competitive $32,790 MSRP. The turbocharged Seltos generates 190 hp (142 kW) and 195 lb-ft (264 Nm) averaging a combined 26 mpg (9 L/100 km).

发布时的另一个选择是 1.6 升涡轮增压四缸发动机。该动力总成仅提供全轮驱动、SX 装饰级别和 X-Line 套件。X-Line 套件为车辆增加了亮黑色外观装饰和更大的轮毂，建议零售价为 32,790 美元，虽然价格较高，但仍具竞争力。涡轮增压版 Seltos 可产生 190 马力（142 千瓦）和 195 磅-英尺（264 牛·米）的动力，综合油耗为 26 mpg（9 升/百公里）。

From the Seltos’ driver’s seat, you will see a pleasing array of real buttons, dials, and controls, all within reach; the only touchscreen is the 12.3-inch infotainment system. Kia’s system is one of the less frustrating OEM offerings and also offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, where most people will spend most of their time. There’s also a useful amount of storage in the door bins plus three USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad, although the LX does without the last of these convenience features.

坐在 Seltos 的驾驶座上，你会看到一系列令人愉悦的实体按键、旋钮和控制器，触手可及；唯一的触摸屏是 12.3 英寸的信息娱乐系统。起亚的车机系统是目前车企原厂系统中较少让人感到沮丧的产品之一，并且支持 Apple CarPlay 和 Android Auto，大多数用户大部分时间都会使用这些功能。车门储物格空间实用，此外还有三个 USB-C 接口和一个无线充电板，不过 LX 版本没有无线充电功能。

Things aren’t bad in the back seat either; thanks to the wheelbase, there’s 39 inches (991 mm) of rear leg room, and the occupants have another couple of USB-C ports to keep their gadgets charged. And Kia says the 27.8 cubic feet (787 L) of cargo space—which increases to 64.2 cubic feet (1,818 L) with the seats folded flat—is class-leading. It has also been thoughtfully designed, with removable cargo hooks that more cars should provide.

后排座椅的表现也不错；得益于轴距，后排腿部空间达到 39 英寸（991 毫米），乘客还有两个 USB-C 接口可以为设备充电。起亚表示，其 27.8 立方英尺（787 升）的后备箱空间（座椅放平后可增加至 64.2 立方英尺/1818 升）处于同级领先水平。设计也非常贴心，配备了可拆卸的行李挂钩，这是更多汽车应该提供的配置。

On the road, you have the choice between normal and sport modes; the latter changes the shift points for the turbo Seltos’ eight-speed automatic transmission. (The naturally aspirated Seltos makes use of a continuously variable transmission instead.) It’s not an unpleasant car to drive, and it will handle a curve without surrendering to body roll, but the suspension does communicate every expansion gap or rut in the road surface through to your butt, and you’ll hear a fair bit of road noise, although less from the passenger seat than the driver’s side, interestingly.

在路上，你可以选择普通模式和运动模式；后者会改变涡轮增压版 Seltos 八速自动变速箱的换挡点。（自然吸气版 Seltos 则使用无级变速箱 CVT。）这辆车的驾驶感受并不差，过弯时也不会出现严重的侧倾，但悬挂系统会将路面的每一个接缝或坑洼都传递到你的座椅上，而且你会听到相当明显的胎噪，有趣的是，副驾驶位置听到的噪音比驾驶座要小一些。