The Kia Seltos has been among the many hottest vehicles in its class in India since its launch in 2019. The mid-size city SUV is simply as appropriate for metropolis driving as it’s for freeway driving, however what it has actually labored for the automotive in India is its method to the market with heavy options. Varied options like Kia Join (previously referred to as UVO) and autonomous security tips constructed into the automotive have helped set the Kia Seltos other than the sturdy competitors within the section.
Kia has now unveiled the 2023 facelift for the Kia Seltos, which comes with additional enhancements to the automotive's already wealthy function set, together with a brand new premium 'X-line' trim, and improved engine and transmission choices in all variants. I had an opportunity to drive the brand new Kia Seltos and take a look at the options throughout a visit from Nagpur to the Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, and listed below are a few of the highlights of Kia's new mid-size Seltos.
The Kia Seltos (2023) X-line is available in a brand new Matte Graphite coloration and end.
Kia Seltos (2023) value in India, variants
The Kia Seltos (2023) is priced from Rs. 10.90 lakh to Rs. 19.99 lakh rupees (ex-showroom) in India, relying on the variant. Pricing relies on engine, transmission and trim choices, with variants starting from the entry-level HTE trim to the brand new X-line high, which is the one one obtainable within the new Matte Graphite coloration. Different coloration choices embrace the brand new Pewter Olive, together with a number of different shiny metallic colours.
Accessible in Petrol, Diesel and Turbo Petrol variants throughout all trims, you too can select from numerous transmission choices together with handbook, iMT (clutchless handbook), and three computerized variants equivalent to CVT, torque converter and DCT. Some variants even have handbook override through paddle shifters. For my drive, I had the Kia Seltos (2023) GT-line with the Turbo Petrol engine in Pewter Olive, which comes with all the foremost security and expertise options.
Kia Seltos (2023): Superior Driver Help System (ADAS) needs to maintain you
With a renewed give attention to security, the Kia Seltos places its ADAS (Superior Driver Help System) on the forefront of its function choices, along with having six airbags and four-wheel disc brakes as customary on all and variants. ADAS is on the market in several vehicles at totally different ranges starting from 0 (no automation) to five (full automation), and the Kia Seltos suits into ADAS Stage 2, which is ready to supply a sure stage of automation and hands-on management. off
That is the primary time I've pushed a automotive with any stage of automation, I discovered the expertise a bit scary at first, with the ADAS performance controlling the automotive a bit for me in sure conditions, which was a bit unusual. There are 17 options that use ADAS on the Kia Seltos (2023), most of which you hope you by no means see put to make use of, equivalent to ahead collision warning and ahead collision help. go forward.
Different ADAS features had been introduced in secure take a look at environments through the drive, whereas a few of the smaller inclusions may very well be seen consistently at work through the few hours I drove the Seltos. All that is supported by a 360-degree digicam system, which supplies a transparent view throughout the automotive, working whereas driving and in gradual conditions, equivalent to when parking.
Within the secure take a look at surroundings, skilled Kia drivers demonstrated how the automotive would autonomously apply the brakes, concern loud audio warnings, or autonomously countersteer in conditions the place a collision was imminent, both with one other automotive and even in conditions the place a door was opened whereas a car was approaching alongside the aspect.
There are two 10.25-inch screens within the Kia Seltos – one for the infotainment system, and the second for the digital instrument cluster.
Personally, I used to be capable of see options like lane conserving help, blind spot collision help and clever cruise management in motion whereas driving. On multi-lane highways with well-marked lanes, the Kia Seltos (2023) managed to take care of its lane a lot of the time, sometimes prompting me with bodily suggestions to make minor steering corrections. The totally digital instrument cluster clearly confirmed the blind spot when pointing left or proper, whereas the cruise management was capable of range its pace primarily based on that of the automotive in entrance of me when wanted.
As talked about earlier than, I used to be a bit nervous when these options began working for me, as I'm not often used to my automotive appearing by itself, even when it's for my very own security. That mentioned, I received used to most of it shortly, and to be truthful, I continued to have major management of the automotive always, with solely offering weak suggestions via the wheel. That mentioned, the Driver Consideration Warning beeps each quarter-hour telling you to cease for espresso which will get drained in a short time.
Kia Seltos (2023): Kia Join, voice instructions, and massive screens
Kia Join is one thing I first tried on the Kia Sonet when it was nonetheless known as the Kia UVO, and issues have improved fairly a bit since then. That is primarily due to the massive 10.25-inch contact infotainment system that traces up subsequent to the equally sized digital instrument cluster. These two collectively give the Kia Seltos fairly the futuristic appear and feel, in addition to placing a number of details about the automotive in simple view.
