There is another entry in the growing tide of connected SUVs and it is the Kia Seltos. The Seltos will be the Korean company’s first offering in India when it launches on August 22.
Marketed as a connected SUV, it joins the ranks of the MG Hector, Hyundai Venue and Nissan Kicks in offering smart features. In the case of the Seltos, these features include a Heads-Up Display (HUD), a mobile app, a 360-degree camera and a 10.25 inch HD touchscreen display.
Hyundai calls its connected-car app ‘UVO Connect’, which has 37 features including navigation, vehicle management, safety and security. The HUD will display the speed, navigation directions and even the speed limit.
On the comfort and entertainment front, the car will boast a Bose 8-speaker system with dynamic speed compensation that adjusts the volume based on the vehicle speed. In addition, mood lights will set the ambience. The seats and ventilated and the car even comes with a smart-air purifier.
The engine options include petrol, turbo-petrol and diesel variants. These are: A 1.5L petrol, a 1.5L diesel, 1.4L turbo petrol. The 1.4L packs the greatest punch of the bunch, making 138bhp and 242 nm of torque, and will be mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The naturally-aspirated petrol makes 113bhp and 144nm of torque, while the 1.5L diesel engine makes 113bhp and 250nm of torque. The Kia Seltos is expected to be BS-VI compliant at launch.
Other features include Hill-Start Assist, Electronic Stability Control and Vehicle Stability Management for slippery roads, and anti-lock brakes systems (ABS).
The car comes with LED headlamps with Daytime Running Lamps as well. The colour options include intense red, glacier white pearl, steel silver, gravity grey, aurora black pearl, intelligency blue and punchy orange. In addition, there will be a sunroof.
When THE WEEK spotted the Seltos during testing in Mumbai in June, the mileage indicator in the city showed a figure of 12kmpl for the automatic version.
The price is as-yet unrevealed but expected to be in the range of Rs 10-17 lakh depending on the trim. Eager customers can pre-order the Seltos now for a token advance of Rs 25,000 — an offer that 6,000 have already taken up according to PTI.
"It is a remarkable feat and is a testament to Kia's unparalleled and extraordinary brand recognition and acceptability in India that our brand campaign has help us achieve," Kia Motors India Vice President, and Head - Sales & Marketing Manohar Bhat said in a statement.
With an installed production capacity of 3 lakh units per annum the company is fully prepared to make on-time deliveries of the model, he added.
The SUV will be launched in India on August 22.
With inputs from PTI