--- title: "Kia’s Design Isn’t Working for Me Anymore, But It’s Sure Working for America" date: "2026-10-30" modified: "2026-10-30" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail.md" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/kias-design-isnt-working-for-me-anymore-but-its-sure-working-for-america" categories: - "Kia News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "Kia" - "Seltos" - "suv/crossover" --- # Kia’s Design Isn’t Working for Me Anymore, But It’s Sure Working for America ![Kia Seltos front three-quarter view]() *\Adam Ismail\* Car design is really just fashion, and fashion doesn't follow logic. Ask most car designers—particularly those that have [penned vehicles that scores of people hate]()—and they'll tell you that making a car that most people agree looks good on first impression only fast-tracks the road to irrelevance. So we get cars like the new [Kia]() Seltos I was just driving last week: Rigid, blocky, techy, and busy, because surprise is better than approval. After the surprise fades, though, what are you left with? I will admit, I was a fan of the [Kia K4]() when that compact sedan was first revealed. The brand's then-new design language, melding muscle with an '80s sensibility toward diagonal lines in a cyberpunk-ish way, felt like a serious step forward for Kia, which never really had a design identity before. The problem with creating something that distinctly modern, though, is what happens when the moment passes and fashion moves on. How does it age? And I don't think Kia's language is working anymore, at least not for me. This might sound a little strange, but I thought the old Seltos was a good-looking car. I liked the subtly flared fenders and curved but still purposeful-looking fascia; it reminded me of a baby Dakar runner. The new one, though, may as well be another internet-connected brick. There's nothing analog or soulful about it; it's aesthetically as fleeting and disposable as a cheap Android tablet. ![]() ![]() ![]() Inside, the fit and finish is acceptable even if the plastics are tacky and bland; what can you do, it's the most affordable model they sell. There are enough physical buttons, too. But there's this constant motif of edginess, of trying hard, that to some degree works against practicality. Take that weird climate panel between the instrument cluster and infotainment screen. Yes, I also liked the look of this, the very first time I saw it in the K4. But, because of its placement in a permanent blind spot behind the steering wheel's right edge, you have to look *around* the wheel to interact with it. It's frivolous, the furthest thing from intuitive, and it doesn't feel fully baked. ![]() ![]() ![]() This is just my opinion, of course, and the general public probably doesn't share it, based on how well the Seltos is selling this year—its first post-redesign—compared to last. [Seltos sales in 2026 are up 45% through September.]() Maybe Kia's rebrand is continuing to pay dividends. Maybe the stuff I find annoying or over-the-top is appreciated on such a cheap vehicle, a category that typically doesn't have much enthusiasm behind it. It should also be said that the Seltos is broadly a fine car with pleasant road manners—though the $37,250 sticker on my SX all-wheel-drive tester is more than anyone should pay for it. Those are all just theories, but ultimately I'm just surprised how quickly I've soured on what Kia's been going for in recent years. Hyundai, too, is getting a little out there, surveying [the new Tucson]() as well as the [Avante]() that is set to form the basis for our Elantra. I suppose at least [Genesis can do no wrong](), but then, they're also the aspirational brand. Maybe they've decided timeless design is a privilege that costs extra. *Got a news tip? Reach out to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]() ## More - [2021 Kia Seltos X-Line Urban and Trail Attack Concepts Are Ready for Adventure]() - [2021 Kia Seltos Compact Crossover Unveiled at 2019 LA Auto Show With $22K Starting Price]() - [2024 Kia EV9 Electric SUV Will Have 300+ Miles of Range, Level 3 Self-Driving Tech]() - [2023 Kia Soul Ditches Turbo Engine and It Looks Mad About It]() - [Kia Stops Sales of Top Trim Telluride Hybrids for Power Seats That Can Crush You]() - [460,000 Kia Tellurides Must Go Back to the Shop to Fix a Botched Fire-Risk Recall]() - [Tourist in Kia Telluride Comes Dangerously Close to Tumbling Down Black Bear Pass, Forces Trail Closure]() - [2025 Kia EV6 Brings Bigger Battery, Longer Range, and Sharper Styling]()