Kia to launch Seltos in India on August 22

The Kia Seltos that was unveiled in India for global markets, gets three engine and four transmission options. The compact SUV comes packed with all the essential features and then some. But, it could potentially be trivial, if Kia doesn’t price the SUV right. And to find that out, we’ll have to wait till August 22 as the car maker has announced that’s when it will launch the SUV.

•  The Korean brand will have 265 touch points across 160 cities at launch.
• The Seltos will be offered with two petrol and one diesel BS6-compliant engines.
• Will be available with 4 transmission options:  6-speed MT, 6-speed AT, CVT and 7-speed DCT.
• The 1.4-litre Turbo GDI petrol will only come paired with the 7-speed DCT.

The Seltos will be available with three BS6-compliant engines coupled with not one, but four transmission options. The 1.5-litre petrol makes 115PS and 114Nm of torque while the 1.5-litre diesel engine pushes out 115PS and 250Nm of torque. The range-topping petrol 1.4-litre Turbo GDI unit, meanwhile, makes 140PS and 242Nm. 

As for the transmission options, there will be a 6-speed manual and the choice of three different automatic options. The 7-speed DCT can only be had with the 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol, while the 1.5-litre petrol will be available with the 6-speed manual or 6-speed torque converter. The 1.5-litre petrol motor, on the other hand, will come paired with the 6-speed manual and the CVT.

In terms of dimensions, the Seltos is marginally bigger than the Creta in all parameters except for height. It is 4315mm long, 1800mm wide and sits 1620mm high. The wheelbase stands at an impressive 2610mm and it has 190mm of ground clearance.

Some of the notable features include a 10.25-inch floating infotainment system that supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bose surround-sound system. Other segment-first features include a head-up display, 360-degree camera with blind view monitor, sound mood lighting, ventilated seats, powered driver’s seat, front and rear parking sensors, sunroof, and more. Kia is also offering its UVO Connect, which is basically a host of connected features similar to Hyundai’s Bluelink system that debuted with the Venue. The UVO Connect will also be free of cost for the first three years.

The Seltos looks set to disrupt the segment and we expect it to be priced from Rs 10 lakh to 16 lakh (ex-showroom pan-India), thanks to heavy localisation.The Seltos will be available in 8 colour options, including dual-tone options. And bookings are expected to begin from July. Once launched, it will take on the Hyundai Creta, Tata Harrier and the MG Hector.