After much speculation, it’s now confirmed: the last Kia model to be unboxed this 2019 is not the Stonic, but the Seltos sub-compact crossover. Named after “Celtos,” the son of Hercules in Greek mythology, the Seltos is Kia’s new global response in the ever-growing small crossover segment.
Slotting in-between the Soul and Sportage in terms of size and positioning, the Seltos is characterized by being sporty yet sophisticated. Outside, it gains a strong, yet delicate appearance characterized by its wide tiger nose grille (it’s so wide Kia now terms it, “tiger face”) and diamond-like pattern on the grille surrounds.
Sitting on a platform made of 49 percent Advanced High Strength Steel, the Seltos’s body is lighter than the Honda HR-V (322 kilograms versus 301 kilograms) yet is larger in ever dimension. Moreover, it has generous ground clearance ranging from 170 to 179 millimeters depending on the exact wheel diameter installed (16 to 18 inches).
The larger body contributes to a much roomier cabin that’s every bit bigger than the Honda HR-V as well. The rear occupants, in particular, will revel in the standard rear air conditioning vents and reclining rear seats. Moreover, the luggage compartment is the largest in its class at 498 liters.
Although the Philippine market model is yet to be finalized, the Seltos features two impressive 4-cylinder engines. The normally-aspirated 2.0-liter motor has 149 horsepower and 180 Nm of torque mated to an intelligent continuously-variable transmission (IVT), while the turbocharged 1.6-liter motor makes a healthy 177 horsepower and 265 Nm of torque. Paired to a 7-speed dual clutch automatic, this combination makes it an unassuming pocket rocket: 0-100 km/h in 8 seconds, and 80 to 120 km/h in just 5.3 seconds.
The Seltos is fitted as standard with MacPherson strut front suspension and a torsion beam rear axle. The suspension and steering are tuned to provide a comfortable and confidence-inspiring high-speed drive. The motor-driven electric power-steering system is tuned to deliver rapid and linear response.
A further feature to maximize driving confidence, the Seltos is equipped with large disc brakes on all four corners, with brakes ranging from 280 to 305 mm on the front axle (depending on specification) and 262 to 284 mm discs on the rear axle. In all instances, the brakes provide ample stopping power at all speeds.
The Kia Seltos will start its sale in Korea by the third quarter of 2019. The Philippines will be sourcing its units from the carmaker’s Gwangju, Korea production facility and will be launched in the country towards the end of 2019. Local specifications and pricing will be announced at a later time.
Hi, just wondering how come the Philippine market never gets the most advanced GDI engines from Japanese and Korean car brands? They always seem to blame the Euro 4 blah blah..... gasoline quality issues. I never hear Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, RR, Bentley blame our gasoline for selling only certain models. I've never heard bmw or porsche, Ferrari or even Lamborghini say that they cant sell certain models due to gasoline issues.... what gives? do they just want to maximize profit by selling us mediocre engines? if this is true, how come nobody in the motoring media calls a spade a spade? I simply don't buy and the local media seems to patronize these lies....
ReplyDeleteActually Kia now offers the 1.6 GDi in the Forte GT.
DeleteUnfortunately, it boils down to the cost. They can surely bring the GDi engines here, but it’ll be even more expensive than they are. At this point, they can implement them on higher variant models, but for cost-sensitive ones, it’s not going to be possible or at least unlikely.
And as for premium models using direct injection engines, they actually require cleaning due to our fuels in as little as 25k kilometers. It’s usually factored into the PMS. This is something that’s hard to do with more mainstream brands. It is getting there though. Brands like Mazda, certain Toyota and Honda models do have direct injection tech.
DeleteThanks for the reply, I just hate the local media for being the apologist or "Liars" for car companies justifying the "mediocre" engines they bring to our market on fuel quality issues...buncha crap if you ask me. If a Ferrari or Bentley or RR can run on local premium gasoline, any jap or korean tuna can on roller skates will.
ReplyDeleteIt will run. Unfortunately it may entail higher servicing cost, and that’s not something a regular buyer will be able to handle. Sure, a guy buying a Bentley or Rolls-Royce can, but maybe not a Hyundai or Kia.
DeleteBy the way, the press release by jap and korean brands is never on the cost of bringing their best engines, its the fuel "quality" b.s.
ReplyDeleteIt was the genuine concern before, but now that we’ve moved to Euro 4 it’s now easier to get the newer generation engines. Sadly, there are some that are tuned to Euro 6 standards, but that’s in the minority.
DeleteI wonder hm this would cost. This would be a great city car if they put in a Kia/Hyundai 1.6l diesel
ReplyDeleteThere’s a 1.6 diesel but only for Korean market.
DeleteIt should have transmission options including the manual as offered in India.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, India is for Indian market. We are getting ours from Korea. Even the platform codes are different despite similar appearances.
DeleteThank you so much for sharing this information. This blog is very helpful for readers. I really appreciate this information.
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There are thousands of VW-Skoda diesels sitting in Germany, that they can't sell due to the emissions scandal, which all diesel manufacturers are guilty of. Why not bring them here at a knock down price, as they are better quality than Korean vehicles.
ReplyDeleteWhen is the release for seltos? Any idea? Thank you
ReplyDelete