KIA Seltos goes under the knife
South Africans are spoilt for choice when it comes to buying SUVs. While this is a good thing, it does come with drawbacks.
One of these is that choosing the right go-getter has become challenging — there is a constant back-and-forth tiff between equipment, credibility and, ultimately, price.
Five years after its debut in South Africa, KIA’s latest offering, the Seltos, has undergone a substantial update to keep up with the times.
The front has received a new headlamp design, with repositioned fog lamps, and a new iteration of KIA’s “tiger-nose” grille.
However, the major changes are mainly present at the rear and in the interior of the vehicle.
The boot end has received a full redesign, taking inspiration from the award-winning KIA EV9 seen overseas, and the centre fascia has undergone a much-needed refresh to catch up to the styling and equipment of the rest of the marque’s latest lineup.
As seen with the Sportage, the refreshed Seltos comes in various derivatives, with every step up the trim ladder offering more features.
That doesn’t mean that the introductory LX model gets the bare minimum — it is relatively well specced and, surprisingly, priced a couple of thousand rand less than its outgoing “entry-level” predecessor.
For the vast array of buyers, the Seltos range is extensive enough to find that right go-getter.
Getting to sample both the entry LX model and range-topping GT-Line over a roughly 300km round trip proved to be a good exercise.
I was pleasantly surprised to get a close-to-premium driving experience during our travels.
The cabin is well insulated for its segment, the suspension is firm but not harsh, the body roll is minimal, and the steering wheel has good weight.
To top it off, the ride quality of the two derivatives we drove is identical, with the powertrain being the main point of departure.
On to the difference. We spent the first half of our trip in the GT-Line and I was flabbergasted.
The new 1.5 T-GDi Kappa engine, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, has an output of 118kW and 253Nm, which might not sound like a lot but the chassis is relatively light.
The setup allows for an engaging drive, acceleration is linear and strong, the gear shifts are swift and smooth, and torque is present from down low in the rev counter.
The LX derivative — which we sampled for the last part of our trip — was equipped with a familiar drivetrain, the 1.5CRDi with a six-speed automatic transmission.
The humble pairing, though not as exciting as the GT-Line, has its benefits and one of them is frugality.
To put it into perspective, we managed to get an average fuel consumption of 7.5 litres/100km on the GT-Line whereas, in the LX, we achieved a lowly 4.4 litres/100km in similar circumstances.
It is worth mentioning that in both instances we drove without frugality in mind which leads me to believe that, if you do try, those figures can be dropped a little.
Time for give and take specific to the 1.5 CRDi LX we drove.
Under harsh acceleration, the diesel motor groans and generates noise in the cabin.
However, given time to settle as you approach the desired speed, it does quieten down and, for the most part, the sound of the engine isn’t invasive.
A little nit-picking leads me to touch on the front left passenger seat which isn’t equipped with height adjustment. This isn’t an anomaly, and is normal for vehicles in this price range, but I did find the seat is placed a little higher than usual, which could be an issue for taller passengers.
When it comes to space, the KIA Seltos has it in spades.
The boot measures 433 litres and the cabin is well thought out.
Legroom and headroom for both front and rear passengers is good for the most part. Even in the GT-Line, headroom is not compromised by the large, panoramic sunroof.
KIA has positioned their facelifted Seltos in an interesting space, where the latitude of competitors is large, and, where the model excels, is in its spec and consistent premium-like drive throughout the entire range.
You will find that, in exchange for paying a slightly higher price, there is an abundant list of “extra features” which many of KIA’s competitors won’t have.
Verdict — the newly revised KIA Seltos isn’t perfect but it is a solid option in a better-than-many package.
There is a vast selection of derivatives, catering to a good portion of the local market, and if you are looking for a vehicle in this segment, it is one to check out.
For peace of mind, the KIA Seltos comes with an unlimited kilometre/five-year warranty and unlimited kilometre/five-year roadside assistance, as well as a five-year/90 000km prepaid service plan.
PRICING
• 1.5 LX Manual: R467 995
• 1.5 LX CVT: R492 995
• 1.5 CRDi LX Auto: R521 995
• 1.5 EX CVT: R532 995
• 1.5 CRDi EX Auto: R561 995
• 1.5 EX Plus CVT: R570 995
• 1.5 CRDi EX Plus Auto: R599 995
• 1.5 T-GDi GT-Line DCT: R626 995