Earlier today, South Korean automaker Kia Motors launched its first car for the Indian market in the form of the Seltos compact SUV. Popular Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff is the brand ambassador of the brand new SUV, which is targeted at buyers between 30-40 years of age. The Seltos’ prices start from Rs. 9.69 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi, going all the way up to Rs. 15.99 lakhs for the top-end dual clutch automatic gearbox equipped turbo petrol engined model. The SUV competes with the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Renault Captur/Duster, Maruti S-Cross and the Nissan Kicks. It’s larger than the Creta, whose next-generation model will use the same platform and engines when it launches next year. Meanwhile, Kia Motors has received over 30,000 pre-bookings for the SUV, and has already produced 5,000 units of the Seltos to meet demand. Deliveries have already commenced. Check out the latest TVC that Kia Motors has launched for the Seltos.
The Seltos is among the sportier compact SUVs sold in India. The top-end turbo petrol engined model uses a 1.4 liter-4 cylinder engine with 140 Bhp-242 Nm outputs. This motor gets 6 speed manual and 7 speed twin clutch automatic gearboxes. The automatic version of this SUV even gets multiple driving modes to vary the gear shift and steering responses, making the SUV more lively to drive.
The other engines available on the Seltos include a 1.5 liter turbocharged diesel with 115 Bhp-250 Nm and a 1.5 liter naturally aspirated petrol with 115 Bhp-142 Nm. The diesel engine is offered with 6 speed manual and torque converter automatic gearbox options while the petrol gets 5 speed manual and CVT automatic options. The Seltos is front wheel driven and Kia Motors has no plans to launch an all wheel drive version of the SUV in India although such an option is available in markets abroad.
The Seltos is available in a whopping 18 variants, and this could make it quite confusing for those seeking to bring this SUV home. To make things a little simpler for you, we’ve put together a story that details the various variants of this SUV, and the kinds of people who should buy them. The Seltos is quite luxurious, and boasts of features that are unseen in its segment, and at its price point. From an electric sunroof and a massive touchscreen infotainment panel to connected car features and ventilated seats, the Seltos is fully loaded in the top-end trims. Notably, the compact SUV is offered in the top-end, fully loaded trim even with turbo petrol automatic and diesel automatic trims. This will make it quite attractive to those who seek convenience along with a boat load of features, and is something that the competition does not offer.