Whilst you have the choice of connecting your smartphone through USB for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto UI and performance, you’ll be able to simply depend on the Kia Join system. The automotive has a completely linked system, which depends by itself knowledge connection to work with features equivalent to voice instructions, detailed mapping for navigation, and extra. I can navigate to main factors of curiosity and provides voice instructions reliably, even in comparatively distant areas just like the Pench tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
For music, you’ll be able to join a number of gadgets through wired or wi-fi connection, with the Kia Seltos (2023) sporting a Bose speaker system on the variant I drove. Sound high quality was anticipated to be respectable even with a Bluetooth connection, and there have been even some attention-grabbing ambient soundtracks preloaded on the Kia Join system for quiet and peaceable listening.
The Kia Seltos (2023) now comes with a 1.5L turbo petrol engine choice, providing 158 bhp and 253 Nm of torque, and mated to an optionally available DCT computerized gearbox.
The Kia Join app additionally permits you to view knowledge in regards to the automotive, equivalent to gas vary, standing and placement, other than remotely checking and stopping the automotive even when you find yourself not sitting in it. Different technology-focused options embrace complete diagnostics for the automotive and ADAS features that may be managed via the screens, navigation configured via the smartphone with directions despatched to the automotive, distant local weather management, and a sensible air air purifier constructed into the automotive. ensure you breathe clear air in Seltos.
Voice instructions work to regulate a lot of the automotive's features, equivalent to opening the panoramic roof, navigating to particular places and factors of curiosity, turning the air con on or off, and opening or shut the home windows, amongst different issues. There have been events the place I needed to repeat myself, however the voice instructions had been often proper. Specifically, these work not solely in English, but in addition in bilingual (Hindi with English), with instructions like 'sunroof. development' or 'AC karo band'works reliably.
Kia Seltos (2023): How is it to drive?
The Kia Seltos (2023) is on the market in three engine variants, with totally different transmission choices linked to particular variants. I had the brand new turbo petrol variant for my take a look at drive, which is essentially the most succesful when it comes to braking energy and torque output, making it essentially the most highly effective of the three variants. This was mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch computerized transmission (DCT), with paddle shifters providing a handbook override for these events the place you needed to take a little bit of management.
The automotive is kind of succesful and responsive in each metropolis and freeway circumstances, because of easy and straightforward shifts from the DCT field. It was additionally fairly conscious of throttle variations, and managed to settle effectively even on inclines like hilly roads, the place computerized transmissions generally really feel sluggish and out of types. The handbook override was a pleasant choice to have, however even when overtaking on the freeway, I not often ever felt the necessity to invoke it; merely placing my foot down despatched the message, and the Kia Seltos was capable of ship sufficient energy each within the metropolis and on the freeway.
All that is dealt with effectively, with the Kia Seltos (2023) feeling nearly like a sedan within the journey it affords. When cruising at round 70-80 km/h on the freeway in seventh gear, the Seltos was at its best possible, providing a easy experience with low revs guaranteeing good gas effectivity. The DCT gearbox is nimble sufficient to shift shortly as wanted, shortly placing me via lane adjustments and overtaking as wanted.
Closing ideas
Automotive security is an more and more necessary consider buying choices for patrons in India, and the Kia Seltos (2023) guarantees way more than that because of its ADAS Stage-2 function set. Along with defending you from doubtlessly critical accidents, the Seltos can also be effectively set as much as forestall even small and usually avoidable incidents, because of its spectacular 360-degree digicam setup and numerous help features equivalent to the upkeep help of lane and blind spot help. Some ADAS options like Driver Consideration Warning had been a bit annoying, however you’ll be able to flip off totally different ADAS options based on your preferences.
Technologically, that is among the many finest vehicles in its value section proper now, representing the way forward for linked driving and giving drivers a style of the longer term within the type of minor automation geared toward making the general driving expertise safer and simpler. Options equivalent to voice controls for automotive features and navigation, in addition to the Kia Join app and the interface for car diagnostics, make the expertise that a lot better.
All of that is backed up by an amazing driving expertise all through. That mentioned, with such a large value vary between the variants of the Kia Seltos, you'll wish to ensure you select the variant that actually has the whole lot you want. The well-equipped variants value way more than the essential ones; the highest X-line variants value nearly twice as a lot because the entry stage variant.
