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The Drive’s Adam Ismail argues that Kia’s recent design language has begun to lose its appeal to him, using the redesigned Seltos as an example. The report says U.S. Seltos sales were up 45% through September 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, though it does not establish that the redesign caused the increase.
Kia Seltos sales in the United States rose 45% through September 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to a report by The Drive, even as the publication’s Adam Ismail said the redesigned SUV’s styling and some cabin controls no longer work for him. The contrast highlights a difference between one reviewer’s design judgment and the model’s reported sales performance; the figures do not show why buyers chose the Seltos.
Ismail’s report is based partly on driving a Kia Seltos SX with all-wheel drive. He describes the latest design as rigid, blocky and visually busy, and contrasts it with the previous Seltos, whose curved front and subtly flared fenders he preferred. His assessment is explicitly personal, not a claim that buyers broadly dislike the new look.
The review also takes issue with an interior control layout. Ismail says a climate-control panel sits between the instrument cluster and infotainment screen, in a position partly obscured by the steering wheel. He found it difficult to see and use without looking around the wheel. He otherwise describes the cabin’s fit and finish as acceptable for an entry-level Kia, while criticizing some plastics as tacky and bland and noting that physical buttons remain.
The report gives the test vehicle a $37,250 sticker price and says it had pleasant road manners, while arguing that this particular configuration costs more than he thinks a buyer should pay. It does not provide a full price comparison across Seltos trims or explain how the test vehicle’s price relates to the model’s average transaction price.
Sales and Styling Tell Different Stories
The gap between the review and the sales figure matters because design criticism is not the same as market rejection. The reported 45% gain suggests that the Seltos was selling better during the stated period, but it cannot establish whether styling, price, availability, marketing or other factors drove that result. The source offers no buyer survey or sales breakdown that would identify the reason.
For shoppers, the review raises a practical point alongside its aesthetic opinion: a control panel that is difficult for one driver to see may be worth testing in person. Buyers considering the Seltos can weigh the cabin layout and trim pricing against the vehicle’s road manners and equipment, rather than treating either a single review or an aggregate sales increase as a verdict on the car.
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Kia’s Recent Design Direction
Ismail says he initially welcomed Kia’s newer visual language, which he describes as combining muscular forms and diagonal lines with a futuristic feel. He cites the Kia K4 as a model whose design appealed to him when it was introduced, but questions whether a deliberately contemporary look will age well as fashion changes.
That concern is the reviewer’s interpretation, not a measured change in public taste. He also mentions Hyundai’s newer Tucson and the Avante, which he says is expected to form the basis for the U.S. Elantra, as examples of brands pushing more distinctive styling. The report does not compare their sales or provide evidence that customers are tiring of those designs.
““This is just my opinion, of course.””
— Adam Ismail, The Drive
What the Sales Figure Cannot Show
The source reports a 45% sales increase through September 2026 but does not identify the precise comparison baseline beyond comparing sales with the prior year, provide monthly totals, or say whether the figure is based on deliveries, retail sales or another measure. It also does not break down sales by trim or explain whether the increase applies to the redesigned model alone across every market.
Most importantly, the report does not establish that the redesign caused the increase. It contains one reviewer’s impressions, not a representative survey of owners or shoppers. The supplied material also does not include Kia’s response, independent customer feedback on the climate-control layout, or a longer-term assessment of how the new styling will age.
Buyer Feedback and Sales Data
The next useful evidence would be more detailed sales figures showing the comparison period, model-year breakdown and performance by trim, along with customer research that asks what influenced purchases. Those details could help distinguish a response to the redesign from other possible sales factors.
For prospective buyers, the immediate next step is less statistical: test the climate controls and compare the price of the desired trim with alternatives. Kia’s future design choices and the Seltos’s performance after September remain developments to watch; the source does not provide a company announcement or a date for a subsequent sales update.
Key Questions
What is the main development in the report?
The Drive reports that U.S. Kia Seltos sales were up 45% through September 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, while reviewer Adam Ismail criticized aspects of the redesigned model’s styling and interior controls.
Does the report prove that buyers like the new design?
No. The sales increase is a market figure, but the report provides no buyer survey or evidence showing why customers purchased the Seltos. Ismail presents his design reaction as a personal opinion.
What did the reviewer criticize inside the Seltos?
Ismail said the climate-control panel was partly obscured by the steering wheel and difficult to use without looking around it. He also criticized some interior plastics, while noting that physical buttons remain.
What Seltos did the reviewer drive, and what did it cost?
The report says Ismail tested an SX all-wheel-drive model with a listed price of $37,250. He said it had pleasant road manners but considered that price too high for the vehicle.
Source: thedrive.com
