[Taboleo] The Ultimate Value King with Everything You Need... Kia 'All New Seltos'

Comfortable Ride with Low Noise and Vibration
Equipped with Convenience Features Beyond Its Price
Perfect for Second Car and Young Couples Preparing for Marriage

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The undisputed number one in the compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) segment, Kia Seltos, has returned with a new look after three years since its launch. The Seltos is a model that has been loved both domestically and internationally for its spacious interior relative to its class, sleek design, and solid driving performance. Especially, this model stands out for its cost-effectiveness with a reasonable price and features typically found in a higher class vehicle, making it an excellent choice as a first car for the younger generation. We experienced Kia’s ‘The New Seltos’ on a 64 km round trip from Seocho-gu, Seoul to Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.

Significantly Sleek Exterior... Spacious Interior Remains

The first noticeable change when encountering The New Seltos is the front design. The headlamp design has been updated with the Star Map signature lighting crossing horizontally over the radiator grille and LED projection applied. It gives a dynamic impression, somewhat reminiscent of the Carnival. The biggest advantage of this design is that it makes the body appear wider.

The rear also emphasizes the Star Map signature lighting. The front and rear give a strong impression, while the sides have a lively volume, creating an interesting contrast.

Another feature of The New Seltos is its color options. We saw vehicles in various colors during the test drive, and the vehicle’s image changed completely depending on the color. We highly recommend those considering a purchase to see the actual design in the color they want.

The interior design is moderate. The most noticeable part is the panoramic display, where the needle-type instrument cluster has been replaced by a 10.25-inch digital cluster. The cluster smoothly connects with the 10.25-inch navigation screen with a curved surface. Overall, it faithfully reflects Kia’s well-known design and functions.

However, the wireless charging pad is somewhat smaller compared to other vehicles, which is a downside. For example, the Samsung S22 Ultra model, even with a not-so-thick case, could not be charged due to the small size of the wireless charging pad. Considering the trend of smartphones gradually increasing in size, it would have been better if the pad were a bit more spacious.

Solid Ride Comfort... Satisfied with Increased Power

We pressed the accelerator pedal during the test drive. It felt completely different from the sensitive accelerator pedals of recent Hyundai and Kia vehicles. It was somewhat more relaxed. However, this does not mean the vehicle is sluggish. The feeling of the accelerator pedal is just different. This was the sensation in normal mode, but when switched to sport mode, the initial acceleration becomes stronger and the accelerator pedal more sensitive. This is something you might want to keep in mind during your test drive.

The New Seltos’s 1.6-liter gasoline turbo engine delivers a maximum output of 198 horsepower and a maximum torque of 27 kgf·m. Compared to the previous 177 horsepower, the power has increased, improving acceleration from a standstill to 100 km/h and top speed. Therefore, aside from the somewhat relaxed accelerator pedal feel, there was no sense of lacking power.

Considering the vehicle class and character, the ride comfort was satisfactory. Recently, Kia has been providing a certain level of ride comfort across all its vehicles, and The New Seltos is no exception. Particularly, the stability and quietness were pleasing. There was no significant discomfort when driving at high speeds or going over speed bumps, and noise and vibration were minimal, allowing for a very comfortable driving experience.

Safety and convenience features are also abundant. Kia equipped The New Seltos with class-first features such as ▲Surround View Monitor ▲Blind-Spot View Monitor ▲Intelligent Speed Limit Assist ▲Rear Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist ▲Remote Smart Parking Assist. In other words, it includes all the latest technologies that could be incorporated.

Perfect for Second Car or Young Couples Considering Marriage

The impression from the test drive of The New Seltos is that it captures ‘cost-effectiveness’ well. Considering the design, performance, and space, it exceeds expectations for a vehicle in the 20 million KRW range.

It is especially recommended for young people considering a second car or marriage. The New Seltos measures 4390 mm in length, 1800 mm in width, 1600 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2630 mm, comparable to a compact SUV. The rear seat is spacious enough to comfortably install two child car seats. Although it is not easy for a person to sit in the middle seat, it is suitable as a second car for school runs or grocery shopping, and for those planning to marry and have children, it will provide a satisfying experience.

The combined fuel efficiency of the 1.6-liter gasoline turbo engine is 12.8 km/L, and the 2.0-liter gasoline engine is 12.9 km/L. During the test drive, the normal mode recorded 14.1 km/L, and the sport mode recorded 11.9 km/L. Please note that rapid acceleration and sudden stops were repeated during the test drive to check performance.