The bigger second-generation Seltos is a design mish-mash of the Telluride and the all-electric EV9.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
South Korea presents a challenging environment for people who like to drive. Cities are crowded with crawling traffic and rural roads have frequent speed bumps to help enforce slower speed limits. The Kia Seltos felt right at home.
This second generation of Kia’s subcompact SUV emphasizes technology and comfort over power and dynamics, and it will be sold with the option of a hybrid engine for better fuel economy. Such small vehicles have not usually been equipped with hybrid powertrains because their fuel consumption is already frugal, but Kia says buyers want hybrids, so that’s that.
Kia reveals larger Seltos with hybrid option for those who want a smaller Telluride
For 2027, The Seltos is bigger and has 39 more litres of cargo space when the second row is folded.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Kia has not yet released an official fuel-consumption figure for the hybrid Seltos, but there is a noticeable difference. I drove both the 1.6-litre turbo and the hybrid models in South Korea, each for several hundred kilometres on similar roads. The turbo delivered a thirsty 9.4 litres per 100 kilometres, while the hybrid delivered 5.5. This is worse than the 4.8 consumption of a Toyota Prius, which is a larger car, but such unscientific observations are just a suggestion of a vehicle’s ability, not an apples-to-apples comparison.
The Seltos that we will get in Canada is built in South Korea on an all-new platform, though its two conventional gas engines are carried over from the first generation. The base model will be powered by the current two-litre four-cylinder and will be sold in three trims, while the turbo will be sold in two sportier-looking X-Line trims.
Fuel consumption for the conventionally powered models is probably similar to the previous generation, which claims an average of 8.2 litres per 100 kilometres for the two-litre engine and 9.2 for the 1.6-litre turbo.
The conventionally powered new Seltos will be available in Canada this summer, while the hybrid will be available by the end of the year.
The Seltos will now come with a hybrid option, which we saw return much better fuel economy than the gas-powered version.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
There’s almost a metre of integrated screens behind the steering wheel and on the centre console and thankfully a volume knob.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Kia has not yet announced pricing, but it’s reasonable to assume it will be similar to the current model, which starts at around $29,000 and rises to about $43,000, including fees but before taxes.
The all-wheel-drive version of the hybrid will probably be close to $45,000 – it uses a separate electric motor, not mechanically connected to the engine, to drive the rear wheels when needed.
This second-generation cute-ute is a little larger all around than its predecessor, bumping up both the headroom and the rear legroom by 2.5 centimetres each. It certainly feels spacious inside, in both rows, without the comparative cramping that might be expected from a small SUV.
Cargo space is increased too, up by 39 litres to 1,817 litres when the second row is folded (it doesn’t fold completely flat) and 786 litres behind just the second row. It’s still not as large as the Kia Sportage, but that SUV will probably grow for its next generation, too.
The larger size of the second generation means more head and legroom.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
There is 1,817 litres when the second row is folded (it doesn’t fold completely flat) and 786 litres behind the second row.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
This is not a sporty little SUV and it’s not supposed to be. The hybrid offers a choice of either Eco or Sport driving modes, while the turbo also provides a Normal mode. There didn’t seem to be much difference between them. Both were pleasing enough to drive and handled well around corners but I suspect the base two-litre is pretty gutless – good for errands and getting around, which is all its buyers will likely want.
The remarkable thing about the unremarkable-looking Seltos is the amount of technology that’s available, not to mention the effective quality of that technology – features such as flush door handles, a panoramic roof and a 360-degree surround view monitor for seeing outside the vehicle. There are plenty of charging ports but only wireless charging for one phone, which seems strange because there’s the space on the console for two.
There are plenty of charging ports but only wireless charging for one phone.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
We’ll find out soon how much of its tech is provided at each price point, but there’s almost a metre of integrated screens behind the steering wheel and on the centre console to control it all, and some features can be updated over the air. Fortunately, there’s a hard scroll button for adjusting the volume.
Standard driver’s assistance includes blind-spot collision avoidance assist, lane keep assist, lane follow assist, driver attention warning, high-beam assist, intelligent speed-limit assist and forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection.
Tech specs
2027 Kia Seltos
- Base price/as tested: $30,000-$45,000 estimated, including freight and pre-delivery inspection, plus fees and taxes
- Engine: Two-litre, inline-four, 1.6-litre turbo i4, 1.6-litre i4 hybrid
- Horsepower/torque (lb-ft): Two-litre: 147/132; 1.6-litre: 190/195
- Transmission/drive: two-litre: continuously variable transmission/FWD and AWD; 1.6-litre: eight-speed automatic transmission/AWD; hybrid: six-speed dual-clutch transmission/FWD and AWD
- Fuel consumption (litres/100 km): 1.6-litre: 9.4 (observed); hybrid: 5.5 (observed)
- Alternatives: Honda HR-V, Toyota Corolla Cross, Subaru Crosstrek, Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-30
The hybrid version comes with 179 horsepower and 106 lb-ft of torque.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.
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