Small but powerful: Kia Seltos adds performance, hybrid upgrades

Kia’s Seltos, its flagship small SUV, has returned after six years with performance upgrades and the addition of a popular new hybrid variant, aiming to reinforce its position in Korea’s increasingly competitive compact SUV market.

From its debut in 2019 through last year, Seltos sold more than 330,000 units, establishing itself as the top-selling small SUV in the domestic market. Among its rivals, it competes most directly with Hyundai Motor Company’s Kona, alongside models such as GM Chevrolet’s Trax Crossover and Trailblazer and Renault Korea’s Arkana.

To check out the upgrades in the second-generation Seltos, The Korea Herald test-drove the All-New Seltos 1.6 hybrid two-wheel drive and 1.6 gasoline turbo four-wheel drive models, covering about 77 kilometers across Seoul and Gangwon Province during a recent media event.

With its tuned suspension, the gasoline turbo Seltos delivers sedan-like agility on winding roads and remains stable at high speeds on highways. When switched from Eco or Normal to Sport mode, the SUV feels more planted on the road, enabling a more versatile and dynamic driving experience.

Seltos has also introduced its first “Vibro Sound Seat,” which uses built-in actuators in the driver and front passenger seats to translate low-frequency sounds from music and video into vibrations, delivering a more immersive audio experience during driving.

For its hybrid variant, the All-New Seltos debuts Kia’s first e-4WD hybrid system, which pairs a 1.6-liter gasoline turbo engine with an electric motor, delivering an estimated combined output of 141 horsepower.

The system is designed to optimize cabin space utilization while enhancing fuel economy compared to traditional setups, with estimated combined fuel efficiency ranging from 18 to 22 kilometers per liter -- more than an 80 percent improvement over the first-generation gasoline Seltos.

Like the gasoline version, the hybrid Seltos adopts a multi-link suspension that provides greater ride comfort and driving stability by allowing each wheel to move more independently and maintain better contact with the road.

But during hard acceleration and at highway speeds, the gasoline-powered Seltos feels more agile than the hybrid, delivering sharper throttle response and a more immediate sense of acceleration.

The Seltos reflects Kia’s “Opposites United” design philosophy, combining a bold SUV stance with a futuristic aesthetic. A strong front grille and star map signature lighting reinforce Kia’s family design identity. The car’s sculpted sides and distinctive horizontal-and-vertical taillights blend its robustness with a modern feel.

The prices of the 1.6 gasoline turbo and 1.6 hybrid Seltos start from 24.8 million won and 29 million won, respectively, with eco-friendly tax incentives applied.