Photography: Neel Paradkar, Kia India
Back in 2019, Kia Motors could not have asked for a better start to its India innings. The Seltos was launched as a midsize premium SUV, one of the most competitive segments in the country and boy, the Seltos really helped Kia get off to a flying start with its terrific success. Its sharp design saw it appeal to a wide range of buyers instantly, especially the young and more urban SUV buyer, besides that exhaustive feature list and premium, well-appointed interiors. The Seltos has had quite a hand in catapulting Kia India to the envious position of being the fastest growing car brand in the country, whilst holding its own against a barrage of big names as direct rivals besides the formidable Hyundai Creta, including the Volkswagen Taigun, Škoda Kushaq, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder in the midsize premium SUV segment.
Less than four years later we have the facelifted Seltos on sale, which has recorded the ‘segment highest’ first-day bookings. Not surprising, given how much sharper it looks and everything it packs in! I mean, the Seltos has always been one of the sharpest looking SUVs in its segment, and the facelift only makes it look better. The front end looks even more chiselled now, the alloy wheels sharper and the rear even sportier. I have to say, the grille design is very intricate, typical of Korean car makers, but looks very appealing and has a sense of accentuated sharpness. So be it the grille elements, Kia’s trademark tiger nose or the headlamp design and the way the DRLs run into grille itself, it all looks very distinctive.
What’s also worth noting is that the grille and bumper design is different across trim lines, including the GT Line you see here, the X Line and Tech Line, making it easier to distinguish them from each other. The front end is very busy looking but hard to fault with, as the sharp lines and positioning of the DRLs all make it look very eye catching. The Seltos also looks more muscular from the sides, besides which, the new design for the alloy wheels adds to its charm. Lower variants use 16- or 17-inch wheels, while higher variants get sportier looking 18-inch wheels that were earlier exclusive to the X-Line. My favourite angle to look at the Seltos though has to be the rear three-quarter, especially on the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol version we drove. That’s because it gets dual exhausts, which aren’t just ornamental but functional too!
The dual exhausts go well with the restyled rear end too. Kia has replaced the thick chrome bar that connected the tail lamps with an LED strip that looks nice, besides which the tail lamp design has been revised too. These make for a more upmarket looking rear end, along with the revised bumper design that looks sportier now and also houses the reversing light. Overall, the updated Seltos looks a lot more European and also a lot more premium than before, making it one of the best looking SUVs at its price point.
The updates to the interior design are in sync with exterior and this is easily the best looking cabin in the midsize premium SUV segment currently. I really like the dashboard design, instrument cluster and in fact, the overall ambience here makes the Seltos look and feel more expensive than it is. That’s also courtesy the excellent fit-finish levels, varied surface finishes including soft touch panels, sleeker centre console design and the of course, the new single glass slab housing the dual 10.25-inch screens. The screens use a crisp resolution and look bright, which adds to their appeal. The Seltos also finally gets a full panoramic sunroof now that adds to the cabin’s premium quotient, besides making for an airier feel. There’s a lot of different textures all around which also add to the cabin’s rich feel and overall, a big reason the Seltos interior is now one of the nicest places to be in.
Moving on, the Seltos has always been a feature-rich offering and this midlife update only makes it better on the front. The biggest highlight is the inclusion of Level 2 ADAS, a segment first feature that bumps up the SUV’s safety quotient. This is besides the six airbags, disc brakes all round, traction control, hill-start assist, tyre pressure monitor and more. Kia India claims the ADAS has been programmed keeping Indian conditions in mind and we even tested the system at a specially curated track.
The SUV uses cameras all round along with radars to offer 17 autonomous features, including adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, forward collision warning and assist by way of emergency braking, blind spot collision warning and more. As far as creature comforts are concerned, the Seltos again aces it with its exhaustive list, including a 360 degree camera, eight-inch head-up display, electronic parking brake, rain sensing wipers and a Bose tuned, eight-speaker music system, besides a whole bunch of voice commands. It also gets another segment first in the form of dual-zone air-conditioning, not to forget, the ventilated front seats that we’ve always loved on the Seltos.
There is no change to the existing powertrains on offer, which means the Seltos is one of the only SUVs in its segment to be offered with a diesel engine, which can be paired to a six-speed clutchless manual or six-speed torque converter automatic. You can also have the Seltos with the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine as before that puts out 115PS and 144Nm, mated to either a six-speed manual or CVT. The bigger news though is that the Seltos now gets a new 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine putting out 160PS and 253Nm. That’s 20PS and 11Nm more than the older 1.4-litre turbo petrol, which makes the Seltos the most powerful car in its segment. Interestingly, besides the seven-speed DCT that’s exclusive to this engine, you can also have the turbo petrol engine with the six-speed clutchless manual gearbox. We only drove the new turbo petrol version mated to the DCT though and the powertrain is brilliant to say the least. The engine feels very refined and also sound sporty thanks to the dual exhausts, besides which engine performance is sure to stun a lot of current Seltos buyers, including those driving the 1.4 turbo petrol. The engine is quick to propel the Seltos to triple digit speeds and helps the SUV feel more relaxed, even at 120kmph, thanks to the higher displacement and outputs. Effectively, the Seltos thus has the upper hand in the performance game in the midsize SUV segment, at least until the Hyundai Creta powered by the same engine comes to our shores next year.
The Seltos has always impressed with its ride quality and handling both. In fact the Seltos has always had a bit of a European feel to its dynamics with its firm suspension that offers a sense of sportiness, without affecting the ride quality. And I’m happy to report, the updated Seltos feels even better now. Kia has retuned the suspension which allows the Seltos to absorb broken roads even better, resulting in an enhanced ride quality which should help it impress family SUV buyers even more. On the other hand, the Seltos also compliments spirited driving, especially in the 160PS turbo-petrol version, offering lots of confidence from behind the wheel, be it in terms of stability at highway speeds or around corners. Its unique blend of ride and handling has been one of the biggest draws for the Seltos and the updated version certainly continues that trend. The turbocharged petrol version we drove particularly aces this mix and will impress petrolheads the most.
The Seltos was a benchmark of sorts when it was launched back in 2019 with its sharp looks, premium interiors, space and the feature list. And the updates it gets as part of this midlife facelift only help it get better. The turbo petrol and diesel engines are a highlight on the powertrain front besides which it’s the exhaustive equipment levels that have the updated Seltos impress. It’s pricing that’s the real shocker though, because Kia India has launched the updated Seltos at the same prices as before! The prices for the Seltos are introductory, but begin from Rs 10.89 lakh ex-showroom, the same as before, which makes it an even better buy now given all the updates it gets. What’s even more of a pleasant surprise is the fact that the turbocharged petrol version powered by the new and more powerful 1.5-litre engine retails from ₹ 14.99 lakh ex-showroom onwards, which is brilliant value for money! The Seltos then is clearly poised to continue its bull run in the midsize premium SUV segment.
