2023 Kia Seltos Facelift Review

Kia has been on point with its India strategy so far. More than 10 lakh cars have been sold in just 4 years, and the Seltos has the lion’s share in it with 5 lakh units sold and is still going strong, so giving it new features and a facelift is the sensible way to go and Kia has done exactly that.

2023 Kia Seltos: Price

But the big talking point has to be the price at which it is available. The facelifted Seltos starts at Rs. 10.89 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs. 20 lakh (all prices ex-showroom India), and that’s a steep rise in price. Earlier, the Seltos topped out at around Rs. 18 lakh but now the top-end is Rs. 2 lakh more, entering a segment where you can get a 7-seater MPV or an SUV too.

2023 Kia Seltos Prices (ex-showroom, India):

But there’s a reason why Kia is charging a premium and that’s because of the introduction of ADAS technology on the Seltos.

2023 Kia Seltos: Features

Up front, the dashboard is dominated by these two big screens. One for the infotainment system, and one for the instrument cluster. The screen is intuitive, and because everything is so driver-centric, it’s easy to view as well. You also get ventilated seats, which is a big plus, and a massive dual-pane panoramic sunroof.

You can just sit back, relax, and watch the blue/dark skies as you travel along. Of course, there are connectivity features on offer, and that’s a very long list now. But I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that it does not receive wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the top-end variant while the lower variant does.

2023 Kia Seltos: Safety Features

But the introduction of ADAS functionality takes things up a notch and is also one reason why prices have soared. With Level 2 ADAS functionality, Kia wants to tell its customers that it has the tech and it will use it. So, that’s a big bucket to tick, and it works well on Indian roads as well.

After making six airbags standard on the Carens, the Seltos gets it too, and 11 more safety features are standard on the car. And the company also promises that the structural rigidity of the car has improved significantly and that it’s all ready for any crash test. Now the Seltos has a 3-star crash rating from Global NCAP, but that was also under the old regime. Will we see an improvement then? Only time will tell.

2023 Kia Seltos: Exterior

On the looks front, the ice-cubed foglamps and the funky DRLs give it a unique look. But new front bumpers and a new rear bumper too heighten the impact of the SUV now. Kia says that the new Seltos is now longer by 50 mm and that’s also because of the changes made to the rear bumper.

The mounting points do not change and that means the wheelbase hasn’t changed either. It’s at the rear where the changes are significant because that connected tail lamp design looks smashing and adds a bit of pizzazz to the overall look.

2023 Kia Seltos: Engine & Transmission

The pizzaz is also in the way it drives and that’s because of the new turbocharged engine. The 1.5 T-GDi replaces the 1.4-litre unit. Power has gone up to 158 bhp and you can feel how well the iMT responds to your inputs. It’s simple really, the fun of driving a manual without operating the clutch.

Takes a bit of getting used to though because invariably you lift your left foot while changing. 235 Nm of torque is sent by the gearbox to the front wheels and the engine responds well to all your inputs. The shifts are seamless and if you do miss a gear, there is a loud notification suggesting you have done something wrong. Yes, there is a bit of lag at lower rpms but once you are in the 2000-3500 rpm bandwidth, then the turbo really pushes the SUV ahead and that’s really the sweet spot.

Besides the iMT, there is an automatic gearbox as well. The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission too is great to drive. Again there is the problem of lag at lower rpms but the gear changes are seamless and you have the paddle shifters as well which have zero hesitation when it comes to shifting up or down and that is why it is at home on the highway, in city traffic.

Kia has retained the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and the 1.5-litre diesel and there are no changes in the outputs of either. The ride quality remains unchanged and yes it’s good.

2023 Kia Seltos: Verdict

Kia has retained the Tech Line, GT Line, and X Line nomenclatures and the range of variants too is still wide. So is the Seltos still a crowd-pleaser?

Yes, it is, because it ticks all the right boxes and gives more to the consumers, in terms of features drivability, and safety. A fairly new carmaker taking the veterans head-on. It is game on in the compact SUV space!

Photography By: Anand Malepu