Skip to main content

The SUV market is crowded with two-row, three-row, full-size, subcompact and others. But on the Kelley Blue Book list that rank SUVs, one brand managed to take four No. 1 top spots in six categories. The Kia Seltos and the Kia Telluride managed to beat Toyota, BMW and others for the most No. 1s.

Of the six categories, Kia tops four spots

Kelley Blue Book is best known for publishing the blue book of used car, truck, and SUV values. It also ranks vehicles based on a variety of factors, but since it focuses on the blue book value, that value influences the KBB ratings of new SUVs. KBB ranked both 2022 and 2023 SUVs on its list. Some 2023 SUVs have been available to test, and some have not, so 2022s are ranking.

The 2023 Kia Seltos tops two KBB lists

The 2023 Kia Seltos tops two Kelley Blue Book lists of the best SUVs.
2023 Seltos

The 2023 Seltos shows up as No. 1 in two spots. Kia didn’t update the Seltos for 2023, so the 2022 is the same SUV. It ranks as the top SUV in both the two-row SUV list and No. 1 in the subcompact SUV list. Kia packs a lot of value, tech and safety into the Seltos. It’s an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick for example. But it fights in a competitive class that includes the best-selling SUV, Toyota’s RAV4.

The Seltos may be small, but it holds an impressive 62.8 cubic feet of stuff in the back. It also gets good mileage from either of its two engines, which are either a base 146-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder or a 175-horsepower version in the Nightfall Edition or SX trim. You can get it in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and it comes with several driver aids like pedestrian/cyclist detection and forward collision avoidance assist. The 2023 Seltos has a starting MSRP of $22,890.

It will get a major refresh in 2024, however.

The 2022 Kia Telluride, too, tops two lists

2022 Telluride Nightfall Edition

The 2022 Kia Telluride shows up in a few places on KBBs list, including topping the best in mid-size SUVs, and earning the No. 1 spot for three-row, seven-passenger, SUVs. The Telluride is a hot seller for Kia for its low price, spacious cabin, and good looks. It may be the same underneath as the Hyundai Palisade, but it has a look that gives it more of a street-tough stance.

Unlike the Seltos, the Telluride is getting a major update for 2023. The bones of the Telluride will stay put, which means that it will still have three rows, 290 horsepower, and a ton of luxury. It will also keep its low (but it will be slightly higher) price. If you want a 2022, hurry, because they’re likely to go fast before the 2023 shows up on dealer lots.

Related

Palisade or Telluride? They’re the same, aren’t they?

Best in Trucks & SUVs
Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.