New Kia Seltos: Perfection Personified (Special Feature)

Perfection is usually a tall order in the SUV world, but some do crack it. The Kia Seltos is one such example. It’s smart, it’s safe and it’s the most premium of its kind – and we haven’t even made a reference to its smashing looks yet! The Seltos is simply perfection on four snazzy 18-inch alloy wheels.

It shouldn’t surprise you, therefore, that since its launch in August 2019, over 5 lakh Seltos’ have found a home. In other words, one out of ten Kia cars sold globally is a Seltos; that it accounts for between 50-60% of Kia’s domestic sales, and that it’s the second highest selling mid-size SUV in India is only befitting of its calibre. Simply put, the Kia Seltos’ popularity is just staggering!

What explains its popularity, then? You could say it’s down to its muscular exteriors or just its phenomenal road presence, but that would only be telling half the story. What the Seltos offers in abundance is a premium drive experience – courtesy of the three engine options and five transmission formats it is available in – further elevated by its plush, all-new interior and a rich feature suite. Whether you consider it for its ADAS (it’s got 17 safety functions!), vast panoramic sunroof, 10.25-inch dual-display or just the overall sophistication of its cabin, the Seltos just comfortably impresses.

At this point, allow us to indulge if you will – it’s imperative that we elaborate on the Seltos’ driving performance, among the most prominent of its lovable qualities. Its 1.5 turbo GDi engine is easy to be biased towards; with 158bhp and 253Nm, it’s the most powerful midsize SUV in India.

What’s more of an eye-opener than the might of its output figures, though, is the way it translates to seriously exciting performance. The Seltos unleashes its dynamic persona most effortlessly with this engine, although that’s not to say we don’t enjoy the sublime performance of its Smartstream G1.5 naturally aspirated petrol engine or the strong, long-distance-friendly demeanour of the 1.5 CRDi VGT diesel engine. That you can have a Seltos with a choice of a manual transmission, an iMT, IVT, six-speed AT and even a seven-speed DCT just makes it all the more irresistible.