2027 Hyundai Kona vs. 2026 Kia Seltos: A Highland, Indiana Comparison from Webb Hyundai Highland

Webb Hyundai Highland | (219) 923-2277 | 9236 Indianapolis Blvd, Highland, IN 46322

Which one wins, the Kona or the Seltos?

Neither runs away with it, and any comparison that claims otherwise is selling something. The Seltos wins on entry price and on all-wheel-drive highway fuel economy. The Kona wins on front-drive highway fuel economy, on cabin technology as verified here, and on the safety credential it can point to today.

What tips the decision for most shoppers in Highland, Munster and Schererville is which of those categories they actually live in. A buyer whose priority is the lowest possible transaction number should take the Seltos seriously. A buyer who wants the screens, the standard wireless connection and the 2026 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ has a clear reason to pay the difference.

How much cheaper is the Kia Seltos?

$1,710 at the front-drive entry point: $23,790 for a Seltos LX against $25,500 to start for the Kona. On the all-wheel-drive side the Seltos LX opens at $24,990, which is still under the Kona’s opening MSRP even before drivetrain is matched.

Price gaps at the bottom of a lineup rarely survive contact with the trim a shopper actually wants, though. The single 2027 Kona in stock at Webb Hyundai Highland is an SEL Sport, not a base car, at $29,325. Compare like for like, and compare the window stickers side by side rather than the advertised starting points.

Is the Kona quicker than the Seltos?

On paper they are effectively tied at both ends. Base against base it is 147 horsepower for the Kona and 146 for the Seltos, a one-horsepower gap. At the top both reach 190 horsepower, the Kona through its 1.6L turbocharged GDI and the Seltos through the SX.

The Kona’s published torque figure of 195 lb-ft on the turbo is the number to hold onto, because torque is what a driver feels pulling away from a light on Indianapolis Blvd. Anyone comparing the two should drive both up the same Borman Expressway (I-80/94) ramp on the same afternoon before deciding.

Which one is more efficient?

It depends entirely on drivetrain, and this is where the comparison earns its keep. Front-wheel drive: the Kona is rated up to 35 MPG highway, the Seltos 28 city / 34 highway. That is a one-MPG highway edge to the Kona.

All-wheel drive: Seltos LX, S and EX models are rated up to 27 city / 31 highway, while the Kona’s HTRAC configurations come in at 27 / 29 / 28, 26 / 29 / 27 or 25 / 28 / 26. That is a two-MPG highway edge to the Seltos. One caveat runs the other way, though: a Seltos SX with all-wheel drive drops to roughly 24 city / 27 highway, which is below every Kona all-wheel-drive rating listed above.

What about cargo space?

Kia publishes 26.6 cubic feet behind the Seltos rear seats and up to 62.8 cubic feet with them folded. Those are useful, concrete numbers. Webb Hyundai Highland is not going to counter them with a Kona figure that has not been verified against the window sticker.

The practical answer for a shopper is to bring the thing being hauled — the stroller, the hockey bag, the two crates of tile from a store on Indianapolis Blvd — and set it in both vehicles. Fifteen minutes at 9236 Indianapolis Blvd settles a cargo question that no comparison table can.

Which fits a Lake County Indiana driver better?

For a driver who does most of their mileage on cleared main roads between Highland, Griffith and Hammond and wants the highest highway figure, the front-wheel-drive Kona and its up-to-35-MPG rating make a strong case, and it happens to be exactly what is on the ground today.

For a driver who insists on all-wheel drive and counts every gallon, the Seltos all-wheel-drive highway advantage of 31 against 29 is real and should be weighed honestly. What Webb Hyundai Highland can add to that math is a 2026 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ vehicle from a brand named America’s Best SUV Brand two years running, plus a store four minutes off the Borman Expressway (I-80/94) for service afterward.

Read the complete model breakdown on the 2027 Hyundai Kona page from Webb Hyundai Highland, then call (219) 923-2277 to line up a drive.

Key takeaways

• The 2026 Kia Seltos undercuts the Kona by $1,710 at the entry point: $23,790 against $25,500.
• Base power is a near tie, 147 horsepower for the Kona against 146 for the Seltos.
• Both top out at 190 horsepower; the Kona pairs that with 195 lb-ft from the 1.6L turbo.
• Front-drive highway MPG goes to the Kona, 35 against 34.
• All-wheel-drive highway MPG goes to the Seltos, up to 31 against the Kona’s best of 29.
• A Seltos SX with all-wheel drive falls to about 24 city / 27 highway, below every Kona all-wheel-drive rating cited here.
• The Kona carries a 2026 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ and dual 12.3-inch displays with standard wireless phone mirroring.

Frequently asked questions about the 2027 Hyundai Kona