How to decode a 2021 Kia Seltos VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 2021 Kia Seltos VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is the first three characters of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which uniquely identifies the vehicle’s manufacturer, the type of vehicle, and the place of manufacture. For the 2021 Kia Seltos, the WMI indicates that the vehicle is manufactured by Kia Corporation, a leading automotive manufacturer. The vehicle type specified for this WMI is a Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV), designed to offer versatility for both passenger and cargo transportation. This particular model is produced in Seoul, South Korea, within the Seocho-Gu district, showcasing Kia’s global footprint and commitment to manufacturing in its home country. This WMI information aids in vehicle identification, providing essential details about the car’s origin, manufacturer, and vehicle type.

List of WMI Codes for a 2021 Kia Seltos

WMI: KND

Model Years Covered: 2021-2024
Example VIN: KNDERCAA0M7039124
Manufacturer Name: Kia Corporation
Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
City: Seoul
State or Province: Seocho-Gu
Country: South Korea

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 2021 Kia Seltos VIN

These characters correspond to components like:

Engine type
Transmission
Model or trim
Body style
Gross vehicle weight range

Below find the known vehicle descriptor codes for a 2021 Kia Seltos:

Known VDS for a 2021 Kia Seltos
ERCAA	ETCA2	EUCA2	EUCAA	EU2AA	EPCAA	EP2AA

Auto manufacturers have some discretion to decide how they want to code this section, but its contents and decoded results are generally consistent.

Character 9 is the “check digit” in a 2021 Kia Seltos VIN.

Based on a formula developed by the US Department of Transportation, it helps reduce fraud by ensuring the validity of the VIN.

10th Character in the 2021 Kia Seltos VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
M	2021

11th Character in the 2021 Kia Seltos VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 2021 Kia Seltos Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Plant Company Name	Example VIN
7	Gwang-Ju		South Korea		KNDERCAA0M7039124

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 2021 Kia Seltos

The final 6 characters in a 2021 Kia Seltos’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

Check your Kia Seltos’s VIN below:

How to find a 2021 Kia Seltos’s VIN?

Locating the VIN number on your 2021 Kia Seltos is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:

Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Kia Seltos. It’s common to find the VIN visible through the windshield on a small plate attached to the dashboard.
Open the driver’s side door and examine the door frame for a Kia Seltos VIN plate or sticker, particularly where the door latches when it is closed.
Check the engine bay of your Kia Seltos. The VIN might be stamped onto the engine firewall or affixed on a plate in the engine compartment.
Review your vehicle’s registration documents or insurance papers, where the VIN of your 2021 Kia Seltos should be listed.
Inspect the trunk area of the Seltos, sometimes the VIN is stuck on the floor or sides of the trunk, beneath the carpet, or on the underside of the trunk lid.
If your Seltos has a spare tire, look in the compartment where the spare tire is housed. Sometimes the VIN is located in that area as well.

What info can a 2021 Kia Seltos VIN reveal?

Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year as 2021, providing insights into the age and brand of the vehicle.
Body Class and Drive Type: It suggests that the vehicle is designed as a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)/Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) with a 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 system, possibly indicating its capability for off-road or diverse terrain driving.
Engine Specifications: The engine of the Seltos is characterized by a 1.6L displacement with a Gamma T-GDI model, possibly produced by KMC, featuring a turbocharger and a Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) valve train, hinting at its potential performance capabilities.
Fuel Type and Efficiency: This vehicle runs on Gasoline, and the presence of a turbo suggests a possible focus on balancing performance with fuel efficiency.
Safety Features: The availability of curtain airbags in the 1st and 2nd rows, alongside front and side airbags for the 1st row, may emphasize the vehicle’s emphasis on safety for all passengers.
Plant Location: The manufacturing details like the plant city being Gwang-Ju and plant country South Korea may provide insights into the origin of the vehicle, which can be relevant for quality assurance and resale value considerations.
Additional Features: The vehicle comes equipped with a Direct type Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), manual seat belt type, and may have a gross vehicle weight rating in the class 1C range, indicating its potential build and utility specifications.

Don’t have your 2021 Kia Seltos’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a 2021 Kia Seltos

Vehicle Spec	Value
Body Class	Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)/Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV)
Curtain Air Bag Locations	1st and 2nd Rows
Displacement (CC)	1600.0
Displacement (CI)	97.63799055157
Displacement (L)	1.6
Drive Type	4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4
Engine Brake (hp) From	175
Engine Manufacturer	KMC
Engine Model	Gamma T-GDI
Engine Number of Cylinders	4
Front Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Fuel Type - Primary	Gasoline
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)
Model	Seltos
Model Year	2021
Plant City	Gwang-Ju
Plant Company Name
Plant Country	South Korea
Seat Belt Type	Manual
Series	SX
Series2	Wagon body Type
Side Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Type	Direct
Turbo	Yes
Valve Train Design	Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)
Vehicle Descriptor	KNDETCA2*M7
Vehicle Type	Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle
Sample_VIN	KNDETCA20M7031700