South Korean carmaker, Kia Motors has launched the company’s first compact SUV – Kia Seltos in India at a price tag of ₹ 9.69 Lakh ex-showroom for the base petrol variant while it goes up to ₹ 15.99 Lakh ex-showroom, for the top-end Turbo petrol. The Kia Seltos received over 30,000 bookings while the deliveries start from today. The Seltos is being manufactured at the company’s facility at Anantpur, Andhra Pradesh and caters to both domestic and export demands. In addition to this, the company starts operations in India with 265 touch points in 160 cities and it includes 206 sales points. The Seltos comes with 3 years/unlimited KM warranty which can be extended further by 2 years and the company is offering a 3-year free road-side assistance. Originally, it was first showcased as the SP concept at the 2018 Auto Expo. At such a price tag, the Kia Seltos will compete with Hyundai Creta, MG Hector, Tata Harrier, Mahindra XUV500 and the Jeep Compass.
On the front, the Kia Seltos is loaded with features like a jewel effect LED headlamps with signature LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, and vertically stacked LED fog lamps while on the rear, the skid plate complements the faux dual muffler design incorporated within the bumper itself. Additionally, there are key visual differentiators between the two trim lines – the Seltos GT Line comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, red accents including the brake calipers and an option of a dual-tone roof, while the lower Tech Line variants come with 16-inch alloys.
Inside the cabin, the Kia Seltos gets a few segment firsts as well and it comes with a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen system, an 8-inch Head-up display, Bose 8-speaker sound system, ventilated seats, a 360 degree parking camera, blind-spot monitoring system, dashboard with a flat-bottom steering lighting, LED reactive ambient lighting and wireless phone charging. Other features include Kia’s UVO connected car technology and voice recognition software, and adds 37 smart features like geofencing, remote engine start with AC control, emergency assistance, navigate, tyre pressure monitoring system and more. The Seltos has usual standards of smartphone connectivity, smart air purifier, ventilated seats, 2-step reclining rear seats, electric sunroof, push-button start, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, keyless entry, and drive modes. The cabins of the two trims are differentiated as well, with the Tech Line bringing a dual-tone beige/black interior to the table, while the GT Line offers a sportier all-black cabin.
On the safety side, the Kia Seltos comes with six airbags, ABS with EBD, front and rear parking sensors, ESP (Electronic Stability Program), VSM (Vehicle Stability Management), TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System), traction control, brake assist, hill hold control, and blind view monitor. Additionally, the car uses advanced high strength steel in its construction for improved safety. The Seltos comes with disc brakes for all four wheels, and there multiple driving modes – Normal, Eco and Sport. Additionally, you also get different traction modes like Snow and Mud.
The Kia Seltos shares its platform with Hyundai Creta and dimensionally the Seltos is larger than the Creta in every metric except height. The Seltos available in three engines and four transmission options out of which three are automatic. The Seltos is offered in two key trim options – Tech Line and GT Line, each of which is available in five variants – E, K, K+, X, and X+. The Tech Line looks more premium with a beige and black cabin with leather upholstery while the GT Line looks sportier and comes with an all-black cabin, black leather seats with red contrast stitching and there’s a sporty looking bumper.
The engine on Kia Seltos is BS6 compliant right from the start. The 1.4-litre GDI Turbo petrol engine produces a maximum power of 138 bhp and churns out a peak torque of 242 Nm, paired with a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed automatic transmission. The 1.5-litre petrol engine produces a maximum power of 113 bhp and churns out a peak torque of 144 Nm, paired with a 6-speed manual and an IVT (Intelligent continuously variable transmission) automatic transmission. Finally, the 1.5-litre VGT diesel produces a maximum power of 113 bhp and churns out a peak torque of 250 Nm, paired with a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
