Last week, IAB had reported that the Kia will name its debut SUV for the Indian market 'Seltos', and today, the same has been officially confirmed.
The name 'Seltos' has been taken from the Greek mythology and the legend of ‘Celtos’ the son of Hercules, where 'S' in the SUV's adapted name is a symbol of speed, sportiness and strength. The name of every monocoque Kia SUV starts with the letter 'S'.
In terms of exterior, the Kia Seltos is inspired by the Kia SP Signature concept, which is an evolution of the Kia SP Concept. The premium B-SUV will combine modern design elements with traditional SUV proportions. At the front, it will comprise a newly interpreted Kia's signature tiger-nose grille flanked by sleek LED headlamps. Below the grille, will sit a wide central air intake, a chunky bumper and vertical LED fog lamps housed in the corners. The profile will have an almost flattish beltline stretching till the end of the rear doors. Also noticeable will be its strong shoulder line and 18-inch double-spoke alloy wheels, reflecting its tough, classical SUV character.
The official interior sketches indicate a nicely laid-out, broad dashboard with vertically positioned outer air-con vents. They show that the SUV will get a huge 10.25-inches touchscreen infotainment system (biggest in the segment). The instrument panel on the Seltos will be an analouge-digital unit comprising a large MID between the analogue rev counter and speedometer. Apart from this, the other details which are confirmed for the Seltos include Sound Mood Lighting and a head-up display which has been seen in spy pictures.
Commenting on the name announcement, Mr. Manohar Bhat, Head - Marketing and Sales, Kia Motors India, said: “Seltos is all set to redefine the mid-SUV car segment with its eye-catching looks, exclusive segment first features and athletic design." "We have spent a lot of time in perfecting our car to suit the taste of the Indian customers and I am glad that this originally India intended car is so perfect that it compelled us to make Seltos available globally,” he added.
In terms of mechanicals, the Kia Seltos will be available with a 1.5 naturally aspirated petrol engine and a 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine in India. The transmission options will likely include a 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic. A performance variant packing a 140 PS 1.4L turbocharged petrol engine paired with a 7-speed DCT and featuring paddle shifters is on the cards.
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Kia will manufacture the Seltos in India at its state-of-the-art facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. The SUV is all set to have its world premiere in India on the 20th of this month. Its sales should commence by next month. Expect the prices to start somewhere in the INR 10-11 lakh (ex-showroom) range.
