Complete Guide to Buying a Kia Seltos

If what you seek in a car is practicality, comfort, and utility, then the SUV segment is what you need. Revered as one of the best-selling segments in the Indian automotive market, SUVs have a lot to offer on every budget. But despite all the options, when it comes to the best in terms of features, looks, performance and a feel-good factor, the Kia Seltos is a name that shines. Launched in 2019, the Kia Seltos was the South Korean manufacturer’s first offering for India and was a strategic launch that paved the way for the brand’s success.

As Kia Motors’ make-or-break product, the Seltos with its exceptional package was quick to impress, receiving over 50,000 bookings in just two months. Fast forward to 2023, the Seltos’s popularity has only grown with time, with over 1 lakh units sold in FY 22-23. Month after month, the Seltos has emerged as one of India’s best-selling SUVs and rightly so. What makes the Seltos an irresistible package, is its approach of offering a lot more for a lot less. So if you are looking to upgrade to an SUV for your family this year, then buying the Seltos makes perfect sense. But before you head out to bring home the Seltos, here’s a complete buying guide to help you analyse every little thing about the SUV, including specifications, variant lineup, and after-sales experience.

Kia Seltos Specification

Launched to directly lock horns with the Hyundai Creta, the Kia Seltos came in as a refreshing option that attracted those who wanted more out of their SUVs. Despite the segment’s cutthroat competition, the Seltos with its aggressive price tag manages to emerge as one of the best-selling SUVs in India, giving tough competition to not just the Hyundai Creta, but also SUVs such as the Tata Nexon, Skoda Kushaq, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, and Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara. Here’s what the Seltos packs in:

Why you should consider the Kia Seltos

While there might be a plethora of options in the SUV segment, the Kia Seltos still manages to stand out from the crowd with several advantages that are focused towards delivering an unmatched user experience. If you are curious to know what makes the Seltos a true leader, here are a few reasons why you should consider the Kia Seltos over other competitors in the same price bracket.

Loaded with features

One thing that makes Kia an unparalleled name in the market, is the brand’s attention to detail, especially in terms of onboard features. Every offering from the carmaker is loaded to the brim with modern-day features that elevates the overall ownership experience. And the genesis of it all was the Kia Seltos. In its latest generation, the Seltos is one of the most feature-rich SUVs in its segment. When compared to its arch-rival Hyundai Creta, the Seltos shines with features like an 8-inch heads up display and a two-step rear seat recline. Pitched against competitors like the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, and the Skoda Kushaq, the Kia Seltos offers noteworthy features such as a larger 10.25-inch touch infotainment system, smart air purifier and perfume along with a blind view monitor, and premium BOSE audio setup. With so much onboard, the Seltos is truly one of the most loaded SUVs in the market and a great value for your money.

Astonishing Looks

When it comes to looks, the Kia Seltos is astonishing from every angle. With balanced yet sporty looks, the Seltos comes as one of the best-looking SUVs in the market. The entire cosmetic design of the Seltos speaks volumes about the South Korean manufacturer’s design language that renders the SUV a distinctive character. When compared to competitors like the Hyundai Creta and the MG Astor the Seltos brings in a design that isn’t very polarising. The Seltos is modern but does not attempt to go overboard with it. This gives the SUV a look that tends not to offend a lot of people. In comparison to the design of rivals such as the Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, Urban Cruiser Hyryder and the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, the Seltos brings a sporty yet aggressive look that feels perfectly balanced. Elements like the crown jewel LED headlamps and ice cube LED fog lamps, renders the SUV its striking appearance that feels quite unique. Another thing that makes the Seltos rather special, is its exclusive matte graphite finish that looks absolutely stunning and is unmatched by any other competitor in the market. 

Exhilarating performance and improved safety

Ever since its launch, the Kia Seltos has been one of the most dynamic SUVs in its class. Evolving with changing emission norms, the Seltos has had a journey of its own. In its current generation, the Seltos is one of the very few SUVs offering a BS6 compliant diesel engine along with a petrol counterpart. The 1.5-litre diesel engine onboard the Seltos is one of the most refined engines in its class and has the right amount of punch and pickup. Offering exhilarating performance the diesel engine is a bliss to drive around and offers great efficiency of up to 21 km/l. The 1.5-litre petrol engine, on the other hand, is extremely reliable and offers dynamic performance and balanced driving dynamics. Complementing it all are the SUV’s improved safety features such as six airbags, all-wheel disc brakes, tyre pressure monitoring system, hill assist, electronic stability control and brake assist, all as part of the standard package; something that is not yet offered by any other competitor.

