Right after Hyundai launched the Venue, Kia prepares to reveal the Seltos. Believed to sit alongside the Soul in the automaker’s lineup, the compact UV looks more like a crossover instead of a box with four wheels. The date of the world premiere is June 20th, 2019.
Aimed at “youthful, tech-savvy buyers,” the Seltos will have to compete against a lot of rivals from Asian, European, and American brands. But on the other hand, the Seltos will help Kia bolster the crossover and SUV portfolio with a more conventional-looking alternative to the Soul. Don’t get us wrong; we dig the exterior design but we’re also aware the boxy profile isn’t to everyone’s liking.
To slot underneath the Sportage, the newcomer features a 10.25-inch UVO touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone mirroring. Speaking of which, BMW is charging $300 to add Apple CarPlay capability in vehicles as expensive as the 8 Series. BMW also charges an annual fee for Apple CarPlay, which goes to show how far corporate greed goes in Munich.
Turning our attention back to the Seltos, previous teasers of the compact crossover revealed a bone-stock instrument cluster, not the digital cockpit of the XCeed. The SP Concept-based model is expected with a 2.0-liter engine with natural aspiration and the 1.6 T-GDI with 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. The entry-level option is tuned to produce 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet.
Chief executive officer Han-Woo Park confirmed the three-row Telluride will be joined by a compact crossover in North America, and this might be our best clue yet the Seltos will be sold in this part of the world. Over in South Korea, production is expected to start this summer and sales will start in the second half of 2019 for the 2020 model year.
If you were wondering what’s a Seltos, Kia took inspiration from Greek mythology. Celtus is the son of Heracles, and he’s regarded as the progenitor of the Celts.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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