Prior to now two years alone, some 19,000 Australians have had a Kia Seltos added to their driveway.

Sitting someplace between the small and medium segments when it comes to total dimension, the Seltos has cemented itself as a well-liked choice for Aussie automotive consumers that need the practicality and better hip level of a crossover or SUV, combined in with extra compact, city-friendly dimensions.

It’s seen fairly stable gross sales success with out outright phase management, largely as a result of the Korean model merely can not get sufficient of them – Australia has to compete with the South Korean and North American markets for provide, and the Seltos is kind of fashionable in each of these areas.

The facelifted mannequin first hit Australia final yr, and yours actually attended the Australian media launch. It introduced some stable upgrades to an already succesful product, in addition to a wider vary of variants and was the primary quantity product from the model to rollout Kia Join on-line companies.

A yr or so on, and the Seltos stays one of many high picks in a critically aggressive phase. Its mixture of worth, area and on-road manners are little question the important thing causes the nameplate has confirmed so fashionable.

On check now we have the penultimate 2024 Kia Seltos Sport+ trim with the elective 1.6-litre turbocharged AWD drivetrain. Is it the one you should purchase? Learn on to seek out out.

How does the Kia Seltos fare vs its opponents?

View an in depth breakdown of the Kia Seltos towards equally sized autos.

Kia

Seltos

How a lot does the Kia Seltos value?

The Seltos Sport+ will be had from $38,790 drive-away with the naturally aspirated petrol engine and front-wheel drive, or $42,290 drive-away for the turbo’d AWD model examined right here – $300 up on MY23.

Kia Seltos pricing:

• 2024 Kia Seltos S 2.Zero FWD: $31,990 (+$300)
• 2024 Kia Seltos Sport 2.Zero FWD: $35,690 (+$300)
• 2024 Kia Seltos Sport+ 2.Zero FWD: $38,790 (+$300)
• 2024 Kia Seltos Sport+ 1.6T AWD: $42,290 (+$300)
• 2024 Kia Seltos GT-Line 2.Zero FWD: $44,890 (+$300)
• 2024 Kia Seltos GT-Line 1.6T AWD: $47,990 (+$300)

All costs are drive-away

To see how the Seltos compares to its rivals, line it up with any of its rivals utilizing our comparability instrument.

What’s the Kia Seltos like on the within?

Kia has adopted manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz in rolling out twin show housings for a wraparound impact, which within the Seltos Sport+ with its high-definition 10.25-inch screens appears to be like fairly posh for a mainstream automotive.

The twin shows are normal from the Sport and up, and include every part from embedded satellite tv for pc navigation and DAB+ radio, to wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in addition to Kia Join telematics and companies.

It’s acquainted Hyundai-Kia fare when it comes to the pores and skin and interface, mirroring what’s accessible elsewhere within the vary. The shows themselves are excessive decision, supply snappy loading occasions, and clean, fluid animations. It additionally means you get linked navigation, a net-based voice assistant, and app-based distant features – you may learn all about it right here.

Kia Join is free for seven years, which means proudly owning the Seltos in the course of the guarantee interval doesn’t include any added prices or subscriptions to entry the total know-how suite. By comparability, the Toyota Corolla Cross will get only one yr of Toyota Related Providers, with ongoing month-to-month charges of as much as $20 monthly thereafter.

Should you’re not utilizing the native system, there’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, although nonetheless wired on the 10.25-inch infotainment unit with satellite tv for pc navigation. It feels contradictory to tout the high-tech linked companies and have suite, however nonetheless must wire in your telephone.

Regardless of being one down from the flagship GT-Line within the household tree, the Sport+ retains majority fabric seat trim with leatherette bolsters. The entrance pews are fairly cozy if a bit extensive and flat in areas – the Mazda CX-30 has much more supportive and hugging chairs up entrance, by comparability.

Materials high quality can be a knock in comparison with benchmarks within the phase, with the inside being virtually solely onerous, scratchy plastics that make even a Cerato really feel luxurious – however Kia’s typical stable construct high quality in any other case stays.

Under the screens is the local weather management pod, which options extra bodily buttons than the outdated Seltos and is the place the onerous controls for the infotainment system are positioned. Some might discover the position of the infotainment controls decrease down much less intuitive than having them on both facet of the display, however that’s down to private desire.

The Seltos retains its sensible cabinets and cubbies to retailer issues; together with a shelf on your telephone, one other cubby underneath that enormous sufficient to swallow wallets and keys, in addition to a centre console with cupholders and a slot for the car key, or McDonald’s fries even…

One of many key differentiators between the Seltos and quite a few small SUVs is the again seat, the place it’s up there with the likes of sophistication leaders (assume GWM Haval Jolion and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross) when it comes to passenger area.

Even over six-footers like myself can get snug within the second row, with superb head, leg, knee and toe room for the category. It’s a reasonably flat seat just like the fronts, which means you may squeeze three throughout if you actually need to nevertheless it additionally means your rear passengers would possibly slide round a bit.

Rear facilities embrace directional air vents behind the centre console, a map pocket behind the entrance passenger seat, USB-C ports on the rear of the centre console, and bottle holders within the doorways. There’s additionally a fold-down rear armrest with cupholders.

Little ones are additionally catered for, due to the requisite ISOFIX anchors and top-tether factors. The Seltos’ rear-centre seatbelt can be fed from the seat, not the roof like some rivals.

Behind the segment-leading rear seats is without doubt one of the greatest boots within the class. All fashions bar the entry-level S – which characteristic a full-size spare – get 433 litres of quantity with the rear seats in play, whereas the remainder of the vary with space-saver spares get 468 litres. That’s about as a lot as a Mazda CX-5 (442 litres).

Fold the rear seats down and that determine expands to 1428 litres within the Seltos S, and 1393 litres for every part else. The brand new Nissan Qashqai bests it with the seats down (1524-1513L), however presents much less capability in five-seat configuration.

What’s underneath the bonnet?

How does the Kia Seltos drive?

One of many key enhancements for the mid-life facelift was the introduction of a brand new transmission for AWD fashions.

Seltos variants with the 1.6 T-GDI AWD drivetrain swapped out the outdated dry-type seven-speed dual-clutch auto for an eight-speed torque-converter auto much like the one utilized in bigger fashions just like the Sportage and Sorento.

Turbo variations additionally get a 16kW energy bump, and a 0.2L/100km enchancment in mixed gas financial system, for reference.

As you may think about, this made for an enormous enchancment to driveability refinement. The place the outdated automotive was hesitant and elastic in its response, notably in regular driving, the brand new eight-speeder is rather more intuitive in response and presents smoother shifts.

It’s additionally pretty quiet and refined going about its duties, thanks partly to added sound insulation as a part of the facelift, however the petrol engine has a particular buzzy word that’s frequent to different Hyundai-Kia merchandise with variations of this direct-injected motor.

I’ll say that regardless of the Seltos 1.6T packing 146kW, which is kind of excessive for the phase, don’t anticipate it to really feel as peppy as one thing like a VW T-Roc R-Line. The turbo’d Seltos is a bit down on torque in comparison with efficiency leaders within the phase, and has been geared for effectivity.

Regardless of being geared for effectivity, it’s not all that environment friendly for the category. I noticed an indicated return of 9.1L/100km after my week with the Seltos, however noticed within the 10s with much less freeway driving combined in. That appears fairly thirsty for this dimension class, and it’s not helped by the shortage of idle cease/begin know-how for high-traffic metropolis and concrete commuting.

What the Seltos does get proper, nonetheless, is the experience and dealing with. As has been nicely documented, Kia Australia localises the experience and dealing with tunes of nearly each mannequin it sells, and the Seltos is all of the extra higher for it.

The steering is nicely weighted and fairly fast in response, giving it one thing of a sporty really feel. Likewise the balanced dealing with has eager turn-in but additionally good physique management and experience compliance – it’s up there with the most effective at school.

Having that eighth cog additionally means there’s much less noise at a cruise because the engine is extra relaxed at freeway speeds, and the addition of extra sound-absorbing supplies within the flooring carpet, door trims, wheel guards and C-pillars to mitigate highway noise helps to convey a claimed 0.3dBA discount in highway noise in comparison with the outdated mannequin.

However that’s to not say the Seltos is whisper quiet on coarser bitumen at velocity, as a result of it’s not. Should you’re doing plenty of freeway touring and wish one thing that gives an atmosphere up there with the premium manufacturers, I’d counsel a Mazda CX-30 or Nissan Qashqai.

Do you have to be feeling a bit racy behind the wheel, you may flick the Seltos into Sport mode which sharpens the throttle response, holds gears for longer in addition to tightens up the steering to provide the automotive a extra centered really feel. It’s a disgrace there are not any paddle shifters to correctly management issues your self, although you should use the gear shifter to do that.

Annoyingly regardless of costing over $40,000, the Sport+ misses out on a number of fascinating options reserved for the GT-Line, resembling LED exterior lighting, a head-up show, and rain-sensing wipers – contemplating many rivals match most of those as normal, it’s a disgrace Kia nonetheless makes you stump for the top-shelf mannequin to get these pretty fundamental bits of equipment.

Nonetheless, the largest frustration is the Clever Pace Restrict Help, which activates each time you begin the automotive and consistently chimes when the velocity restrict adjustments, once you go barely over the restrict, or for those who’re 3km/h during the last detected velocity restrict.

It interrupts your music, telephone calls, however most significantly your sanity to the purpose the place you end up diving by means of the settings menus within the infotainment system to show it off. Then, you need to do it another time once you begin the automotive as a result of you may’t maintain it off.

In any other case the adaptive cruise management works as you’d anticipate, however at occasions like different extra inexpensive fashions in Kia’s steady will be caught going nicely underneath or nicely over the set velocity on sharper inclines or declines.

