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Kia Seltos Luggage Test | How much cargo space?

The Kia Seltos starts at $21,990, which is consistent with a growing number of crossovers that slot in between sub-compact models (Hyundai Kona, Kia Soul, etc) and compact models (Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, etc). We now call this the midcompact segment. The Mazda CX-30 would be another example, and while the Mazda's engaging driving experience and stylish near-luxury interior are its prime selling points, the Seltos boasts expressive color combinations, distinctive styling details throughout and an ample amount of interior space that rivals bigger, pricier SUVs. As I discovered at the L.A. Auto Show, that includes Kia's own Sportage, which may have more power and higher-quality interior materials (plus a higher price), but has roughly the same passenger space and less maximum cargo capacity. To these eyes, it also looks worse.  On paper, the Seltos has 26.6 cubic-feet of cargo room behind the back seat, which would indeed be greater than sub-compact models but less than the CR-V's of the world. The CX-30 has 20.1 cubic-feet and you can see its luggage test here.  Like some other crossovers, including next week's Mercedes GLB, the Seltos has a dual-height cargo floor. The upper height is pretty much there to meet up with the folded rear seatbacks to create a flat-ish load floor. Since there's only a spare tire and bare metal below it, I saw no reason to test the cargo capacity with the high-floor setup. It seems logical that Seltos owners would almost exclusively use the lower, more voluminous floor height.  On to the luggage. I use two midsize roller suitcases that would need to be checked in at the airport (26 inches long, 16 wide, 11 deep), two roll-aboard suitcases that just barely fit in the overhead (24L x 15W x 10D), and one smaller roll-aboard that fits easily (23L x 15W x 10D). I also include my wife's fancy overnight bag just to spruce things up a bit (21L x 12W x 12D).  That would be all the roller bags (no fancy bag) even with the rigid, hatchback-style cargo cover in place. Excellent. That's the same amount of bags as the CX-30 could manage with NO cargo cover. Basically, the size difference indicated on paper is confirmed.  Remove the Seltos cargo cover and not only does the fancy bag fit, but there'd be room for another duffel bag.  This amount of height and width is comparable to those crossovers that are technically a size up in the "compact" category. The difference, though, is cargo area depth.

Rumored Kia Soul EV spied for the first time

Up until now, we've only heard rumors about an all-electric version of the second-generation Kia Soul, but these spy shots seem to confirm that the Korean automaker is developing a zero-emission version of its quirky little box-back. Our most recent report has the Kia EV showing up in the first half of next year (likely for MY 2015) with a starting price of around $35,000 (presumably before tax credits) and a range of about 120 miles.
While the front and rear of this prototype remains heavily camouflaged, we can see some differences between this car and the 2014 Soul we saw earlier in the year at the New York Auto Show. For starters, the entire front end seems to be changed, including the hood, headlights and fascia, and we would expect Kia's so-called Tiger Nose grille to be blocked off for improved aerodynamics. Further supporting our shooter's claims that this is an electric vehicle is the fact that the Soul's exhaust pipe is missing from beneath the rear fascia.
Previous reports have indicated that the Soul EV will become "the very-first electic vehicle to be sold in the global market, including the US, Europe and China." It would appear that claim may be validated by technicality only - Nissan sells its Leaf in the US and Europe, and it will reportedly be sold as the Dongfeng Fengshen E30 in China.

Driving the Kia K5 and Mini Cooper JCW GP, plus an interview with Jimmy Chin | Autoblog Podcast #637

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and News Editor Joel Stocksdale. They veer off right away into talking about their dream project garages. Next up is news, including some info on the next Nissan Z car, the Honda Fit being discontinued in the U.S., new Mercedes-Benz EQS details, and some talk about the new, electric GMC Hummer being adapted for the military. Then they talk about driving the new Kia K5 sedan and the Mini Cooper JCW GP, before they opine about the 1966 Pontiac GTO. Autoblog Senior Producer Chris McGraw interviews Oscar-winning filmmaker Jimmy Chin about his collaboration with Ford for the Bronco reveal, and more. Finally, our editors help a listener in the U.K. pick a used vehicle in the "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #637 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Some thoughts on project cars News Nissan suggests the next-generation Z won't be electrified at launch Fit Is Gone! Honda drops subcompact hatch in U.S. Mercedes-Benz announces the electric EQS will offer over 435 miles of range GMC's electric Hummer could someday serve alongside the Humvee in the U.S. Army Driving the 2021 Kia K5 Driving the 2020 Mini Cooper JCW GP 1966 Pontiac GTO: Love it or hate it? We talk Ford Bronco and other adventures with Oscar-winning filmmaker Jimmy Chin Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: