Kia’s all-new Seltos has been available in South Africa since November last year and judging by the number we see on the road, it’s doing rather well for itself.
In terms of size, Seltos is 4,315 mm long, 1,800 mm wide and 1,620mm high. It’s slightly larger than most of its competitors, but small enough to slot in beneath the Sportage in the Kia line-up.
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Let’s start with the design. From the front, its wide ‘tiger nose’ grille – featuring a new interpretation of KIA’s signature design feature – is flanked by striking headlamps to endow it with a sporty, confident visage.
The rear bumper features a three-dimensional surface treatment with an integrated metallic-look skid plate, as well as a dual chrome muffler garnish (model dependent).
All models are equipped with LED Daytime Running Lights at the front, as well as front fog lamps across the range. On the higher specification models, both fog lamps, headlights and indicators are full LED, with similar treatments for the rear combination lamps.
Offering an entry point into the Seltos range, EX specification models includes a vast array of standard features that include, but is not limited to, air-conditioning (manual), automatic headlight control (including an ‘escort’ and ‘welcome home’ function), electrically adjustable side mirrors with integrated indicators, cloth upholstery, steering wheel-mounted remote controls, electric windows, cruise control, and an 8-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system that incorporates a radio with RDS, linked to six speakers. Seltos is equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for smartphone mirroring, as well as Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition, and has charging USB ports for front and rear passengers.
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The KIA Seltos EX rides on 16-inch alloy wheels shod with 205/65R16 rubber. A full-sized spare wheel is standard.
Power is courtesy of a 1.6-litre Multi-point Injection (MPI) engine. The 1 591cc engine develops 90 kW of power and 151 Nm of torque. Acceleration to 100 km/h takes 11,2 seconds, with a top speed of 175 km/h. Customers have a choice between a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic transmission, with both available from launch. CO2 emissions are set at 157 g/km for the manual transmission, and 164 g/km for the automatic model.
The mid-spec KIA Seltos EX+ is also available with the 90 kW 1.6 petrol engine, but is only available with a six-speed automatic transmission.
The the EX+ specification also includes an upgrade from cloth upholstery to leather upholstery (including leather trim on the door panels), while the electrically adjustable side mirrors gain an auto-folding function. Front passengers will also experience increased comfort thanks to the addition of a centre console armrest with an integrated storage box, as well as 17-inch alloy wheels with 215/60R17 tyres (also with a full-sized spare wheel).
The range-topping Seltos GT Line offers a number of exclusive features. From the outside, the Seltos GT Line adds sporty satin chrome and red trim, with gloss black and satin chrome detailing on the front grille, as well as bespoke, 17-inch crystal cut alloy wheels with red brake callipers. All exterior lights are upgraded to full LED units, with unique 3D layered indicators at the front.
On the inside, the interior gains bespoke GT-Line leather upholstery with matching embroidery, as well as a sporty D-shape steering wheel and sporty stainless-steel pedals. In addition, Seltos GT-Line also debuts a new version of KIA’s Drive Mode Select system, incorporating a 2WD Terrain Mode.
Drive Mode Select allows drivers to adapt the car to their preferred style or the road conditions, with a choice between ‘Normal’, ‘Eco’ and ‘Sport’ mode.
The KIA Seltos GT-Line also debuts a brand new powerplant to the KIA line-up in the form of a 1,4-litre T-GDI turbocharged gasoline direct injection engine. The 1 353cc engine develops 103 kW of power and 242 Nm of torque, available between 1,500- and 3,200 r/min. The new 1.4 T-GDI engine is exclusively paired with a new-generation 7-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT) which not only aids fuel efficiency, but also acceleration. The sprint to 100 km/h is completed in 9,7 seconds, with a top speed of 189 km/h. CO2 emissions in the combined cycle is 143 g/km.
All models are equipped with six airbags as standard: one for the driver, one for the front passenger, two side airbags for the driver and front passenger, as well as two side curtain airbags that stretch across the length of the cabin. All Seltos models also feature ISOFIX child seat anchors, ABS brakes, and Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), as well as rear park distance control sensors and a reverse camera with dynamic guidelines, integrated into the vehicle’s touchscreen infotainment system. Central locking and an immobiliser are also standard across the range.
EX+ and GT-Line models are also equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Hill-start Assist Control (HAC).
A 1.5-litre CRDI (Common Rail Diesel Injection) engine will join the Seltos line-up in the first quarter of 2020, also available with a choice of 6-speed manual or automatic transmission. Pricing will be announced closer to the local introduction.
Pricing
As with all KIA models, all KIA Seltos models ship as standard with KIA’s industry-leading Unlimited Kilometre, 5-year warranty (inclusive of roadside assistance), and also include a 5-year/90,000km Service Plan.
KIA Seltos 1.6 EX Manual R 353,995
KIA Seltos 1.6 EX Automatic R 371,995
KIA Seltos 1.6 EX+ Automatic R 389,995
KIA Seltos 1.4 T-GDi GT-Line R 444,995