Lane Following Help centres the car in its lane and combines with the adaptive cruise to do the onerous give you the results you want on prolonged freeway stints, whereas energetic blind-spot and rear cross-traffic assists alerts you to approaching autos however may also apply counter steering or the brakes respectively to keep away from a collision.

What do you get?

Seltos S highlights:

• 16-inch alloy wheels (NEW)
• Electrical folding facet mirrors (NEW)
• Mirror-mounted facet indicators (NEW)
• Black Matte grille
• Physique-coloured door handles
• Halogen headlights, projector sort
• Halogen daytime operating lights
• Nightfall-sensing headlights
• Rear fog mild
• Roof rails
• Primary digital instrument cluster (NEW)
• 4.2-inch multi-function LCD driver show (NEW)
• Material seats
• 6-speaker sound system
• 8.0-inch touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay (wi-fi)
• Android Auto (wired, wi-fi)
• Halogen inside lighting
• Rear air vents (NEW)
• Entrance, rear USB-C cost ports (NEW)
• Area saver spare wheel
• Guide air-conditioning
• Drive Mode Choose
  • incl. Eco, Regular, Sport, Good
• 12V outlet in entrance tray

Seltos Sport provides:

• 17-inch alloy wheels (NEW design)
• Entrance fog lights
• Roof rails
• Photo voltaic Glass
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• 10.25-inch infotainment system
• DAB digital radio
• Kia Join
• Satellite tv for pc navigation
• Sounds of Nature
• Wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
• Premium steering wheel, shifter
• Auto up/down driver window
• Single-zone local weather management
• Auto defog

Colors

• Mars Orange
• Pluton Blue*
• Snow White Pearl*
• Metal Gray*
• Gravity Gray*
• Fusion Black*
• Neptune Blue*
• Pluton Blue & Fusion Black roof^
• Clear White & Fusion Black roof^

*Premium paint prices $520 additional
^Two-tone roof removes sunroof; GT-Line solely

Is the Kia Seltos secure?

The Seltos wears a five-star ANCAP security score primarily based off testing of the pre-facelift mannequin in 2019.

It obtained an grownup occupant safety rating of 85 per cent, baby occupant safety rating of 83 per cent, susceptible highway person safety rating of 61 per cent, and a security help rating of 70 per cent.

Commonplace security options embrace:

• 6 airbags
• AEB with Pedestrian detection
• Blind-spot help
• Rear cross-traffic help
• Excessive Beam Help
• Clever Pace Restrict Help
• Lane Following Help
• Lane maintain help
• Protected Exit Warning
• Entrance, rear parking sensors
• Reversing digital camera
• Driver Consideration Alert
• Rear Occupant Alet

Seltos Sport provides:

• eCall operate by way of Kia Join

Seltos Sport+ provides:

• AEB with Bike owner, Junction help
• Adaptive cruise management with cease/go
• Main Car Departure Alert

How a lot does the Kia Seltos value to run?

The Seltos continues to be lined by Kia’s seven-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee with capped-price servicing for a similar interval and roadside help for as much as eight years.

Kia Join is complementary for seven years too, and also you get free map updates on your satellite tv for pc navigation system (the place relevant) for as much as 10 years.

Scheduled upkeep is required each 12 months or 15,000km for the two.Zero MPi, or barely shorter 10,000km intervals for the 1.6 T-GDi. Kia Australia says it’s world coverage for its turbo fashions to have shorter intervals.

The Seltos 2.Zero MPi will set you again $288, $494, $352, $614, $324, $624 and $344 for the primary seven visits ($3040), whereas the 1.6 T-GDi prices $308, $500, $373, $651, $346, $630 and $671 ($3479).

Each value simply over $2000 over 5 years, which is aggressive with most manufacturers aside from Honda and Toyota.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Kia Seltos

There’s lots to love concerning the Seltos, however I don’t assume this specification is the one to go for.

Most of Kia’s vary follows an analogous pattern, in that the one-up from base grade or the flagship are the picks, as they’re usually good worth for cash and supply a great degree of normal options.

Within the case of the Seltos, the Sport 2.Zero FWD is almost $7000 than this Sport+ 1.6T AWD however appears to be like largely the identical externally and retains stuff just like the digital cockpit and Kia Join, and the worth gulf means you may kind of overlook the lacking help equipment like adaptive cruise and blind-spot collision avoidance.

In any other case, if you’d like all of the fruit, the GT-Line isn’t that rather more and actually you will get away with the FWD mannequin for those who don’t drive on unsealed roads usually or plan on going to the snowfields – I do perceive some individuals just like the added surety in opposed climate, although the worth premium isn’t justified in my view.

The competitors on this phase is hotting up basically, and the very fact Kia continues to be persisting with halogen headlights and holding rain-sensing headlights hostage aside from the flagship grade is a little bit of a piss-take when this automotive is over $40,000 on the highway. C’mon Kia, what to do…

Get the spec proper although, and the Seltos is a really succesful crossover for singles, {couples}, small households and our extra distinguished elders, providing a well-rounded package deal for attainable cash. It’s nonetheless an excellent little factor.

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