2023 Kia Seltos facelift unveiled with ADAS features: Key event highlights
Here are all the key highlights from the unveil event of Kia Seltos facelift:
Kia Seltos facelift SUV unveil event comes to an end
Stay tuned to HT Auto for more updates on the facelift version of the Kia Seltos SUV. Read the full unveil report here.
2023 Kia Seltos facelift unveiled
Kia India has finally taken the covers off the facelift version of the Seltos SUV. Prices of the model will be announced later.
Bookings to open from 14 July
Pre-bookings for new Seltos will begin from 14 July across all touchpoints.
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2199.0 cc
Diesel
99.8 kWh
450 km
17 ADAS safety features, three powertrain options
Besides the 17 ADAS safety features, there are 15 other safety features in the model as well. The SUV will get three powertrain options, three trim lines, five transmission choices, eight colours and two dual tone shades.
ADAS 2.0 on new Kia Seltos facelift
Kia India claims the Level 2 ADAS on the new Seltos is the same as on the much more advanced Kia EV6.
Priority delivery for existing Kia customers
Kia has introduced the K-Code - a new quicker delivery process for existing Seltos owners. Kia says existing customers of Seltos will get priority delivery of the new model, if they choose to make a new reservation.
Did you know?
One in every 10 Kia model sold the world over is a Seltos.
_1629952994981.jpeg "The current Indian-spec Seltos X-Line")
Kia targets 10% market share in India PV segment
The company is confident of SUV preference continuing to rise and is backing its offerings to push it towards the states objective.
Kia has over nine lakh customers
The Koreans underline that the company has made it to the top-5 car manufacturers’ list in the country, in four years.
Updated Kia Seltos to be revealed soon
Kia India is all set to unveil the latest iteration of the Seltos SUV in the country. HT Auto has reached the event venue; stay tuned for all the live updates.
What do Seltos facelift teasers reveal about its interior?
The latest iteration of Kia Seltos facelift will come with a large dual screen setup, housing the infotainment system and driver display side by side. The steering will also come with mounted controls.
Revised face of the updated model
Teaser videos shared by Kia on social media reveals that the Seltos facelift will offer a revised front face with a tweaked design for the LED daytime running lights as well as the LED headlight unit
How much will the updated Kia Seltos cost?
The price of the Kia Seltos facelift version is expected to start around ₹11.50 lakh and top out at around ₹21 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top-spec variant with ADAS tech.
Ever wondered what ‘Seltos’ means?
How cars are named and what these names signify often have a very interesting backdrop. And so is the case with ‘Seltos’ as well.
The name itself is derived from Greek mythology. Hercules and the daughter of a Celtic king, called Bretannos, had a son. He was named Celtos. In the mythology, Celtos is a figure known for his bravery and magnetic personality. As such, Kia borrows the name for its SUV but replaced the ‘C’ with ‘S’ to denote speed and sportiness.
What is ADAS and does India really need it?
ADAS or Advanced Driver Assistance Systems make use of cameras, sensors or radars (or all three) to offer assistance to a driver. The features can include auto lane correction, auto braking, auto cruise control while also sensing pedestrian and vehicular movement when the naked eye may not.
But in Indian conditions, the jury is still out on how effective ADAS may be, or if the safety features is even safe. Unpredictable traffic movement, confluence of a wide variety of car and bike types, livestock movement and other factors cannot be safely predicted by ADAS at all times.
Mid-size SUVs launched since Seltos debut
The mid-size SUV space in the country was already fertile when Seltos came calling. But since the Kia model's debut, the field has been peppered with even more options.
Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun, Tata Safari, MG Astor, among a few others, are the newer options in the segment.
How many Seltos units has Kia sold in India?
Since its debut in 2019, Kia has managed to sell over five lakh units of Seltos SUV in the country. The company sold 27,159 units of the model in just the first quarter of this year. This despite the number of options on the rise at all times and the launch of the updated model being confirmed.
Are Kia and Hyundai rivals?
This is a question that many in India continue to ask even though the answer may seem obvious to most.
Hyundai and Kia operate independent of each other across the world and compete against each other just as strongly as they do against any other car brand.
But both brands come under Hyundai Motor Group which, back in 1998, had purchased a substantial stake in Kia which at that point in time was struggling financially.
Certain platforms are shared between the two companies - especially in times of electric vehicle revolution, but both Hyundai and Kia continue to project their respective models as unique and vastly different from anything in any market.
Tracing back Kia's India presence
Kia may have made its India debut with the Seltos SUV back in 2019 but has since launched a number of models here.
The Carnival MPV was the second offering from the brand and has currently been taken off the shelves and the updated version expected at some point early next year.
The Sonet sub-compact SUV continues fetch good numbers despite the long list of rivals it faces. It competes against the likes of Hyundai Venue, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV400.
Then there is Carens that was launched with an under ₹10 lakh-starting price. The Carens has been a relatively strong player courtesy its spacious (seven-seat configuration available too) and feature-loaded cabin.
The all-electric EV6 was subsequently launched although at over ₹60 lakhs, it is a rather elite and niche product, and comes in via the import route.
Hyundai Creta to Honda Elevate: A formidable team of rivals for Seltos
The new Seltos SUV will go up against as many as eight rivals in the compact SUV segment. The segment has grown in size in recent years with introduction of several new models. Initially, the race to the top was limited between Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos in the segment. Now, the SUV will have to take on rivals likes Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser HyRyder, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, MG Astor, MG Hector and Tata Harrier. There are two more rivals waiting to join in later. One is Honda Elevate SUV, which will be launched in September this year. The other one is Citroen C3 Aircross, also expected to hit the roads before the festive season this year.
Why Seltos is close to Kia's heart in India
Korean auto giant Kia entered India in 2019. The Seltos SUV was the first model to be launched by the carmaker for Indian customers. Since then, the Seltos has been the best-selling model from Kia in the country. In the last four years, the Seltos SUV has found more than five lakh homes across India. It has been the driving force for Kia in terms of sales, even now. With the new Seltos facelift, Kia will hope to consolidate on the SUV's popularity among buyers.
