Kia Seltos facelift vs Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara: Which one to choose

Kia India has introduced the Seltos facelift in India after a long wait since it was launched in the global market several months back. The revised avatar of the SUV comes re-energising the midsize SUV segment in India, where the Kia Seltos facelift competes with rivals like Hyundai Creta and Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara. The Seltos has been one of the bestsellers of the South Korean auto giant, since its launch in India, which also marked the company's entry into the country. Previously, this upmarket Kia SUV has received mild updates, but the latest one comes in the form of a major change.

Kia India is yet to announce the pricing of the Seltos facelift. However, the bookings for the SUV have already commenced from July 14. Expect the Kia Seltos facelift to be priced competitively against the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Hyundai Creta.

Kia Seltos facelift comes available in three trim options: Tech (HT) Line, GT Line and X-Line. It comes with a significantly updated design featuring LED lighting, 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and a ‘GT Line’ badge on the exterior. Inside the cabin, it features new integrated displays, dual-zone AC and an electronic parking brake among the new features. Also, it sports a panoramic sunroof and ADAS.

Before the South Korean auto giant announces the pricing of the SUV, here is a spec-sheet-based comparison.

Watch: Kia Seltos facelift SUV: First Look

Kia Seltos facelift vs Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara: Dimension

Kia Seltos facelift's pricing is yet to be announced by the automaker. Expect it to come available at a price range between ₹11 lakh and ₹21 lakh (ex-showroom). On the other hand, the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara comes available at a price range of ₹10.70 lakh and ₹19.79 lakh (ex-showroom).

Watch: Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara: First Drive Review

Kia Seltos facelift vs Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara: Dimension

Kia Seltos facelift comes ditching the previous version's 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine and gets a more powerful 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol motor. This new turbocharged petrol engine churns out 158 bhp of peak power and 253 Nm of maximum torque. The naturally aspirated petrol engine and the diesel motor of the SUV remain unchanged though. The naturally aspirated petrol engine pumps out 144 Nm of maximum torque, while the diesel motor offers 250 Nm of maximum torque. The new Seltos gets multiple transmission options including a six-speed manual, a six-speed iMT, a torque-convertor automatic, a CVT automatic, and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic unit.

On the other hand, powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine, the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara is capable of churning out 101.64 bhp of peak power at 6,000 rpm and 136.8 Nm of maximum torque at 4,400 rpm. The Zeta+ and Alpha+ trims of the SUV get a slightly bigger displacement engine with paired with an electric motor for a hybrid setup. These models' 1.5-litre petrol engine generates 91 bhp of peak power at 5,500 rpm and 122 Nm of maximum torque at up to 4,800 rpm. There is a petrol-CNG variant on offer as well. In this variant, the SUV offers 99 bhp of peak power and 136 Nm of torque. Transmission options for the SUV include a five-speed manual gearbox, a six-speed automatic unit and an e-CVT.