1. It's more spacious than most of its competitors
The Seltos competes with the likes of the Volkswagen T-Cross, Hyundai Venue, Hyundai Creta, and Ford EcoSport, but it's considerably larger. The second-row occupants have a bit more knee room at their disposal in the Seltos, and more elbow room too.
Space-wise, the Kia Seltos is more in line with the Hyundai Creta and possibly the new Volkswagen T-Roc, which will be launching this month. The only downside to the Seltos's back seat, however, is that there is only a lap belt available for the rear middle occupant, which is a pity because there is more than enough space for another adult in the middle.
Related: Kia Seltos 1.4 GT Line (2020) review
Compared to its rivals, the Seltos also has the most spacious boot. In the VW T-Cross, you have to sacrifice valuable legroom in order to make the boot bigger. With all seats up, Seltos's cargo area fits 433 litres' worth of stuff, vs. 333 in the EcoSport, 377 in the T-Cross (if the seats are in their rearmost position) and 402 litres in the Hyundai Creta.
Related: The new VW T-Cross will knock off your socks
2. Six airbags on all models
Moms and Dads will be glad to know that all models are equipped with six airbags as standard. Every Seltos also features ISOFIX child seat anchors, ABS brakes, and Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), as well as rear park distance control sensors and a reverse camera. 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).
Related: The Hyundai Venue — Your new happy place
3. A user-friendly infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard across the board
Even the entry-level EX model gets air-conditioning (manual), automatic headlight control, electrically adjustable side mirrors with integrated indicators, satellite buttons on the steering wheel, electric windows, cruise control, the above-mentioned 8-inch colour touchscreen system with six speakers, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for smartphone mirroring, as well as Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition. Kia also placed enough USB charging points in the car to keep everyone's devices going - there are two in front and one in the back.
4. 2WD Terrain Mode in the GT-Line model
While the front-wheel driven Kia Seltos GT Line is no Suzuki Jimny or Renault Duster 4x4, it does allow a bit of extra help for better grip in wet or slippery conditions.
Drive Mode Select allows you to adapt the Seltos to your preferred style or the road conditions, with a choice between ‘Normal’, ‘Eco’ and ‘Sport’ mode: Eco mode is tuned to maximise fuel efficiency, while Sport mode increases responses from the steering and throttle.
The Normal setting gives you the best of both worlds. 2WD Terrain Mode also offers "Snow’, ‘Mud’ and ‘Sand’ modes for maximum traction on slippery or sandy roads. Bear in mind, however, that you can't venture too far off-road in the Seltos, as you don't have a rear diff lock or four-wheel drive to get you out of sticky situations. The Renault Duster would be a better option if you need a 4x4 on a budget.
5. Kia's new 1.4-litre T-GDI turbocharged petrol-engine powers the flagship model
The new 1,353cc ‘Kappa’ 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 the only model in the line-up that is mated to the new-generation 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) for better performance as well as fuel economy. The Seltos GT Line will reach a 100 km/h in 9,7 seconds, and has a top speed of 189 km/h.
Real-life fuel economy in this GT Line model is around 9.2 litres per 100 km in town, but continuous highway driving will see it drop to the lower sevens.
Pricing
KIA Seltos 1.6 EX Manual R 369 995
KIA Seltos 1.6 EX Automatic R 387 995
KIA Seltos 1.6 EX+ Automatic R 405 995
KIA Seltos 1.4 T-GDi GT-Line (shown here) R 460 995
A 1.5-litre CRDI diesel-engine will be joining the ranks shortly. The rest of the line-up features naturally-aspirated 1.6-litre engines.
All Kias are sold with a 5-year warranty (inclusive of roadside assistance), and a 5-year/90,000km Service Plan.
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