Model year 2021 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2021 Kia Seltos: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2021 Kia Seltos at 27–31 mpg combined across 3 versions. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 378 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

2

EPA combined mpg

27–31

NHTSA overall rating

4/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Kia dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2021 Kia Seltos recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2021 Kia Seltos, newest first.

Engine and engine cooling: Engine: Hard parts internal/mechanical

NHTSA 25V099000 Reported Feb 17, 2025
Filed by
Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC336)
Units affected
137,256 (estimate)
Problem
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.
Risk
Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Engine

NHTSA 21V259000 Reported Apr 13, 2021
Filed by
Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC209)
Units affected
147,249 (estimate)
Problem
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
Risk
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC209.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2021 Kia Seltos fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2021 Kia Seltos EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
Seltos AWD1.6L 4-cyl turboAutomatic 7-speedAll-Wheel DriveRegular25/30/27 mpg$2,500331
Seltos AWD2.0L 4-cylCVT (8 modes)All-Wheel DriveRegular27/31/29 mpg$2,300314
Seltos FWD2.0L 4-cylCVT (8 modes)Front-Wheel DriveRegular29/34/31 mpg$2,150285

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2021 Kia Seltos crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2021 Kia Seltos NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2021 Kia SELTOS SUV AWD4 stars4 stars5 stars4 stars15.1%Optional
2021 Kia SELTOS SUV FWD4 stars4 stars5 stars4 stars16.9%Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2021 Kia Seltos owner complaints

Owners have filed 378 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Kia Seltos, most recently on Oct 19, 2026. 13 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 8 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2021 Kia Seltos complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Engine231
Power train67
Unknown or other46
Electrical system45
Engine and engine cooling44
Fuel/propulsion system26
Vehicle speed control10
Service brakes6
Air bags5
Seat belts5

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Kia Seltos model years

Kia Seltos by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2027 Seltos26–30 mpg02—
2026 Seltos25–29 mpg045/5
2025 Seltos25–31 mpg0135/5
2024 Seltos26–31 mpg2475/5
2023 Seltos27–31 mpg2474/5
2022 Seltos27–31 mpg1764/5

All Kia Seltos years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2021 Kia models

2021 Kia Forte2021 Kia K52021 Kia Niro2021 Kia Rio2021 Kia Sedona2021 Kia Sorento2021 Kia Soul2021 Kia Sportage2021 Kia Stinger2021 Kia Telluride

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Kia.