Why you should not consider the Kia Seltos

Despite its advantages, the Kia Seltos has its own set of shortcomings which is quite natural. While the Seltos surely offers some great advantages over the competition, there still are a few compromises that must be considered before you make a decision, especially when the competition is diverse and the market is filled with some great options. Here’s where the Seltos lacks

A stiff suspension setup

While there is no denying the fact that the Kia Seltos offers an exhilarating performance, it is also true that the Seltos comes with a suspension setup that is a bit on the stiffer side. The suspension seems to incline more towards the SUV’s sporty side, offering a ride that isn’t as cushiony as you would expect it to be. The Seltos might feel a bit jerky over big bumps, but it isn’t uncomfortable as such. But when three passengers occupy the second row, the SUV brushes against the ground when manoeuvring over a bad road or even a steep speed breaker. Overall, the suspension setup of the Seltos when compared to what’s offered on the Hyundai Creta feels stiffer and there’s surely scope for improvement there as it affects the overall in-cabin comfort, especially on long journeys.

Limited service network reach

No matter how many times the Seltos becomes a best-seller, Kia as a brand is still growing in the market and there is no denying that. Entering India in 2019, the brand as a whole is only a few years old in the market and is still managing to create a nationwide presence. While the repercussions of the growth stage might not bother those living in Tier I or even Tier II cities, where the brand has truly made its presence felt, it is the Tier III cities and beyond where the brand lacks a wide sales and service network reach. In several semi-urban and rural areas, the brand’s service centre is either absolutely absent or highly far-fetched, which is a big reason to avoid the Kia Seltos, especially if you live in areas where the OEM has a limited reach. When compared to competitors, Kia has a long way to go, and that will haunt the brand till it grows.

Kia Seltos Variants

The Kia Seltos is offered in two broad trims: the Tech (HT) Line and the GT Line. While the former features five variants (HTE, HTK, HTK+, HTX, and HTX+), the latter has only two: GTX(O) and GTX+. Kia also offers a special edition X Line variant which is based on the GTX trim. The cheapest Seltos variant is the Kia Seltos HTE which has a price tag of Rs. 10.89 Lakh, while the most expensive variant of the Seltos is the Seltos GTX+ and X-Line which comes with a price tag of Rs. 19.35 Lakh and 19.65 Lakh respectively. Here’s the complete variant lineup of the SUV:

Best Kia Seltos Variant to Buy

While the Kia Seltos is loaded in terms of features and safety, straight from the base model, there still is quite a long list of variants to choose from, with each offering a little more than the other. However, when pitched against each other, the Seltos HTX seems to be the best pick for both petrol and diesel manual lovers. In terms of the automatic trims, the HTX IVT Petrol and the HTX+ Diesel AT are the best picks. These trims offer most of the SUV’s key features including the highly boasted ones such as premium BOSE audio, ventilated seats (HTX+), smartwatch connectivity and much more. Safety-wise as well, these trims offer everything the Seltos has up its sleeve.

Kia Seltos Warranty and Service Costs

In its journey towards becoming a pan-Indian OEM, Kia’s commitment towards a hassle-free sales and service experience is truly commendable. Being a Kia product, the Seltos comes with a 3-year/unlimited kilometres warranty with 24/7 roadside assistance. In terms of maintenance, the Seltos offering both a petrol and diesel option will demand an annual service cost of about Rs. 8 to 10 thousand for the Diesel trims, while for the Petrol ones, the cost will be around 6 to 8 thousand. This makes the Seltos’s 5-year maintenance cost fall anywhere between Rs. 40 to 50 thousand.

Summary

Creating a niche for itself, the Kia Seltos has in just a few years managed to impress over 3.5 lakh happy buyers. Despite intense competition, the Seltos with its astonishing looks, loaded features and capable powertrain has left quite a mark on the market. Year after year, the Seltos has rightly secured a place in the best-sellers. Offering a lot of exciting features, the Seltos is almost a perfect SUV, with still a few bits to improve. Nonetheless, the Seltos have evolved with time and that’s what matters in the long run.

FAQs about KIA Seltos