UPDATE:
Analysis: Has the Hyundai Creta finally met its match in the Kia Seltos?
Kia Seltos vs MG Hector: The battle of the newcomers
Kia Seltos bookings open in select cities
While we did get to see the Kia Seltos in the flesh for the first time at its global debut in New Delhi last week, Kia chose to keep key details – including the technical specifications – of its first model for India under wraps. Now, however, we have access to the Kia Seltos’ dimensions and engine details. Let’s get right to it, shall we?
The Kia Seltos measures in at 4,315mm in length, 1,800mm in width and 1,620mm in height. In terms of size, then, the Seltos is longer and wider than the Hyundai Creta, but isn’t quite as tall – the Creta stands 1,665mm tall (with roof rails). That said, at 2,610mm, the Seltos has a notably longer wheelbase than the Creta. The Kia Seltos’ ground clearance is rated at 190mm (the same as the Creta’s), and it has a 433-litre boot, which is a shade larger than the Creta’s 405-litre boot. Lower variants of the Seltos will run on 16-inch wheels shod in 205/65-section tyres, while the top-spec models will get 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 215/60-section tyres.
| Kia Seltos dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4315mm |
| Width | 1800mm |
| Height | 1620mm |
| Wheelbase | 2610mm |
| Ground clearance | 190mm |
| Boot capacity | 433 litres |
| Tyres | 205/65 R16-215/60 R17 |
| Turning diameter | 10.6m |
Coming to the Kia Seltos’ engine options, on offer will be a 1.5-litre Smartstream petrol engine producing 115hp and 144Nm of torque, a 1.5-litre CRDi diesel making 115hp and 250Nm of torque and a 1.4-litre T-GDI turbo-petrol churning out 140hp and 242Nm of torque. A 6-speed manual gearbox will be available with all variants, and there will be an automatic option for each engine – a 6-speed torque convertor for the 1.5-litre diesel, a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission for the 1.4 T-GDI and a CVT for the 1.5-litre petrol. All engine options are BS6-compliant, and are marginally less powerful than the 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines that power the Creta.
| Kia Seltos engines | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Seltos 1.5 petrol | Seltos 1.5 diesel | Seltos 1.4 turbo-petrol | |
| Type | 4 cyls, naturally aspirated petrol | 4 cyls, turbo-diesel | 4 cyls, turbo-petrol |
| Displacement | 1.5 litres | 1.5 litres | 1.4 litres |
| Power | 115hp | 115hp | 140hp |
| Torque | 144Nm | 250Nm | 242Nm |
| Manual gearbox | 6-speed | 6-speed | 6-speed |
| Automatic gearbox | CVT | 6-speed torque convertor | 7-speed dual-clutch |
At the global unveil event, Kia confirmed the Seltos will come with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a head-up display, 360-degree surround-view camera, rain-sensing wipers, auto headlights, an 8-speaker Bose sound system, ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, and there will be at least two interior colour schemes on offer – all-black and beige-and-black. Also part of the package will be Kia’s UVO Connect connectivity suite, which will include features such as AI-based voice command, stolen vehicle tracking and immobilisation, safety alerts, remote engine start and stop, auto collision notification and remote control of the air purifier, among other things. On the safety kit front, the Kia Seltos will pack six airbags, ABS, electronic stability control, vehicle stability management, hill start assist, front and rear parking sensors and a blind spot view monitor.
The Kia Seltos’ India launch is set to take place in late-August, with bookings expected to open by mid-July. It will be available pan-India, with Kia announcing that it will have 265 touchpoints across 160 cities in India at the time of launch. Expect Kia Seltos prices to range between Rs 11-17 lakh (ex-showroom).
Think the Kia Seltos’ size will give it an advantage over the Hyundai Creta? Let us know in the comments.
Also see:
Kia confirms compact SUV launch for 2020
Click here for Kia Seltos images, videos, details and more