Kia’s refreshed Seltos SUV stands out in India’s increasingly-competitive midsize SUV segment by providing premium experiences without premium prices. Not just another facelift (aha!), this vehicle showcases how Kia can take an already successful formula and improve it with smarter tech, improved dynamics and everyday usability that caters specifically to Indian families’ everyday needs.
Retail First Impressions: Elegant yet Subtle on the Road
As soon as you step inside the new Seltos and experience its innovative design language, your jaw drops. Now all those unabashed nighttime identification thanks to its distinctive tiger nose grille featuring intricate geometric patterns in its signature LED headlights complemented with dynamic DRLs have left an unforgettable mark on you.
17-inch diamond-cut alloys and the revised rear lightbar continue the premium experience, while new matte paint options give this range added presence in a showroom environment.
Kia’s designers have achieved amazing feats while keeping the footprint relatively unchanged. Kia has added 100mm for improved rear knee room…and created a slimmer floor above the front seats that not only makes long distance travel more comfortable but enjoyable as well.
Though its 433-litre trunk (expandable to 1,391L) remains the in-class leader, the Toyota RAV4 boasts an innovative second-level floor designed with hooks to store your shopping trolley.
Powertrain: Offering greater refinement for Indian Drivability
At its core is a 1.5L Me-Drive turbo-petrol (160PS and 253Nm), as well as Korea’s Hong Kong-bound 1.5L MI (116PS and 250Nm). Both engines now feature improved gearboxes for optimal driving in India’s challenging driving conditions, providing smooth shifts without overheating over extended periods. Kia’s engineers did extensive research in Indian driving conditions when designing its new 6-manual torque converter gearbox (replacing DCT). This gearbox ensures seamless shifts while never overheating over several months or years – an achievement at which Kia has excelled!
On the diesel side of things, its fuel efficiency shines with an ARAI-certified mileage of 21kmpl & provides immense highway cruising enjoyment. Steering mounted paddle shifters (first segment in diesel) add an extra dose of driver enjoyment when traversing challenging ghat sections.
Cabin: Techy but Comfortable Space
Step behind the wheel and the Seltos raises segment standards even higher. Its slide-over and panoramic curve display (10.25-inch digital cluster+ 10.25 inch in touch) is more than mere fancy; powered by Kia connected car technology with over 70 features including:
AI Voice Recognition — Real Time Over-the-Air updates for navigation, parking and more (first segment). Drive Modes: mood lighting on same bandwagon
Some of the practical features:
New for 2019 are Ventilated front seats (with extended thigh support) as well as sunshades in the rear and USB-C Charging for all seats, along with 8-Speaker Bose Audio tuned specifically to Indian music, One Touch 2nd Row Entry, and USB-C Charging capability for each.
Ride and Handling: Balancing Mature Strategies with Agility
Kia’s revised Seltos suspension reflects their experiences in India. Frequency-sensitive dampers (front MacPherson struts and around rear torsion beam) offer superior comfort from potholes to street stability; additionally, the front end feels lighter while its suspension works to achieve more of an on-center feel at highway speeds.
At 5.3 meters, this SUV’s turning circle may just sneak into mid city parking spaces while its 190mm ground clearance will help it navigate local broken roads more effectively than many pretend “off-road” SUVs.
Still, even with 5-wheel disc brakes and added tech options, the Seltos does a fine job at keeping to its promise of flexible corner handling.
Safety: Best in Segment
Kia’s Seltos will feature an impressive assortment of safety features;
As per all variants, Level 2 ADASH(Smart Cruise Control, Stop & Go, Lane Keeping Assist and Front Collision Avoidance as well as Highway Driving Assist as well as 360 camera blind spot monitoring) are standard features on each car.
Electronic Stability Control with torque sensing 4WD modes
Seltos cars offer astonishingly affordable running costs:
1 kilometre per liter (ARMI) in diesel
3 year/Unlimited km warranty
intervals/pro l ervice every 15k
Kia app-based transparent service packages
Running costs (~₹5.20/km): for motorists regularly travelling 15,000 Kms per annum diesel is competitive even with some SUVs at similar segment.
Verdict – One Of The Finest Mid Size Premium SUVs In General Package
The 2024 Kia Seltos excels by building upon what made its predecessor so successful and improving it rather than starting over from scratch. It offers an experience that’s both familiar and new – keeping many core components intact but adding enhancements where they count the most.
- latest connected car features
- cabin comfort and luxury
- Robust Reliability
- Sporty yet Comfortable Driving Dynamics
Comprehensive safety features
And thus is why Seltos remains one of the top options within Rs15-20 lacs segment. While not exactly off-roady or classy SUV, Seltos provides ample value across multiple parameters leaving buyers no option but to compromise unnecessary.
At a time when SUVs have either become too basic or complex for families’ needs, the Seltos stands out as an exceptional midsize SUV that manages to combine tech, space, and manners into one package. 2024 Seltos remains popular choice among Indian families looking for technology, space, and manners all within an aesthetically pleasing package.