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    New Kia Seltos inbound as "expressive" SUV to rival VW T-Roc

    2 days ago

    Kia has revealed the second-generation Seltos, and the big-selling SUV is planned to be sold in the UK and Europe for the first time next year. Not quite as long, wide or tall as the Sportage, and slightly larger than the Niro, the new Seltos has been positioned as an “expressive” alternative to its Sportage best-seller and will go up against the Volkswagen T-Roc, which itself entered a new generation in August. Its “lifestyle” positioning means the Seltos is sold with a range of loud colours, including Iceberg Green and Magma Red, and can be used for light off-roading. Indeed, the new Seltos sports a rugged design that includes skidplates and can be optioned with all-wheel drive, which comes with multi-link rear suspension and a range of off-Tarmac drive options. It sits on the same K3 platform as the Niro and Kona. Power options include a 147bhp 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol and a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol – the latter available with either 178bhp and a six-speed manual gearbox or 192bhp and an eight-speed automatic.  A hybrid variant will arrive in 2026, confirmed Kia. It is expected to use the same powertrain as offered by the Niro, which adds an electric motor to the 1.6-litre unit for a combined 139bhp. These options “meet diverse customer needs across global markets”, said Kia. It has not confirmed which will be offered in the UK, but the 2.0-litre atmo isn’t likely to make it here given strict emissions rules. This radical repositioning for the Seltos is part of an effort from Kia to expand the SUV’s appeal worldwide, but especially in Europe and the UK where it will be sold for the first time. This is why, as standard, the Seltos gets a 12.3in infotainment screen, a sunroof, second-row reclining seats and a head-up display, owing to an appetite in these markets for premium features compared with other regions. It also offers 536 litres of boot space.  Launched in 2019, the Seltos has proven to be one of Kia best global sellers, especially in Mexico and India – the latter where the car will continue to be built. While it has also been sold in markets including North America, Australia and South Africa, it was never offered in Europe or the UK due to it not meeting the EU’s stringent (and costly) safety and emissions regulations. CEO Ho Sung Song said the Seltos is “one of Kia’s most strategically important cars globally, like the Sportage” – that car being its global best-seller with more than half a million sales in 2025 alone. Song added that it is because of the Sportage’s success – especially in the UK – that the Seltos will be offered here. “Because we are selling more than 150,000 units of the Sportage per year in the European market, we feel that we have a lot of opportunity to introduce Seltos,” he said, adding that the brand is targeting around 60,000 Seltos sales per year in Europe. Asked if there was a worry about cannibalising those Sportage sales, or that of the Niro, given the three cars are a similar size, Song said: “Actually, the Niro is developed really for fuel efficiency, and we focus the Niro with hybrid options. In the meantime, [while] the Seltos hybrid will have a similar powertrain of Niro, these customers will be looking for a real SUV product [instead]. So, my opinion is it will have a little different target group for Seltos. “Concerning the Seltos and Sportage, it is a totally different segment, and I don't worry about cannibalising between the two.” Neither a UK arrival date nor pricing has yet to be announced for the Seltos, but these details are expected to be confirmed early next year. It is likely to start from around £30,000, similar to the Niro and Sportage.
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