New Kia Seltos Road Test Review – Ready to Shake & Stir the Segment
The Seltos has been the face for Kia in India right since it was launched as their 1st car model way back when the Korean brand entered into India in 2019. Over the years the Mis-sized SUV has seen a huge demand and gone on to become the 2nd biggest selling model in its class only behind the Hyundai Creta which also belongs to its family and shares a lot of underpinnings. Now in 2023 Kia has given a fresh lease of life to its best seller with a very timely and huge update that brings in fresh looks, style, features, tech specs and most important Safety features including the Level 2 ADAS system on to its list. We head to the Orange city of India Nagpur to get you all the dope on the New Kia Seltos right here in our detailed review.
Food for Thought
Kia launched the Seltos in 2019. Kia code names the Seltos as the SP internally and it also sells as the KX3 in China. The Seltos is built on the Hyundai Kia K2 platform and hence shares a lot of its underpinnings with the Hyundai Creta. In 2020 and 2021, the Seltos was the second best-selling Kia model globally after the Sportage, with India as its largest single market. With the latest facelift the Seltos becomes the 1st mass segment model from Kia to come with ADAS Level 2 safety feature.
Exteriors.
In terms of exteriors the updated New Seltos continues with its boxy yet elegant design language but with lots of updates. The front gets a totally redesigned tiger nose Kia grille with glossy black pattern and chrome surrounds. Crown Jewel LED Headlights get a total new design with all new DRL strip that that extend into the grille mid way. The bumper is also redesigned and now features a more prominent faux skid plate, restyled ice cube fog lamps and all new sequential LED turn indicators.
The side profile remains the same with the key changes being an upsized R18 wheels on an all new design alloys, glossy black roof rails and yes inclusion of new body colors which include the Metallic Green and the Dark Blue which we drove. Good use of chrome on the sides enhances the especially on the darker shades.
Like the front the big change happens on the rear. Here you get an all new design rear bumper with a big faux skid plate in silver, also get stop reflectors placed on it. The biggest update is the all new LED tail lamps that now come with the connected design that glows completely. The rear end gets a nice chunky spoiler and the usual badging.
The top now comes with a large panoramic electric sun roof which the Seltos buyers were always demanding. The overall look, design and proportions are very well designed on the New Seltos which looks very elegant and premium from any angle you see it from the outsides.
Interiors
In terms of interiors the Seltos has always been a very well appointed car model. Loaded with features always the New Seltos takes its lineage ahead. The cabin area is large and the dashboard comes with all black themes on the GTX trim that we drove; you also get an option of a tan color theme on the list. The biggest update is the twin 10.25 inch screens that combine into one and work as the virtual cockpit display and the touch screen AVN system. The cluster display is very easy to read and you can also change its looks as per the drive modes or even manually using the menu options.
The touchscreen AVN system is again an updated unit which comes with all the connectivity options that include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, FM radio etc. You also get connected car features which you can use from the Kia Connect app. Coming back to the dash you get nice faux leather insert in black or tan as per your choice that looks real premium and classy.
The Climate control unit gets a dual zone setup now which would be a welcome feature for many. The steering comes with the three spoke design with metal inserts and wrapped in premium leather, manual adjust for height and reach is possible. The GT version that we drove also gets the branding on the steering. You get wireless charging port and USB C with USB A ports on the centre console.
Seats come with faux leather upholstery with ventilation feature and the drivers seat gets electric adjust. Paddle shifters are now included on the automatic versions. We would have loved both the front seats to be electrically adjustable on the top end trims for sure-wishful thinking. The rear seats get foldable arm rest and adjustable headrests that not only offer comfort but also enhance safety. The other upgrade is the inclusion of the electro-mechanical hand brake that not only looks premium but also frees up lot of space on the center console. You still get the drive mode and traction mode dial placed besides the aircraft type shifter.
You also get the air purifier that now has feather touch control panel and a bright clear display to read it out. The tried and tested Bose sound system continues to do its duty on the New Seltos along with the ambient lights that are a bit more prominent now. The boot space also remains the same though we would have loved the inclusion of an all electric boot opener on the top end trims.
Engine – Drive – Suspension
The Seltos in its latest avatar continues with the 1.5L Diesel and 1.5L NA Petrol engine options with the 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic and iMT transmission but the talk of the town is the top of the line 1.5L Turbo Petrol engine that now replaces the 1.4L older engine. This engine now comes mated with the 6-speed Dual Clutch transmission and this is the one we drove on the GT Trim.
This is the most enthusiast focused trim on the Seltos’s lineup and rightly so, this 1.5L Turbo engine makes 160PS of power and 253Nm of torque making this very powerful option in its segment. The 7-speed DCT is pretty fast on its shifts and very responsive too. The smooth and jerk free in traffic while paddle shifters add manual control when you want it. The power delivery is very refined and the Seltos turbo offers a very ironed out ride quality which is the key hallmark on this SUV now. The cabin feels silent and the Seltos comes with an all wheel disc brake setup which brings the SUV to an halt in a proud manner.
Level 2 ADAS Safety
Kia has got the New Seltos with Level 2 ADAS safety feature the inclusion of which gives the Seltos an edge against its rivals in the segment. The Level 2 ADAS tech in the Seltos comes with 17 features. This, combined with the standard safety features of the 2023 Kia Seltos, means that the SUV comes with a total of 32 safety features. The system works by collating data from one front camera and three radars – one at the front and two at the rear corners. This works in two ways – one to provide advanced levels of safety by acting to alert the driver of dangers on the road and applying safety measures in the form of braking. Features such as Front Collision Warning (FCW), Front Collision Assistance for cars, pedestrians, cyclists and junction turning, Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW), Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (RCCW), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA) work to protect the occupants by warning or applying safety countermeasures.
While driving, features such as Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, and Lane Following Assist ensure that the vehicle is driven properly by warning the driver and applying steering input when necessary. The 2023 Kia Seltos also ensures that other drivers on the roads are not dazzled by its headlamps, with the High Beam Assist, which dips the beam whenever it senses another vehicle approaching from the opposite direction. Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go is an important benefit which comes with Level 2 ADAS. This essentially means that one can switch on cruise control, which is radar guided and tracks the vehicle in front of the Seltos. Distance from the lead vehicle can be adjusted by the driver while the car mimics the speed of the lead vehicle and even brakes to a complete stop and starts following again when the car gets going.
Verdict
The Seltos was already a very well packaged strong product from Kia and with this update the overall packaging gets even better and unmatched in the segment. Prices start at Rs. 10.90 Lakh to Rs. 20 Lakh. The Seltos has a wide range of engine, transmission and trim options to choose from and surely will put the competition in a very tight spot eating into their market share. Our pick remains the Seltos 1.5L GT Line with the 6-speed DCT transmission. Time for the competition to sit wide awake.
