Kia Seltos 2020 review: S – CarsGuide

There are some SUVs on the market which have been round for years and look outdated and drained, regardless of updates which have tried to spruce them up, however the Seltos is a brand-new SUV, having solely arrived in 2019. And you may inform, due to its contemporary, crisp, fashionable styling. It’s a premium-looking small SUV.

There are additionally some little particulars that present me with approach an excessive amount of pleasure, just like the bumpy texture to the metallic eyebrows over the headlights, which fades right into a easy end. Then there’s the way in which the taillights prolong into the tailgate like pincers, which can be pleasing.

Inside, there are the fashionable touches you may not discover immediately, just like the angular mesh over the stereo audio system, which seems to be much better than I can describe, so simply check out the photographs.

What’s disappointing is that you’ve stunning, intelligent touches like these audio system and the eyebrows, however then there are exhausting plastics within the cabin, that are forgivable so long as they aren’t in locations you’d relaxation an elbow, just like the armrest of the Seltos. Severely, after per week of driving the Seltos S my proper elbow was crimson uncooked. OK, I’ve the wingspan of an African Fish Eagle (191cm), so my elbows are available contact with the door armrest of each automobile I drive, however after an hour the Seltos’s exhausting, plastic armrests really feel like they had been product of concrete and if I owned this automobile I’d be pressured minimize up a stubby holder and make a bit of elbow pad. Certain, that will look horrible, however I’d nonetheless do it.

Inside, there are the fashionable touches you may not discover immediately.

Happily, the Sport + grade I examined final yr does include cushioned armrests.

How huge is the Seltos? Let’s have a look at the scale. The Seltos is 4370mm end-to-end, 1800mm vast and 1615mm tall.

You’ve seen the scale (above) now you could be questioning simply how a lot room is inside this small SUV. Lots is the reply. Loads of room for any person as tall as me (I’m 191cm) to sit down behind their very own driving place and loads of headroom within the rear, which can be astoundingly good.

Up entrance, I had wonderful head and shoulder room, too.

The rear doorways are massive and tall, making for a straightforward entry and exit.

For the dimensions of this SUV, these rear doorways are massive and tall, and open vast, too, making for a straightforward entry and exit.

Cabin storage is sweet with huge bottle holders in all doorways, and two cup holders within the entrance, and there’s additionally a medium-sized centre-console bin and a big, front-console space with two USB ports and a 12V outlet.  

The Seltos’s boot has a cargo capability of 433 litres – larger than the Kadjar’s 408 litres and the 393-litre boot of the ASX.

The exhausting plastics had been a reminder that this was the entry-grade Seltos, however so too was the absence of options within the second row. We’re speaking no fold-down armrest or cupholders within the rear, no directional air-vents, nor USB ports, nor a storage tray. Additionally, this grade misses out on a parcel shelf within the boot and for these causes I’m deducting practicality marks, however relaxation assured this can be a very excessive seven out of 10.

Out of all of the members of the Seltos household, the S needs the least sum of money from you with its record value of $25,490. Our automobile had the protection pack fitted and in the event you’re considering of getting any choices then it needs to be on the high of your record. Really, even in the event you’re not planning on ticking any choices you must think about the pack, which is barely $1000, and effectively price it. I’ll take you thru what it provides within the security part beneath.

The color of our take a look at automobile was the non-cost Starbright Yellow, a kind of gold, which could sound a bit excessive however even I turned fairly keen on the hue, and that’s coming from any person who’s solely really snug carrying black garments.

The Seltos S comes commonplace with material seats, an eight-inch contact display screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, air-conditioning, rear parking sensors, a reversing digicam and 16-inch metal wheels (with hubcaps) and a space-saver spare.

The Seltos S comes commonplace with an eight-inch contact display screen.

You’re lacking out on just a few options provided within the increased grades. You’re not getting privateness home windows within the rear, nor the bigger contact display screen, the LED headlights, leather-based seats and, as an alternative of alloy wheels, it has metal ones with hubcaps. Wait! Come again! Don’t be postpone by the hubcaps – speak to the supplier and see what they’ll do. By the beard of Zeus, don’t be postpone by the hubcaps. That’s like knocking again shopping for the proper home since you don’t just like the letterbox.

As an alternative of alloy wheels, the Seltos S has metal ones with hubcaps.

On the time of writing, Kia was doing a driveaway deal of $27,490, which is unbeatable. The Mitsubishi ASX ES, for instance, lists for $27,740 with the protection pack, the brand new Renault Kadjar Life is $29,990 and the Nissan Qashqai ST is $27,990.  

It is not usually that I sing the praises of the engine and transmission in an entry-grade automobile, however prepare for an opera as a result of within the case of the Seltos S the mixture of the two.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a constantly variable transmission (CVT) makes driving much more pleasant than the Sport + and GT-Line, which can be found with a 1.6-litre turbo 4 and a dual-clutch auto.

