After revealing initial sketches which gave a glimpse of what Kia’s first vehicle for India will look like, it is now nearly confirmed that the SP2i Mid SUV will be christened as the Seltos. To be revealed on the 20th of June in India, the Kia Seltos will be launched in the coming months to compete against the likes of the Harrier, the Kicks, the MG Hector and the Mahindra XUV500 among others. The Seltos will be positioned as a premium offering which will be priced slightly more than its cousin, the Creta.
This brand new Kia will be a global vehicle that will be introduced in India first and then to the World. Promising to offer a premium experience, it will be designed to appear sporty, youthful and modern. Besides the appearance, its cabin will be appointed with high-grade materials and the layout will mirror that too. Packed to the gills, the Kia Seltos will come fitted with a 10.25-inch touchscreen for infotainment which will be compatible with popular phone software and the car will also feature ‘Sound Mood Lighting’, what we think is a different take on ambient illumination inside the cabin.
Also Read: Upcoming Kia Mid SUV To Come Fitted With A 10.25″ Screen, Off-Road Mode & Exciting Features
However, the most interesting feature we observed after zooming into official sketches is that the Kia Seltos could come fitted with a dial next to the automatic gearbox’s lever which reads ‘OFFROAD’. On the same panel, we also could see a button for engaging a rear electronic diff lock, which means that power could be sent to all four wheels. The sketch also revealed other buttons which activate the ventilation feature for the driver and co-passenger seats, Hill descent control, switching the traction control off, switching the parking sensors off. There’s another button with a steering wheel icon on it which could be for park assist, driving modes, or even different steering modes like the XUV300.
The Kia Seltos could also feature an electronic parking brake and active cruise control. However, since this will be a Global vehicle, it remains to be seen how many of these features make it to the India-spec car. The first Kia for India could be offered with two engine choices – 1.5-litre diesel and 1.5-litre petrol, both available with a choice of manual and automatic gearboxes. We’ll bring you all the updates closer to the official reveal and also come back with a review once we get our hands on the car.