The Kia Seltos is where nonpareil styling marries an electrifying equipment array
After rounds of teasing, Kia Motors India has finally taken the veils off its maiden offering for India, the Seltos SUV, thereby announcing a splendiferous entry into the Indian market. With a pool of world, India and segment firsts onboard, the Seltos would be available for sale globally by the 4th quarter of 2019.
Designed according to the whims of the Indian buyers, the Seltos stuns us in terms of styling, quality and equipment, and would have India as one of the first markets to go on sale in!
Commenting on the occasion Mr. Han-Woo Park, CEO & President, Kia Motors Corporation, said, “India is 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 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.”
The Kia Seltos SUV, if you might recall, is the production guise of the stunning Kia SP Concept that was displayed during the previous Delhi Auto Expo. The car had amassed huge rounds of applause back then. The unconditional opulence of the concept has made it to the production model as well. The Kia Seltos looks breathtakingly conspicuous with its clean body lines and the thoroughly poised front and rear motifs.
The Seltos, the first of upcoming Kia cars in India, looks specifically KIA-ish. There is the familiar Tiger Nose grille doing up the front. Other smart looking design cues include the front and rear LED lamps, muscular shoulder line, premium crystal cut alloys, Ice Cube LED fog lamps, 3D Multilayer Side Turn indicator, flashy looking air dam and bumper up front, sporty rear bumper with dual mufflers etc. Essentially a treat for the eyes, the Kia Seltos is available in 8 colours and 5 two-tone paint schemes.
It seems things are much juicy in the Kia Seltos Interior as well. There is an air of premiumness inside the cabin too. A number of interior colour schemes are heard to be on offer. But Kia India is yet to shed much light on the details. For now, we just know that the cabin is well laid out, intensely good-looking and heartwarming to be in.
The Kia Seltos is indeed a perfect mate for the tech-savvy, as this SUV packs oodles of exciting tech and fairly amusing features. The most epoch-making among these is the Kia’s globally acclaimed UVO connect technology, that is essentially a connected car tech enhancing the convenience and safety of the driver and the occupants.
It has around 37 smart features, put under 5 main titles, viz- Navigation, Safety and Security, Vehicle Management, Remote Control and Convenience. UVO will be free to use, for the first three years. Stuff like 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) are all part of the system.
From the vague cues given out by Kia India regarding the Kia Seltos specs, we know it to be one of a kind and the best in the segment. The Seltos would come equipped with SmartStream- the newly developed third generation BS VI compliant powertrain from Kia Motors.
There would be both petrol and diesel engine options on offer, both being BS VI compliant right from the beginning! The Seltos would come with three engines and four transmission options to choose from. The petrol, turbo -petrol and diesel mills would all be as appealing to the average Indian buyer as the 6-speed manual, IVT, (Intelligent continuously variable transmission) 7DCT and 6AT transmissions being offered.
To ensure its driver the right driving experience that he desires for, the Seltos features three different drive modes- ‘Normal’, ‘Eco’, and ‘Sport’. There would also be a selectable grip control option on offer, that lets you choose from mud, wet and sand modes.
Safety sees no compromise on the Kia Seltos, as is the case with all other Kia cars. There is a glut of safety tech onboard the car like 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)etc. The shell has been built with high usage of advanced high strength steel (AHSS). There are parking sensors up front and in the rear. The Seltos will come with the segment’s first 360-degree camera with Blind View Monitor and Driving Rear View Monitor (DRVM).
There hasn’t been any official word on the Kia Seltos price yet, more on that is expected to be revealed only after the market-launch of the car. However, some of our trusted sources have hinted it to fall in the INR 11-18 lacs range.
Despite being a new entrant into the Indian market, Kia Motors India seems to have done every bit in ensuring that the customers have ample count of touchpoints and dealerships to get in touch with and buy from, right from the beginning. Kia has brought up around 265 touch points spread across 160 cities, that would spring into operation once the Seltos hits the market later this year. The Kia showrooms have been built following the brand’s latest guidelines and feature a ‘Red Cube’ design. Every measure to ensure the perfect customer experience is known to have been done inside each Kia Motors showroom.
Thus, there isn’t much to think about if one falls head over heels for the Seltos, it would be more of a ‘take my money and gimme the car’ deal, post the official Kia Seltos launch in India, later this year…
