oi-Dennis Abraham James
In
2019,
Kia
entered
India
with
a
bang,
pushing
out
the
brand-new
Seltos
from
its
facility
in
Andhra
Pradesh
as
it
looked
to
take
down
sister
brand
Hyundai’s
Crta
SUV.
In
the
four
years
since,
the
Seltos
has
become
a
sales
success
story,
helping
Kia
become
the
5th
largest
carmaker
in
the
country
thanks
to
its
appeal
and
that
of
its
smaller
and
larger
siblings
for
India.
However,
over
the
same
period,
new
rivals
have
emerged
from
players
like
Maruti
Suzuki,
MG,
and
Toyota
have
emerged
on
the
scene,
attracting
customers
away
from
the
Seltos.
Keen
to
return
to
its
old
highs,
Kia
has
updated
the
India-spec
Seltos
to
the
SUV’s
international
level.
So
do
these
more
than
skin-deep
changes
to
the
Kia
Seltos
make
it
the
compact
SUV
to
buy,
or
is
this
another
case
of
the
emperor’s
new
clothes?
We
drove
the
facelifted
2023
Kia
Seltos
in
Nagpur
to
find
the
answers.
2023
Kia
Seltos
Design
&
Features
–
Nip
&
Tuck
And
So
Much
More
At
first
glance,
not
much
seems
to
have
changed
in
the
Seltos
2.0
compared
to
its
predecessor.
However,
look
closer
at
the
compact
SUV,
and
the
changes
are
more
visible.
The
front
end
features
a
new
grille
(without
any
variant
badging)
and
daytime
running
lights
streaking
through
its
centre.
The
front
bumper
is
a
revised
unit,
with
the
GT
and
X
line
models
continuing
to
sport
slightly
different
setups
from
the
other
variant
options.
The
sides
remain
mostly
unchanged
though
the
wheels
feature
a
new
design.
Depending
on
the
variant,
the
new
Seltos
comes
with
up
to
five
wheel
choices
–
four
alloys
and
a
single
steelie
ranging
from
16
to
18
inches
in
size.
The
changes
at
the
rear
are
easier
to
spot,
with
the
Seltos
sporting
connected
LED
taillights
instead
of
the
chrome
bar
on
the
previous
Seltos.
GT
line
models
also
sport
a
dual-exhaust
setup
which
exits
out
either
side
of
the
faux
rear
bash
plate.
Step
inside
the
new
2023
Seltos
facelift,
and
the
changes
made
to
the
updated
SUV
are
easier
to
spot.
While
each
trim
line
sports
a
different
upholstery
setup,
the
dash
and
the
roof
are
where
the
transformations
are
most
visible.
Sitting
on
the
dash
are
two
10.25-inch
displays
borrowed
from
the
EV6,
with
the
one
on
the
right
acting
as
a
digital
driver’s
display
while
the
one
on
the
left
is
an
HD
touchscreen
screen
for
the
infotainment.
The
infotainment
unit
supports
Android
Auto
and
Apple
CarPlay
and
comes
connected
to
a
premium
audio
system
from
Bose.
This
screen
is
where
you’ll
also
be
able
to
pair
up
with
the
Kia
Connect,
which
allows
you
to
pair
your
smartwatch
or
phone
with
the
car
to
access
a
boatload
of
connected
car
features.
The
Seltos
cabin
also
sports
a
dual-zone
fully
automatic
air
conditioning
system,
which
keeps
the
owners
cool
or
hot
when
needed.
The
seats
are
comfortable
to
sit
in,
with
the
front
seats
featuring
ventilation,
while
the
ones
at
the
rear
offer
decent
room
for
even
those
on
the
higher
side
of
six
feet.
Enhancing
the
roomy
and
airy
feel
of
the
cabin
is
the
massive
dual-pane
sunroof
that
can
be
opened
and
closed
with
voice
commands.
Other
features
onboard
include
a
wireless
phone
charger,
air
purifier,
electric
parking
brake,
360-degree
camera,
heads-up
display
and
leatherette
seat
upholstery.