That’s as a result of the dual-clutch auto may be vulnerable to inflicting the automobile to roll again on hills (sure, there’s a maintain operate, nevertheless it brings its personal points, which I’ll get to within the driving part), whereas low-speed movement isn’t precisely easy when it’s looking for a gear. So, whereas the twin clutch is excellent for driving on quick and twisty nation roads, low-speed commutes are a bit irritating, which is why the graceful CVT and relaxed, naturally aspirated engine is ideal for metropolis dwellers.

The S doesn’t have essentially the most highly effective engine within the vary.

On my Prime 10 Listing of Issues I Don’t Like, CVTs are equal fifth with stepping on a moist lavatory ground in socks. CVTs provide good gas economic system however most often kill the driving enjoyment with lacklustre acceleration. The CVT within the Seltos is completely different – it’s merely the perfect I’ve ever met. It is received  typical CVT smoothness, however with higher acceleration and fewer of the “drone” that appears to accompany most of those transmissions when below load.

Sure, the 1.6-litre makes 130kW and 265Nm within the higher-spec variations of the Seltos,  which is much more than the 110kW and 180Nm of the two.0-litre in our take a look at automobile, however the day has come once I’ve lastly stated I’ll take the CVT over the dual-clutch.

The S is barely out there in front-wheel drive. Should you’re on the lookout for all-wheel drive you then’ll must step as much as the Sport + or the top-of the vary GT-Line, and sure, you’ll must have the twin clutch if you’d like AWD.

Kia says the two.0-litre four-cylinder engine within the Seltos S we examined makes use of 6.8L/100km after a mixture of open and concrete driving, whereas the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol hits 7.6L/100km. My testing took in 230.7km of motorways and metropolis commutes and my take a look at automobile used 28.80 litres, which equates to 12.5L/100km.

My very own gas testing took in primarily suburban and metropolis duties and I measured 11.8L/100km on the petrol pump after 180km. The gas tank has a capability of 50 litres and also you’ll solely have to refill with common unleaded, too.

Should you dwell within the metropolis or the suburbs and most of your driving goes to be at decrease speeds in visitors and automobile parks, you then’ll be happier with the two.0-litre engine and the CVT that had been within the Seltos S I examined. This CVT is great, the perfect I’ve skilled, with minimal drone and manages to ship drive to the entrance wheels with out the dopey acceleration that often goes with some of these transmissions.

After I examined the Seltos Sport+ grade beforehand to the S, I used to be disenchanted by how the dual-clutch computerized affected low-speed driving – the transmission fishing for the suitable gear results in a jerky movement at occasions, and whereas the tendency for the car to roll again on hills is mitigated by the auto-hold system this additionally created a ‘sticking’ feeling, which made driving even much less easy. To be truthful, on a freeway or a twisty little bit of nation highway the twin clutch is good, as is the extra highly effective engine.

The Seltos S is snug even on the concrete-and-bitumen patchwork of roads of Sydney.

The two.0-litre does really feel a bit below powered at occasions, however for any person like me who does most of his driving inside 25km of the town, it’s a very good trade-off.

As for the experience, the Seltos S is snug even on the concrete-and-bitumen patchwork of roads I drive on, whereas remaining composed, with good dealing with.

The steering felt heavier than it needs to be.

The one space I feel may very well be improved is the steering, which felt heavier than it needs to be, which is sweet for sporty driving however I seen the load the second I pulled out of my automobile area on the primary day I drove the Seltos. It’s not a deal breaker, however I feel Kia must revise the tuning a contact.

Don’t be postpone, although, the Seltos S is a straightforward automobile to drive.

The Kia Seltos scored the utmost five-star ANCAP ranking when it was examined in 2019. The Seltos S comes commonplace with superior security tech similar to LKA (Lane Maintaining Help) and AEB with pedestrian detection.

Our Seltos S was fitted with Kia’s Security Pack, it’s a $1000 possibility however one I’d strongly advocate. The protection pack provides bicycle owner detection to the AEB system and adaptive cruise management, plus comfort options similar to an digital park brake, auto driver’s window and electrical folding wing mirrors.

The protection pack contains electrical folding wing mirrors.

The reversing digicam is great and whilst you don’t get entrance parking sensors on the S grade, there are rear ones.

Bizarrely, the S is the one grade which comes with a brief spare wheel, the remainder all have full-sized spares.

The S comes with a brief spare wheel.

For youngster seats you’ll discover three top-tether anchor factors and two ISOFIX mounts throughout the rear row.

The Seltos is roofed by Kia’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre guarantee. Servicing is beneficial at 12 month/10,000km intervals and is capped at $261 for the primary service, $452 for the second, $324 for the third, $584 for the fourth, $293 for the fifth, $593 for the sixth and $311 for the seventh/70,000km go to.

The Seltos is roofed by Kia’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre guarantee.