Kia India unveils Seltos Facelift; pre-booking starts on July 14

Korean automaker Kia India unveiled the new version of its flagship mid-size SUV (sports utility vehicle) Seltos on Tuesday. The pre-bookings for the Seltos Facelift will begin on July 14. Though the company has not revealed the price, Kia Seltos Facelift is touted to lock horns with Hyundai Creta.

Kia currently commands a 7% market share in the SUV segment. With the launch of the Kia Seltos Facelift, the company aims to expand its presence in the mid-SUV segment. Since its launch in August 2019, Seltos has been the multi-bagger model for the Korean automaker, thus accounting for 55% of its sales. Earlier this year, the mid-size SUV touched the crucial 5,00,000 sales mark.

"We feel that there is a lot of growth potential in the mid-SUV segment, and the new Seltos will grow the premium end of it. With the refreshed look, most powerful engine in the segment, and host of safety and smart features, the new Seltos inevitably will emerge as the most preferred drive for our new-age customers," says Tae-Jin Park, MD and CEO, Kia India.

Features in Seltos Facelift

The company has upgraded several features in Seltos Facelift. Just like in Kia’s electric EV6, the company has introduced level 2 ADAS (advanced driver-assistance system) aided by three radars (1 front and 2 corner rear) and one front camera in Seltos Facelift as well. The ADAS system is equipped with 17 features.

The mid-size SUV is also equipped with 32 other safety features, including the 15 safety features, called as 'Robust 15 Standard Safety Pack' such as the standard six airbags and three Point Seat Belts for all the variants. Along with this, the new Seltos has 11 active safety features, including ABS (anti-lock brake system), BAS (brake force assist system), all-wheel disc brakes, ESC (electronic stability control), and VSM (vehicle stability management), amongst others.

G1.5 T-GDi Petrol Engine

The Seltos Facelift is powered by the smart stream G1.5 T-GDi petrol engine, generating 160ps of power and 253 Nm of Torque. The company claims this makes Seltos Facelift the most-powerful turbocharged engine in the segment. The SUV also comes with 5 transmission options i.e. MT, iMT, IVT, 6AT, and 7DCT.

Apart from this, the new version is equipped with many segment-leading features such as dual screen panoramic display with 26.04 cm fully digital cluster & 26.03 cm HD touchscreen navigation, dual-zone fully automatic air conditioner, and R18 46.20 cm crystal cut glossy black alloy wheels. Kia has also included a dual pane panoramic sunroof and electric parking brake in the new Seltos.

In the January to June period, Kia India recorded a 12% increase in its sales to 1,36,108 units led by Seltos. However, the company’s sales in June declined by 19% to 19,391 units.