The 2027 Kia Seltos Has Three Engines, But The 3rd Engine's Certification Is In-Process

Kia just handed me something rare. A single slide that answers almost every powertrain question shoppers ask about the 2027 Seltos. It confirms three engines, real numbers, and one honest admission buried in plain sight. The hybrid is not finished yet.

Here is what makes this moment worth stopping for. As I reported earlier this week, the redesigned Seltos started as a napkin sketch a decade ago. Kia's own product planner, Derrick Ty, described that spark to me directly. "But when I saw the vehicle, I thought it was something that could fit the Kia's US lineup because we had a gap." That gap is now filled three different ways under the hood.

What Are The Three Engines In The 2027 Kia Seltos?

The slide breaks it down clearly. There is a 2.0 liter gas engine, a 1.6 liter turbo, and a new 1.6 liter hybrid. Each one targets a different kind of buyer. None of them are leftovers from the outgoing model.

What Does The Base 2.0 Liter Engine Offer?

Kia lists the 2.0 liter at 147 horsepower and 132 lb ft of torque. Combined fuel economy comes in at 30 mpg with front wheel drive and 28 mpg with all wheel drive. Kia's own slide calls this engine the balance of driving dynamics and affordability. That description tracks with what I found driving the base LX trim near Newport Beach, a car Kia priced right around $24,990 for the entry trim.

How Powerful Is The 1.6 Liter Turbo Engine?

This is the engine enthusiasts will want. Kia rates it at 190 horsepower and 195 lb ft of torque. Combined fuel economy lands at 26 mpg with all wheel drive standard. That torque number matters more than most buyers realize. It arrives low in the rev range, which is exactly why the turbo Seltos never felt strained climbing out of Trabuco Canyon during my drive. This same turbo formula already proved itself in the outgoing Seltos, a point I made when I wrote about five reasons to buy the Seltos a couple years ago.

Why Does The Hybrid Say "Certification In Process"?

This is the detail in the slide that most readers may scroll past. Every other engine gets full horsepower, torque, and fuel economy numbers. The hybrid gets one line: "HEV certification in-process." That means Kia has built the engine. It has not finished the government paperwork that allows Kia to publish official EPA numbers yet.

Certification is not a formality car companies skip in a hurry. Engineers run the hybrid through federal test cycles before anyone can print an mpg figure on a window sticker. Kia is not hiding numbers from you. The agency simply has not signed off yet.

When Will The Seltos Hybrid Actually Arrive?

Kia has told us the hybrid lands by Q4 2026, or early next year. I confirmed this timeline directly with Kia during the same Newport Beach event where I drove the gas and turbo versions. The hybrid pairs a 1.6 liter engine with an electric motor and adds a rear eAxle, giving it its own all wheel drive system separate from the gas powertrains.

This is not Kia's first hybrid rollout this year. The brand also just confirmed the Sportage Hybrid holds a $32,000 starting price for 2027, which gives us a rough sense of where Seltos Hybrid pricing could eventually land, likely a notch below that number.

Should You Wait For The Hybrid Or Buy Now?

Here is the pressing problem most car shoppers actually have. You need a car now, but a better option might arrive in a few months. I understand that tension well.

My honest advice is simple. If fuel economy is your single biggest priority and you can wait, hold out for the hybrid. Hybrid demand is not slowing down either. Torque News recently reported that hybrids are outpacing EVs by three to one in 2026, and that gap keeps growing.

But if you need a vehicle today, do not talk yourself out of the gas or turbo Seltos. Both engines are certified, proven, and available right now. Waiting for a hybrid with no confirmed EPA rating means waiting on a moving target.

Which Engine Should Most Buyers Actually Choose?

For daily commuting on flat roads, the 2.0 liter earns its keep. It costs less and returns solid fuel economy. For buyers who tow, merge often on steep highways, or simply want quicker response, the 1.6 liter turbo is worth the upgrade. Kia already proved this formula works at a larger scale. The company applied the same turbo reliability lessons across its lineup when it explained why the V6 disappeared from the 2027 Telluride in favor of turbocharged efficiency.

Kia has done something similar before with the Sorento, where a hybrid model quietly won over a Highlander shopper by $10,000 and legroom. The lesson repeats itself across Kia's whole lineup. Hybrid power tends to convert skeptics once real numbers land.

What Are Other Outlets Saying About The New Hybrid?

I am not the only reporter who drove an early version of this powertrain. Edmunds tested a Korean market Seltos Hybrid ahead of the US launch and came away impressed, writing that the redesigned Seltos is "handsome, well proportioned and succeeds in looking more expensive than it actually is." That is a strong statement from an outlet that rarely hands out compliments freely.

A Simple Tool Worth Bookmarking

Since Kia has not published official hybrid figures yet, here is a quick way to compare what we do know. Save these three numbers.

The 2.0 liter delivers 147 horsepower and up to 30 mpg combined. The 1.6 liter turbo delivers 190 horsepower and 26 mpg combined with all wheel drive. The hybrid promises the best efficiency of the three but remains uncertified as of this writing. Bookmark this breakdown. Once EPA numbers post, you will have a real baseline to measure against.

The Bigger Lesson Here

There is a small moral tucked inside a government certification requirement. Good things take longer to verify than to promise. Kia could have printed an estimated hybrid figure and moved on. Instead, the company is waiting for confirmation before making a public claim. That kind of patience matters more than most buyers notice, and it is worth rewarding with your own patience too.

I have covered this industry for sixteen years now, and I have watched plenty of automakers round numbers up rather than wait for the paperwork. Kia choosing accuracy over urgency here says something honest about how this Seltos program was built.

Would you buy the 2027 Seltos today with a certified gas or turbo engine, or wait for hybrid numbers to become official? And once EPA certification lands, what mpg figure would actually convince you to choose the hybrid over the turbo? Tell me in the comments below.

Return tomorrow, or check our Torque News Home Page for more interesting automotive news articles.

Images by Armen Hareyan.

About The Author

Armen Hareyan is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Torque News and an automotive journalist with over 15 years of experience writing car reviews and industry news. Now based in the Charlotte region (Indian Land, SC, he founded Torque News in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News on X, Linkedin, Facebook, and Youtube. Armen holds three Masters Degrees, including an MBA, and has become one of the known voices in the industry, specializing in the landscape of electric vehicles and real-world stories of actual car owners. Armen focuses on providing readers with transparent, data-backed analysis bridging the gap of complex engineering and car buyer practicality. Armen frequently participates in automotive events throughout the United States, national and local car reveals and personally test-drives new vehicles every week. Armen has also been published as an automotive expert in publications like the Transit Tomorrow, discussing how will autonomous vehicles reshape the supply chain, and emerging technologies in vehicle maintenance.