The
new
Seltos
also
comes
packed
to
the
gills
with
safety
equipment
like
six
airbags,
ABS
with
EBD,
Brake
Assist,
Electronic
Stability
Control,
Traction
Control,
Hill
Descent
Control,
Hill
Hold
Control,
Vehicle
Stability
Management,
front
and
rear
parking
sensors,
ISOFIX
and
all-wheel
disc
brakes
among
others.
The
Seltos
also
sports
ADAS
Level
2
driving
aids
which
include
the
likes
of
cruise
control
with
stop-and-go
functionality,
front
collision
warning
and
avoidance
assist
(FCW
and
FCA),
Lane
Keep
Assist,
Blind
Spot
Collision
Warning
and
more.
2023
Kia
Seltos
Specs
&
Dimensions:
Options
Galore
The
Kia
Seltos
sports
three
engine
options
and
a
total
of
4
gearboxes.
The
facelifted
Seltos
retains
the
naturally
aspirated
1.5-litre
petrol
engine
with
113bhp
and
144Nm
of
peak
torque
and
comes
paired
with
either
a
6-speed
manual
or
an
iVT
gearbox.
The
1.5-litre
diesel
engine
remains
unchanged,
with
the
oil
burner
still
producing
114bhp
and
250Nm
of
peak
torque.
The
diesel
comes
paired
with
iMT
and
automatic
6-speed
transmission
options.
The
new
kid
under
the
hood
is
the
1.5-litre
turbo-petrol.
This
new
force-fed
powerplant
churns
out
158bhp
and
253Nm
of
peak
torque.
The
new
engine
comes
with
6-speed
iMT
and
7-speed
DCT
automatic
gearbox
options.
Dimensionally,
the
Seltos
remains
unchanged
–
4,365mm
long,
1,800mm
wide,
and
1,645mm
tall
with
a
2,610mm
long
wheelbase.
The
Seltos
offers
190mm
ground
clearance
and
a
433-litre
boot.
2023
Kia
Seltos
Driving
Impressions
–
More
Boost
For
The
Win
During
our
time
with
the
facelifted
Seltos,
we
got
to
experience
the
SUV
with
its
new
turbocharged
engine
and
7-speed
DCT
automatic
gearbox.
The
engine
is
the
most
powerful
in
the
segment
producing
158bhp
at
5,500rpm
and
253Nm
of
peak
torque
between
1,500
and
3,500rpm.
The
power
delivery
from
the
engine
right
from
the
start
is
quite
responsive.
The
turbo
spools
up
quickly,
and
the
powerplant
offers
a
good
mid-range
and
a
very
usable
top
end.
There
are
three
engine
modes
on
offer
–
Eco,
Normal
and
Sport,
with
the
throttle
response
sharpening
as
you
move
from
Eco
to
Sport.
The
7-speed
DCT
gearbox
shifts
through
the
ratios
quite
smoothly,
making
the
Seltos
easy
to
use
in
the
city.
However,
when
you
want
to
overtake,
it
takes
a
few
seconds
before
shifting
down
the
ratios
to
the
required
gear.
The
suspension
setup
for
the
facelifted
Seltos
continues
to
be
the
best
of
both
worlds
despite
being
slightly
on
the
stiffer
end.
It
deals
with
the
bumps
and
ruts
of
our
roads
while
being
stiff
enough
to
take
on
the
curves
without
rolling
about
too
much.
The
steering
feels
light
and
easy
to
use,
allowing
you
to
switch
lanes
with
a
quick
flick
of
the
wheel.
Changing
driving
modes
also
see
the
steering
wheel
weigh
up
and
get
sharper
as
you
move
up
from
Eco
to
Sport.
The
addition
of
ADAS
is
a
welcome
one.
The
different
systems
work
seamlessly,
keeping
you
safe
on
the
move
and
are
a
brilliant
addition
to
the
Seltos’ safety
shield
for
its
occupants.
Final
Thoughts
On
The
2023
Kia
Seltos
Facelift:
More
Than
A
Regular
Nip
&
Tuck
The
facelifted
Kia
Seltos
brings
several
changes,
including
a
brand
new
turbo
petrol
engine,
ADAS
and
more
standard
kit.
These
changes
combine
to
make
the
new
Kia
Seltos
the
perfect
SUV
in
its
class
for
both
the
daily
city
commute
and
a
bit
of
fun
when
you
want
as
well.
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