Kia Seltos Facelift – What to Expect? » MotorOctane

Once the top-selling mid-sized SUV in India, the Seltos has seen sales decline recently. Kia’s emergence in the segment inspired other manufacturers to bring out their own SUVs. The Seltos has received minimal changes since its launch, with most of them affecting its feature list. A slightly redesigned front and rear are all the changes it has gotten. Kia has now decided to develop the Seltos facelift, and this time around, it will receive significant changes. Here is all you need to know about the upcoming Kia Seltos facelift.

Key Details

With the last facelift, the Seltos received minor aesthetic changes, with redesigned headlights and joint taillights. The next-generation Seltos will receive more drastic upgrades. The design would resemble Kia’s all-new design language, which includes vertical headlights and an enlarged grille.

The outgoing Seltos is packed to the brim with luxuries: level-2 ADAS, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, panoramic sunroof, etc. The next generation of the Seltos would not need drastic changes in that regard. However, Seltos could keep customers excited by adding features such as a memory seats for the driver along with powered front passenger seat and wireless android auto/apple car play,. Lower models could come equipped with more features. For instance, the current generation base variant (HTE) misses out on LED headlamps, and you only get Level 2 ADAS with the most expensive variant (GTX+).

Read More: Kia Sonet Facelift – What to Expect?

Powertrain Updates

An essential change in the powertrain would be the addition of a hybrid variant. The current Seltos has fallen behind in the alternative-fuel race, with Mahindra, Tata, Maruti Suzuki, and Toyota all releasing hybrid and electric SUVs. Reports suggest that Kia is planning to provide a 1.5L petrol-hybrid powertrain for the next-gen Seltos.

The outgoing options are a 1.5L turbo-petrol, a 1.5L turbo-diesel, and a 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol. The gearbox range includes an IVT, a 6-speed manual, a 6-speed IMT, a 7-speed DCT, and a 6-speed AMT. These options will be carried over to the next-generation Seltos. Except for the addition of a hybrid layout, the changes will remain purely aesthetic.

Rivals

It is not an exaggeration to call this segment the most competitive segment in the Indian automotive market. Mahindra XUV700, Hyundai Creta and Alcazar, Tata Harrier, Safari and Sierra, Honda Elevate, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder and the MG Hector sit in the same segment as the Seltos.
Most of the cars mentioned above have gotten more recent updates than the Seltos. The Seltos also falls behind in safety, scoring just 3 stars in Global NCAP, while its rivals have achieved scores in the 4-5 range.

Read More: Not Sierra, Tata To Trouble Creta With This New SUV!

Expected Launch and Pricing

The launch is scheduled for next month. This will be the Seltos’s most significant update ever, and Kia expects it to sell in large numbers, as with the first iteration. To ensure Kia achieves this feat, pricing will need to be aggressive.

Pricing starts at 13 lakh (on-road, Mumbai), with the top variants exceeding 20 lakh. You might have to pay a slight premium for a hybrid powertrain compared to its petrol counterpart. Overall, the price hike would be relatively insignificant, with a 10,000-25,000 difference expected.

Read more: 11 New SUVs Launching Next Year!