Marking its entry to the Indian market, leading Korean brand Kia has unveiled its first product for the Indian market, the Seltos SUV. To make its way to showrooms soon, this SUV comes with a number of features, many of them are segment first, and the car is built to global standards for the Indian market. This car, when launched, would be competing against the likes of the Nissan Kicks, Renault Captur and the segment leader, the Hyundai Creta. Moreover, going by the immense number of features on offer with this car, it could also prove to be a nice alternative of lower variants of cars like the Tata Harrier, Jeep Compass and the newcomer MG Hector. Here is all you need to know about this brand new Korean SUV.
Interior
The Seltos is quite a looker. On the inside, the car comes with a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, along with an 8-speaker system from Bose. Customers of this SUV will also get ventilated seats, an air purifier, ample storage space and ambient lighting which works in conjunction with the music being played. Rear passengers get their own sunshades and AC vents. The overall quality of the materials appears to be good and feels well built. Another segment first feature of the Kia Seltos is the inclusion of an 8-inch heads-up display, which is seen in cars in much higher segments.
Exterior
The Seltos comes with a trademark tiger nose grille, which is found in all Kia cars sold all over the world and number of other design highlights. Here are the exterior design highlights of the car:
- Kia signature Tiger Nose Grille
- Premium Crystal Cut alloy wheels
- Crown Jewel LED headlamps
- Kia Signature Heartbeat shape LED DRL & tail lamps
- Ice cube LED Fog lamps
- 3D Multilayer Side turn indicator
- Diamond shape knurling on the front grille
- Well-designed Lower Air dam & Bumper
- 8 colours and 5 two-tone options
- Dual muffler design on rear bumpers
- Bridge chrome line on the rear
Drivetrain
Kia made it clear that all the engines that would be offered with the Seltos SUV would be BS – VI compliant. While details of the other engines are not revealed yet, Kia did mention the offering of GT line of the SUV, which would come with a 1.4-litre turbocharged GDI petrol motor. This motor would be paired with a 7-speed DCT gearbox, delivering the most engaging driving experience. Another petrol and diesel motor would be offered as well. In terms of transmission options, Kia will off a total of four, 3 automatic and one manual, they are:
- IVT (Intelligent continuously variable transmission)
- 7-speed DCT
- 6-speed AT (torque converter)
- 6-speed manual
Moreover, the SUV will also offer different engine mapping options, which are eco mode, normal mode and sport mode, which would lightly change the way the car performs and delivers its power. Moreover, the car will also come with multiple grip modes – mud, wet and sand mode, which would make the car perform better in those particular situations.
UVO
The Kia Seltos will also offer the UVO connect feature, which will provide a host of connected features. This system will offer a total of 37 features, under five distinct categories i.e. Navigation, Safety and Security, Vehicle Management, Remote Control and Convenience. This service will be free of cost for customers for the first three years. Some of the features of this system are:
- AI Voice Command
- Stolen vehicle tracking and immobilization
- Auto Collision Notification, SOS-emergency assistance etc.
- Remote engine start & stop
- Remotely operated Air Purifier and In-Car Air Quality Monitor
- Safety alert (Geo fence, Time Fence, Speed, Valet, Idle)
Safety
Safety has been a high priority for engineers and designers at Kia. The Seltos uses a lightweight structure which uses 73% high Strength Steel and segment’s 1st Hot Stamping. Apart from that, Kia will also provide a segment first blind spot monitor, along with a 360-degree camera and driving rearview monitor (DRVM). Other highlights on the safety front include:
- 6 Airbags
- ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
- ESC (Electronic Stability Control)
- HAC
- VSM (Vehicle Stability Management)
- Traction control system
- BAS (Brake-Assist System)
- HAC (Hill-start Assist Control)
- Stolen vehicle notification, tracking and immobilization
- Stolen vehicle notification and tracking
Kia Motors considers India to be a very important market, and has invested a lot of time and money to be successful over here. Apart from creating a brilliant product for the Indian market in the form of the Seltos, the company has also worked to create a solid dealership network. Kia will go live with a vast 265 authorised touchpoints across 160 cities in India, and is committed to providing the highest number of touch points from a new car manufacturer in the country. Adding to customer’s convenience and delight, Kia Motors India will also digitalise its sales and service offerings enabling a hassle-free ownership experience. As Kia Motors India proceed further, the company is all set to increase the number of its touchpoints and committed to offer its service to even tier 4 markets along with tier 1,2 and 3.
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Commenting on the occasion Mr Han Woo Park, CEO & President, Kia Motors Corporation, said, “India is a crucial market for Kia Motors overall growth story and will play an important role in expanding our global footprint. India is a diverse country with the distinct driving condition across the country and hence it was crucial to introduce a vehicle which is perfect in every sense. We are excited to pursue our India journey with Kia Seltos which is crafted and built keeping in mind the Indian customers and their needs. We believe that Seltos is all set to propel Kia into becoming one of India’s prominent automobile players in the years to come. Globally, the world premiere of the Seltos is an important milestone for Kia as it shows our commitment to the Indian market. This is just the beginning as we have many surprises for the 4th largest auto market in the world.” With such a promising car and such a promising start to the journey, stay tuned for more updates, including the specs, variants and pricing of the car, as and when available.