Meet The New Kia Seltos

Can you believe it has been more than three years (just!) since Kia first debuted the Seltos? In my head, it still looks refreshing in a crowded segment. But Kia doesn’t work with my head plugged into their business plan. (“Thank God”, said Kia!) So it’s about time that we see a facelift, correct? That’s exactly what Kia has delivered. The new Seltos has just been listed on the brand’s Korean website. Soon, it’ll trickle down to all the markets outside Kia’s home turf.

Now, let me clarify that by the time Kia decides to introduce the new Seltos in your country, it might look slightly different to what you see here. Largely, though, things will, and should, stay the same. At the front, you have a larger and meshed “Tiger Nose” grille. Creeping in it from either end are two LED strips, which, I have to be honest, look great in conjunction with those reworked headlamps. The fog lamps are still vertical but find space in a new, more aggressive-looking bumper. However, the new rear bumper, with a more prominent skid plate and reflectors at either end, looks even more sporty.

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Also new is the tailgate, which now has light bars extending from both sides. In addition, they keep the Kia logo at the centre, right above the reworked registration plate area. And just look at those wheels. The 18-inch dual-tone alloys look fantastic. Although, those could be part of those market-depended things.

Inside, the pair of two displays is sleeker and side lower on the dashboard. That should help improve visibility. Both screens span 10.25-inch diagonally, while the central air vents are now slimmer. Even the centre console is new, with a new dial at the centre. Not sure whether that’s a selector for gears or drive modes. It is probably the former.

Engines? Well, they are likely to be the same as before. In India, for instance, the new Kia Seltos will carry forward the three engine options –1.5-litre petrol, 1.5-litre diesel and 1.4-litre turbo-petrol. In addition, transmission choices will include an MT, iMT, IVT (CVT) and a DCT.

Kia will unveil all there is to know about the new Seltos at the Busan Motor Show next month. After it goes on sale there, the trickling-down game will begin. India should get it before 2022 comes to a close. The question is – do you like how it looks?