Kia Motors has finally taken the wraps off the Seltos and it looks true to the SP concept which was showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo. The Kia Seltos has been designed and developed specifically for the Indian market and looks promising as an overall package. The overall design language of the Seltos is aggressive and sharp line on the face and shoulder helps shaping its bulges aesthetically. The face boasts the wide Tiger nose grille and there are chrome surrounding around it. Sleek LED headlamps, DRLs, bold claddings which incorporate silver skid plates and angular detailing on the face and hood add a sense of modernity to the design. A bit of Creta flavour is also visible in the side, especially with the way pillars have been designed. However, rising window line and sculpting on the rear haunches are unique. The rear of the car looks very urban and the tailgate is aesthetically segmented, giving almost equal area to the raked windscreen and lower sections. Elements like sleek chrome bar which insets into the tail lamps and dual exhaust finished in faux silver add to the looks as well. What also build upon the contemporary looks are in-trend elements like dual-tone roof, silver roof rails and 17-inch machined alloy wheels.

The big news is that Kia will make the Seltos available with two distinct design lines – Tech Line and GT Line. This is the first time in the compact SUV segment, that a model will be made available in a dual trim option. While the Tech Line will focus more about premium looks and features in line with comfort, the GT Line will be more youth inclined and will get more innovative features. The Kia Seltos is also a connected car and yes, that was quite expected now given its sister concern Hyundai has launched this very concept in the Venue subcompact SUV. So, the Seltos becomes the second connected compact SUV after the MG Hector.

Kia calls it UVO and you can, just like we’ve seen in the Venue, use your phone to operate the car’s ignition, AC controls and more. There’s also Apple Carplay and Android Auto on offer. That’s not the end of the segment first features yet, the Seltos SUV also gets an 8 inch heads up display which gives you all the information you need without being distracted. There’s also a sound mood lamp, rear sunshade curtain and a 7-inch colour TFT unit for the instrument console, which add to the premiumness of the Seltos.

Kia is gearing up to launch the Seltos in India in August this year and it is expected to be priced between Rs. 11 lakh and 17 lakh. Along with a beautiful design, the new compact SUV is also equipped with a bundle of segment first features and gets an impressive range of engine and gearbox options. In India, Kia will offer the Seltos with a 1.4-litre GDI Turbo petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel engine and both will be BS6 compliant. Gearbox options include a six-speed torque convertor automatic, a seven-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT) a CVT gearbox and a six-speed manual transmission.