South Trail Kia
Posted on June 20, 2020
The all-new Kia Seltos is designed to be a fun, subcompact SUV with a surprising amount of power hidden under the hood. The previews of the model drew plenty of press excitement, but does the official 2021 release live up to expectations? Read on to find out.
There's no denying it, the Seltos is a small car. But its diminutive looks have a huge amount of charm, with the prominent hood and grille leaning back into a sleekly compact hatchback profile.
But despite its small size, the cabin is deceptively roomy, seating four adults with ease and five at a pinch. There's also plenty of cargo space in the rear, with the cargo floor lowerable to provide even more volume.
The standard Seltos model comes with a 146 horsepower 2.0L engine paired with continuously variable transmission and front-wheel drive. While this configuration is punchy enough for everyday driving, moving up a level makes things far more interesting.
The optional 1.6L turbo SX engine produces a satisfying 175 horsepower and 195lb-ft of torque, which is a genuinely impressive amount of power for a SUV of this size. This turbo engine is matched to a seven-speed twin-clutch automatic transmission, with the option of front-wheel or all-wheel drive.
The choice between the two engines means a trade off over fuel economy. The 2.0L engine with front-wheel drive boasts an impressive figure of 6.9L / 100km on the highway, while the more powerful 1.6L option reduces the highway economy to a still perfectly acceptable 8.7L / 100km.
Kia is well known for providing high levels of tech as standard, and the Seltos sees the company staying at the top of their game. A 10.3" touchscreen is standard, a size which is all the more impressive considering the compact nature of the car.
Smartphone connectivity is provided by the ever-present Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with capabilities extended by the UVO Link app which allows remote control of climate control and more via Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
Three USB ports are provided to go along with the wireless phone charging.
One of the most impressive - if gimmicky - features is the way the premium Bose sound system is hooked up to the ambient lighting, with light pulses matched to the beat of the music. Groovy.
The generous technology provision doesn't end with the interior, though. As standard, the 2021 Kia Seltos is equipped with a wide range of active safety features, including:
The Canadian MSRP starts at an affordable $22,995 and rises to $32,595 for the top-level trim.
If you're looking for a subcompact SUV that's huge fun to drive and packed with features, the Kia Seltos for sale in our Calgary showroom is hard to beat. To experience it for yourself, get in touch to arrange a test drive, and see what all the excitement is about.
Categories: New Inventory