Kia has kick-started the new year 2026 by launching the second-generation Kia Seltos. With a starting price of Rs 10.99 lakh (ex-showroom), the Seltos has a Rs 50,000 more affordable starting price than that of the recently-launched Tata Sierra. The Korean carmaker has made several improvements while engineering the new Seltos, once again giving it the makings of a star seller. Let’s have a look at what the new Seltos has to offer.
New Kia Setos: Dimensions and Design
The new Kia Seltos is 4,460 mm long, 1,830 mm wide, 1,635 mm tall, and has a 2,690mm wheelbase. Compared to the outgoing model, it is 95 mm longer, 30 mm wider, and has an 80 mm longer wheelbase. Giving it such dimensions, Kia has pushed the Seltos more towards the higher segment, which houses the Tata Harrier, Mahindra XUV700, and others.
The new Kia Seltos is based on Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy. At the front, it features design elements like a wide toothy grille that even extends over the main headlight units and sleek vertically-oriented LED DRLs, while there is gloss black body cladding at the bottom. The side profile highlights flush-fitting retractable door handles, blacked-out pillars, new kinked window glass towards the rear and a blacked-out section that merges with the rear through the kink. At the rear, a rear LED light bar connects the vertically placed tail lamps, and overall, the rear is uncluttered with a dual-tone bumper and raked rear window glass.
As far as colour schemes are concerned, the new Kia Seltos is available in Imperial Blue, Aurora Black Pearl, Gravity Grey, Morning Haze, Pewter Olive, Ivory Silver Gloss, Magma Red, Frost Blue, Glacier White Pearl, Matte Graphite, Glacier White with Aurora Black roof, and Magma Red with Aurora Black roof.
New Kia Setos: Interior and Features
When the Kia Seltos was first launched in 2019, it set the segment benchmark for the interiors, and with the new Seltos, Kia has done it once again. Every inch spells ‘premium,’ and the fit and finish is top-notch. There is a neat and clean dashboard with two 12.3-inch screens – one for the infotainment system and one for the digital instrument cluster. A new 5-inch HVAC screen is nestled between both screens – a cool addition for the Korean carmaker, while the new three-spoke flat-bottomed steering wheel houses a decent selection of physical controls, as does the centre console.
In terms of features, the new Seltos offers wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, ventilated front seats, 64-colour ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, a 10-way powered driver’s seat, 360-degree camera, panoramic sunroof, wireless charging pad, 8-speaker Bose sound system, connected car tech, and more. For the safety equipment, Seltos packs 6 airbags as standard, ESC, front and rear disc brakes, hill hold assist, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), ISOFIX child seat anchorages, reverse camera, Level-2 ADAS, and more. Kia also claims that they have increased bodyshell rigidity as part of the new Seltos’ K3 platform, which may allow the midsize SUV to secure a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating.
New Kia Setos: Engine and Transmissions
The new Kia Seltos carries forward the same powertrains as the outgoing model. There are three engine options. A 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, which produces 115 PS power and 144 Nm peak torque, a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine, which produces 160 PS power and 253 Nm peak torque, and a 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine, which produces 116 PS and 250 Nm peak torque. For the transmission options, the naturally aspirated petrol engine and turbo diesel engine are offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard, while the turbo petrol engine is offered with a 6-speed iMT (clutch-less manual). The automatic transmission options include a CVT for the NA petrol engine, a 6-speed torque converter automatic for the turbo diesel engine, and a 7-speed DCT for the turbo petrol engine. Moreover, Kia has confirmed a petrol-hybrid powertrain for the Seltos; however, this is expected in 2027.
New Kia Setos: Price and Rivals
| HTE | HTE (O) | HTK | HTK (O) | HTX | HTX (A) | GTX | GTX (A) | |
| 1.5-litre NA petrol MT | Rs. 10.99 lakh | Rs. 12.09 lakh | Rs. 13.09 lakh | Rs. 14.19 lakh | Rs. 15.59 lakh | Rs. 16.69 lakh | – | – |
| 1.5-litre NA petrol CVT | – | Rs. 13.39 lakh | Rs. 14.39 lakh | Rs. 15.49 lakh | Rs. 16.89 lakh | Rs. 17.99 lakh | Rs. 18.39 lakh | Rs. 19.49 lakh |
| 1.5-litre turbo-petrol iMT | – | Rs. 12.89 lakh | Rs. 13.89 lakh | Rs. 14.99 lakh | – | – | – | – |
| 1.5-litre turbo-petrol DCT | – | – | – | Rs. 16.29 lakh | Rs. 17.69 lakh | Rs. 18.79 lakh | Rs. 19.19 lakh | Rs. 19.99 lakh |
| 1.5-litre diesel MT | Rs. 12.59 lakh | Rs. 13.69 lakh | Rs. 14.69 lakh | Rs. 15.79 lakh | Rs. 17.19 lakh | Rs. 18.29 lakh | – | – |
| 1.5-litre diesel AT | – | Rs. 14.99 lakh | Rs. 15.99 lakh | Rs. 17.09 lakh | Rs. 18.49 lakh | Rs. 19.59 lakh | Rs. 19.79 lakh |
With these prices, the new Kia Seltos will rival the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder, Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun, Maruti Victoris, Honda Elevate, MG Astor, Tata Sierra, and more.
