In the highly competitive crossover and compact SUV segment, the Kia Seltos offers an attractive proposition. First introduced into the local market at the end of 2019, the Seltos has proven to be a popular choice for growing families and style-conscious consumers. Backed by an impressive 5-year/Unlimited km warranty and a 5-year/90 000 km service plan when it was released, the Kia Seltos has found a home in many parking bays around the country.
Related: What is the cheapest Kia Seltos you can buy?
The Seltos was recently refreshed and received a new front end and fresh new interior. If you're considering a Kia Seltos as your next vehicle, you have 8 different variants to choose from, covering a range of petrol and diesel engines, gearboxes, and trim levels. Knowing which one to select can be tricky, especially if you're concerned with the future value; which Kia Seltos trim depreciates the fastest?
We have taken a look at the 2020 model lineup and calculated how much they have depreciated over the last 4 years. There will still be 1 year of the warranty intact, and the service plan, unless the 90 000 km limit has been exceeded, will also have approximately 12 months remaining. We've calculated the loss based on the trim level, derivative and model year, using an average market value and not factoring in mileage and condition. This calculation also makes no provision for inflation. As such, the below is merely a guideline and does not guarantee the future value of the model you choose.
Kia Seltos trims and their depreciation
| Model | New Price (2020) | Market value (Avg) | Percentage loss |
| Seltos 1.6 EX Manual | R380 995 | R306 117.50 | 19.64% |
| Seltos 1.5 EX Auto | R398 995 | R319 100.00 | 20.02% |
| Seltos 1.5 CRDI EX Manual | R410 995 | R334 415.67 | 18.63% |
| Seltos 1.5 CRDI EX Auto | R428 995 | R325 400.00 | 24.15% |
| Seltos 1.6 EX+ Auto | R416 995 | R330 763.33 | 20.68% |
| Seltos 1.5 CRDI EX+ Auto | R446 995 | R370 416.67 | 17.13% |
| Seltos 1.4 T-GDi GT-Line | R471 995 | R347 462.83 | 26.38% |
Verdict
It's the range-topping Kia Seltos 1.4 T-GDi GT-Line that loses out in this comparison. Losing over 26% of its value over only 4 years shows that the sportiest version of the Seltos is the least desirable on the used market. The winner here is the automatic, diesel Kia Seltos 1.5 GRDI in EX+ trim, which was only available in automatic.
The new Kia Seltos range has dropped the 1.4 T-GDi GT-LIne from the lineup and has also introduced the LX variant. Time will tell which one of these holds their value best though.
