By this time, most of our readers will know that Kia is working on the second generation Seltos. Test mules of the new-gen Kia Selts have been spotted on numerous occasions over the past year or so, but mostly in South Korea. A recent set of spy shots now confirm that Kia has started testing the Seltos in India as well.
As per a recent video circulating on social media, a test mule of the upcoming Kia Seltos was caught on camera somewhere around Noida. The latest video shows a fully camouflaged test mule of the second-gen Seltos and despite the heavy covering, many details about the SUV are visible in the latest set of images.
Next-gen Kia Seltos: Expected Design
The latest spy pics reveal a completely redesigned front face which is in line with Kia global ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy seen in recent launches such as Carnival, EV9, and even the Syros. That said, the headlamp assembly seen in the next-gen Seltos is slightly different from the models mentioned above. The spy pics suggest the Seltos will receive slim and angular vertical LED DRLs flanking the main headlamps.
It appears that Kia has excluded fog lights from the new Seltos in favour of sleek LED DRLs. The redesigned front grille is a larger conclave unit and takes inspiration from the flagship Kia SUV — Telluride. The horizontal air damps in the front bumper are the same as the existing model but now house an ADAS sensor. The fog-light housings are new, though. Earlier spy shots revealed a new LED light strip connecting the tail-lamps, resembling the design seen on the EV5.
Most of the test mules spotted so far feature the same alloy wheel design, which appears to be 18 inches in size—matching the wheels found on the current top-spec GT Line and X-Line variants of the Seltos. Other expected visual changes include a revised window line with triangular rear quarter glass, redesigned ORVMs, and new dual-tone alloy wheels.
Next-gen Kia Seltos: Expected Powertrain
While there are no interior images available yet, the cabin is expected to feature a contemporary design and incorporate all the advanced features offered in the current model. Kia has yet to officially confirm the powertrain lineup for the next-generation Seltos, but it is likely to retain the existing engine options. These include a 1.5-liter turbo-petrol engine producing 158 bhp and a 1.5-liter diesel engine delivering 114 bhp.
Additionally, reports indicate that a hybrid powertrain may be introduced, potentially replacing the current 1.5-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine. This new setup is expected to use a 1.6-liter hybrid petrol engine—sourced from the Hyundai Kona Hybrid—producing 141 bhp. Transmission choices will include a 6-speed manual, 6-speed iMT (clutchless manual), 6-speed torque converter, CVT, and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.
