Kia unwrapped the brand-new Seltos towards the end of 2025. We detail the second generation.
In 2023, Kia South Africa invited us on a three-day adventure behind the wheel of the first-generation Seltos. The first generation impressed on our 1 000 km route, which comprised familiar stretches of tarmac and, noteworthy, long gravel sections, where the front-wheel-drive soft-roader impressed. The Seltos proved that it is, indeed, a capable family crossover/SUV for weekend getaways. And in urban environments, there was little to fault, as we noted in our write-up Why you shouldn’t sleep on the Kia Seltos. Revealed towards the end of 2025, the second iteration aims to build on what made the outgoing model great. We take a closer look at the new Seltos.
The box-fresh Seltos’ eye-catching bodywork measures 4 430 mm long, front to rear, 1 830 mm in width, and 2 690 mm between the front and rear axles; increases of 65 mm, 30 mm, and 80 mm over that of the first iteration, respectively. The new Seltos is based on an updated version of Hyundai-Kia’s K3 architecture.
The all-new Seltos made its global debut with a duo of petrol powertrains. This includes a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-pot endowed with 110 kW and 179 N.m of torque, and a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged unit available in two states of tune — 132 kW and 142 kW. Both the “standard” and “high output” 1.6-litre T-GDI churns out 265 N.m. The 2.0-litre atmospheric engine is paired with a CVT (continuously variable transmission). The “standard” output 1.6-litre T-GDI is available with two transmission options: a six-speed manual cog-swapper and seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The “high output” 1.6-litre T-GDI is mated with an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission. Kia has confirmed a hybrid powerplant will join the range this year.
Stepping inside, the up-to-date cabin is feature-packed. Sited on the dashboard is a panoramic display comprising a trio of screens: two 12.3-inch units for instrumentation and infotainment, respectively, and 5.0-inch unit for climate control. A 12.0-inch head-up display, which projects driving information on the windscreen, is also present. The package further includes a surround-view camera array. Lifting interior ambience are a panoramic sunroof and 64-colour ambient lighting.