Kia has announced the Seltos, its first model for India. The price has not yet been announced.
It will be powered by a 1.4-litre Turbo GDI motor with a 7-speed DCT, among other petrol and diesel options.
Cementing its long and elaborate entry plan into the Indian car market, Kia announced the Seltos subcompact crossover SUV as its first model in the country. The Korean car manufacturer's first offering is powered by a 1.4-litre Turbo GDI motor with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Kia Seltos is expected to be offered in other petrol and diesel powertrain options as well. Kia has yet to reveal the official price of the Seltos but we expect it to cost somewhere between Rs 10 and 15 lakh.
The dash of the Kia Seltos
The press release shared by Kia after its announcement in India reveals precious little about the Seltos, except that it comes with a smartphone connectivity system called UVO. Claiming to have features such as stolen vehicle tracking, voice commands, auto-collision notification, “SOS” emergency assistance (through a dedicated button on the rear view mirror), remote ignition, remote air conditioning, remote air purification, and geo-fencing, UVO is greatly similar in design to Hyundai’s recently announced Blue Link system on the Hyundai Venue.
Based on Kia's SP Signature concept that was showcased at Auto Expo 2018, the car was hitherto referred to internally as the Kia SP2i. The car’s new name is a portmanteau of “Speed” and “Celtos”, the name of Hercules’ son. The front side of the car bears what the Koran car maker likes to call a “Tiger Nose” grille along with an all-LED headlamp setup. The inside gets an analogue instrument cluster, head-up display, buttons for cruise control, and a climate control system, among other features. The Seltos will also feature a 360-degree camera with Blind View Monitor and Driving Rear View Monitor. Safety features include six airbags, brake assist, traction control, and hill-assist.
The head-up display unit on the Kia Seltos' dashboard
In India, the Kia Seltos takes on the likes of the Tata Harrier, Jeep Compass, Hyundai Creta, Renault Captur, Nissan Kicks, and the recently launched MG Hector. It will be available in eight exterior colours and five two-tone interior colours. Like all Kia models to come in the future, the Seltos will be manufactured at Kia’s new production facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, which is equipped to push out 3 lakh units annually. The company says the Seltos will soon be available from all of its 265 authorised “touchpoints” across 160 cities in India.
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Vignesh Giridharan
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