Kia Seltos Expands Lineup with Affordable Automatic Variants: A Closer Look
Kia, renowned for its success in the Indian and overseas markets, has achieved a significant milestone with the sale of almost 1.16 million units. Among its notable offerings is the Kia Seltos, a popular compact C-segment SUV that has garnered widespread acclaim since its debut in August 2019. Despite receiving a mid-cycle facelift last year, Kia continues to enhance the Seltos to maintain its competitive edge in the market. In its latest move, Kia has introduced two new automatic variants to the Seltos lineup, both belonging to the HTK+ trim.
The first addition is a CVT automatic variant paired with the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine of the HTK+ trim. Priced at Rs 15.40 lakh (ex-showroom), this variant emerges as the most affordable automatic option in the Seltos range, undercutting the previous cheapest automatic variant, the HTX petrol automatic, by Rs 1.20 lakh. The second new variant features a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission paired with the 1.5-litre diesel engine-powered Seltos HTK+, priced at Rs 16.90 lakh (ex-showroom). This variant marks the entry point for diesel automatic Seltos models, offering a significant price advantage compared to the previous HTX trim.
In terms of specifications and features, the Seltos HTK+ variants boast a range of amenities, including a smart key with an engine start-stop button, automatic climate control, LED headlights with DRLs, electrically folding ORVMs, steering-mounted controls, rear defogger, rear wiper and washer, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and cruise control.
Under the hood, the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine generates 114 bhp and 144 Nm of peak torque, while the 1.6-litre diesel engine delivers 114 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque. Both engines are available with a 6-speed manual gearbox, with the diesel variant also offering a 6-speed clutchless manual transmission.
In other news, Kia has announced a price hike of 3% across all its mass-market products in India, effective from April 1, 2024. This decision comes in response to the escalation in commodity prices and supply chain- inputs. Notably, this marks the first price adjustment by the company this year. As a result, prices for the new Seltos variants are expected to be announced following the upcoming price increment.
Overall, with the introduction of these new automatic variants and the impending price adjustment, Kia continues to demonstrate its commitment to offering diverse options and maintaining competitiveness in the Indian automotive market.
