Kia Seltos: What to expect?

Hailing from Korea, Kia is following the footsteps of its sister concern Hyundai from the native market, in expanding footprint in Malaysia. It plans to bring some of its popular models in the country including Seltos, which will join the likes of Honda HR-V, Nissan Kicks, Renault Captur and Mazda CX-3 in the B-segment in the coming months. While Kia has not revealed the official launch date, reports indicate Seltos could come out during the second quarter of 2020.

The model was recently previewed at the Singapore Motor Show, where it is expected to go on sale by July 2020. Kia is already selling it in some of the prominent markets including the US and two Asian countries including China and India. Interestingly, both India and China are two out of three production hubs for Seltos, other than Korea. As for the Malaysian market, Kia Seltos is one of the highly awaited upcoming SUVs here, which has been grabbing headlines lately, especially post its stint at the last year’s LA Auto show. While the launch is still months away, here is what to expect from the forthcoming Kia SUV, read on to know more.

How is it on the outside?

We have often heard about the proverb, the first impression is the last impression, and while it goes well with cars as well, Seltos seems to score high when it comes to visual appeal. The Kia Seltos images give us a peek into its contemporary design, reminiscent of the concept version, previewed under the SP Signature moniker. Most of the elements have been carried over from the concept, especially the angular lines and sharp creases. At the face, there are two-tier headlamp units and an aggressive grille that looks bold. Skid plates, body cladding, roof rails and modishly designed split tail-lamps are some other prominent exterior elements that enhance the aesthetic appeal.

What’s the cabin like?

No matter how plush a car looks from outside, it should be comfortable from inside, without compromising on aesthetics. This is the most used part by the occupants, and hence it is packed with a plethora of features to meet occupants’ expectations.
Speaking of Kia Seltos interior, it seems inspired by the larger Telluride, with a large touchscreen display fitted on the dashboard, right above the central air-con vents. While much hasn’t been revealed about the styling and list of features, the cabin is likely to come with a wireless charging tray and 7-inch digital multi-info display, while the talking point inside will be the eight-speaker Bose premium sound system.

What will it get under the skin?

As we have told before, Seltos is offered in the US, Indian, and Chinese markets among others, it remains to be seen which engines the Malaysian-spec model will get. The Indian-spec Seltos comes in three engine options including a 1.5L naturally-aspirated unit, a 1.4L turbocharged engine and a 1.5L oil burner. On the other hand, the US-spec Seltos is available with two petrol engines, missing out on a diesel unit. A 1.6L T-GDI turbocharged petrol and a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine power the US-bound model. While Kia Malaysia is yet to reveal Kia Seltos specs sheet, it is expected to borrow the 1.6-litre T-GDI turbocharged engine from the US-spec model, which is expected to come with a CVT gearbox. The turbocharged unit is tuned to make 177PS against 264Nm torque, and the naturally aspirated 2.0L engine is good for 149 PS with 179 Nm torque.

Seltos safety kit

Safety is another vital aspect in a vehicle that cannot be ignored. With most of the B and A segment passenger cars getting ABS, airbags, EBD, etc. as standard, these safety features have become essentials in the modern-day cars.

The Kia Seltos was recently tested by ANCAP (Australian New Car Assessment Program), a globally recognized safety entity that conducts crash tests on vehicles and provides ratings based on adult protection, child protection and several other parameters. ANCAP had conducted crash tests on Seltos lately, and awarded a five-star rating to the B segment SUV.

Having clinched impressive scores in almost all the tests, the tested version featured six airbags, anti-lock braking system with electronic brakeforce distribution, parking sensors with 360 view camera, lane keep assist system, autonomous emergency braking, emergency lane keeping and lane departure warning, etc. While Kia has not dropped a hint deeming the safety suite, it remains to be seen if the Malaysian spec model will receive all the above-mentioned features.

Kia Seltos price in Malaysia (expected)

The most crucial part while rolling out a new product in a market is the pricing it carries, and how it stacks up against the competition. A competitively priced, well-kitted model gets a cusp over rivals, hence eating into sales of other models. Kia Malaysia currently sells around eight models in the country ranging from the entry-level Picanto to Grand Carnival, a premium offering from the Korean car giant. As for Seltos, it will be positioned in the B segment. In the US market, Seltos was launched with a starting price of RM 92,000, however, it would be a bit premature to comment on the Kia Seltos expected price for the Malaysian market as no such details have been revealed from the carmaker.

The Kia Seltos has emerged as one of the most capable offerings in prominent markets including China, India and the US, and now it is readying to conquer the Malaysian and Singapore markets soon. Most of the details deeming the upcoming model are under the wraps and are expected to unfold as the launch nears sometime in July. Till then, keep looking for this space for latest updates related to Kia Seltos Malaysia launch.

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