Kia Seltos: cheap, but cheerful?
Friday, 17 July 2020
In the latest video from our mates at CarNut, Blu Steven takes a look at the entry-level Kia Seltos LX.
You can check out the shorter version of Blu’s video above, or click here to watch the full-length version on Play Stuff, but what did we think of the Seltos?
We have tested a few versions of Kia’s newest small SUV here on Stuff Motoring, including David Linklater’s extended ‘launch drive” back in November last year.
Back at launch David though that the Seltos looked appealingly idiosyncratic, saying “It's not pretty… but it does look pretty cool.”
**READ MORE:
* Road test review: Kia Seltos Limited Turbo
* Sunday Drive: Kia Seltos and Hyundai Venue
* First drive road test review: Kia Seltos
**
He also warned to not take the small Kia’s size classification at face value saying “Seltos is officially ‘compact’ but it's probably bigger than you think. It's 35mm longer than the brand's electrified Niro SUV, although the wheelbase is 70mm shorter.
“Same difference in wheelbase compared with the medium-sized Sportage, although that model is, of course, quite a bit longer than Seltos.
“But the newcomer has a larger boot than either and that rear seat really is quite generous. So even if you're looking for a budget-priced medium SUV, don't discount the compact Seltos.”
In terms of equipment, he noted that the LX was very much equipped down to a price with things like having to put an old-school into an ignition barrel and twist to start (imagine such a thing!) and while it came with Lane Keep Assist, Driver Attention Alert, Hill Start Assist and Tyre Pressure Monitoring, it was the only Seltos model to lack Smart Cruise Control, Blind Spot Detection and Lane Change Assist, front parking radar (it has rear only), sat-nav, cyclist detection for the Autonomous Emergency Braking system, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and an electric parking brake.
However, at the time it was priced at an extremely competitive $25,990, which David said “represents an enormous amount of car for the money.”
That price would likely have something to do with the Seltos going on to become that best-selling car in the country a few months later, although that was skewed by the coronavirus lockdown that crippled the New Zealand new car industry in April.
Skewed for sure, but the Seltos’ lead was still commanding, with Kia selling 95 of the small SUVs during a locked-down April compared to the next best-selling vehicle – the Toyota Hilux – which only managed 59.
Just prior to the lockdown Richard Bosselman drove a Seltos LX, but this time compared it to its cousin – the Hyundai Venue, albeit in $33,990 top-spec Elite trim.
Richard pointed out that, while respective vehicles from Hyundai and Kia in the same segment usually share significant componentry, that actually wasn’t the case here, saying “Even though these cars draw from other family members, they don't directly relate to each other. The Venue is based on Europe's i20 hatch, plucking the floorpan and 1.6-litre six-speed auto transmission form that car, while the Seltos has a lot in common with the 2.0-litre Hyundai Kona. But as for direct DNA? You'd have better luck looking for the lost city of Atlantis.”
In terms of driver appeal, Richard rated the Seltos easily above the Venue, saying that while they were similar in driving feel, they were as far apart for performance as you'd imagine.
“Neither is what you'd call muscled, yet there's simply no dispute about which has more zest. It's not that the Hyundai unit is utterly puny, yet the 20kW power and 29Nm torque that Kia's bigger engine delivers is telling at kick-off and everywhere else.”
Overall, Richard preferred the Kia to the Hyundai, finishing his comparison by saying “Venue does a reasonable job, but it lacks the Kia's character and Kia's value edge is much sharper. If you're seeking to chase an ascending star, Seltos is definitely the one.
And finally, our latest encounter with a Seltos came when Nile Bijoux drove a top-spec Limited Turbo earlier this month.
Asking a hefty $20,000 over the LX’s special launch price, the $46,990 Limited Turbo impressed Nile nonetheless, particularly because you do get quite a bit more Seltos for that money.
As Nile points out, the Limited Turbo sees the LX’s continuously variable transmission make way for a seven-speed dual-clutch unit, the torsion beam rear suspension is swapped for a multi-link set-up and the front brakes have been enlarged from 280mm to 305mm.
All-wheel drive is also standard on the Limited Turbo which, alongside the 130kW/265Nm boosted 1.6-litre engine “turns the Seltos from an urban family runabout to a machine that offers decent performance in the corners as well as around school.”