Road test review: Kia Seltos Limited Turbo

Saturday, 4 July 2020

Kia teamed up with K-pop sensations Blackpink to promote the small Seltos SUV that is landing here soon with a very sharp price.

KIA SELTOS LIMITED TURBO
Base price: $46,990
Powertrain and economy: 1.6-litre turbo-petrol inline-four, 130kW/265Nm, 7-speed automatic, AWD, combined economy 7.6L/100km, CO2 175g/km (source: RightCar).

The Seltos is a handsome thing, isn’t it?

Vital statistics: 4370mm long, 1800 wide, 1615mm high, 2630mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 433litres, 18-inch alloy wheels.
We like: New powertrain snappy, top-end model means all the bells and whistles, price.

It’s not a flashy design, with hardly a crease in sight, but it works.

We don't like: Turbo means 95 octane minimum, AWD means more fuel consumption, interior monochromatic to a fault.

We never got the chance to try the turbocharged Seltos before lockdown so we’ve spent some well overdue time with it. Is it worth spending the extra dosh over the atmo version?

Turbo means more power. Not all that much more, given the engine has less cubes than the atmo option, but torque has improved by a healthy amount.

Are there any other major changes aside from the turbo?

There are a couple; the CVT transmission makes way for a seven-speed dual-clutch unit, the torsion beam rear suspension is swapped for a multi-link set-up and the front brakes have been enlarged from 280mm to 305mm. All-wheel drive is also standard. This, alongside the 130kW/265Nm boosted 1.6-litre engine, turns the Seltos from an urban family runabout to a machine that offers decent performance in the corners as well as around school.

**READ MORE:

The Limited gets LED lights front and rear. They look good.

* Road test review: Mazda CX-30

* Road test review: Subaru XV

The interior isn't bad by any means but it is a bit safe.

* First drive road test review: Kia Seltos

* SUVs and utes are still taking over New Zealand roads

The better part of $50k opens up a lot of doors for your next SUV. The turbocharged Seltos is definitely worth considering.

The multi-link kit improves comfort over bumpier roads and lets each rear wheel move more independently than the torsion beam on lower models, which helps handling. As does all-paw power, which is exclusive in the Seltos range to the Limited. The AWD system features a centre-locking differential for more traction in the mud or snow as well as torque vectoring and hill descent control. Though I’d imagine Seltos buyers will rarely want to get into any form of off-roading, despite 185mm of ground clearance and an approach angle of 28 degrees, which is about 10 degrees more than a Subaru XV.

Only the Limited has these mechanical changes, which pushes weight up to 1410kg from 1295kg. That’s still respectable, given the size, but it also means fuel consumption rises from 6.8L/100km to 7.6L/100km.

One final note - the Limited Turbo has a four-year/40,000km scheduled serving plan as opposed to Kia’s standard three-year/45,000km plan. The warranty is the usual five years/100,000km while roadside assistance is also five years but with unlimited mileage.

Right, how about that engine then?

It’s definitely stronger than the 2.0-litre naturally aspirated version found in other Seltos’. More output in all areas is appreciated, particularly the increase in torque. Kia says all 265 nimms hit from as low as 1500rpm, which means as soon as you breathe on the throttle you have torque. The power increase isn’t quite as dramatic, the 1.6 only offering 20 extra kilowatts but it’s noticeable enough. Sprinting to 100kmh takes less than eight seconds, compared to closer to nine for the atmo two-litre.

Kia has seen fit to attach a dual-clutch gearbox to the boosted donk, replacing the ‘intelligent variable transmission’ (Kia talk for CVT). While the IVT isn’t bad, as it uses a chain rather than a belt to improve responsiveness and reduce CVT 'flaring”, the DCT is simply better. There aren’t any wheel-mounted paddles but the gear lever can shift across to allow for do-it-yourself changes in Sport mode. Given the engine doesn’t rev much beyond 6000rpm (and doesn’t really want to), it’s better to let the transmission sort itself out.

Adding AWD to the extra dollop of torque means the turbocharged Seltos jumps off the line with an appreciated urgency. It also means you don’t really need to be worried about being stuck in the mud, nor about losing traction in the wet, provided you’re not taking bends at silly speeds. That multi-link rear suspension holds up well on that end as well. If you want a five-seater SUV that's happy to explore some of New Zealand’s backroads, the Seltos is a good bet. Presuming you’re okay to spend close to $50k, of course.

How much will all of that cost me?

Not actually that much at all. The Limited Turbo starts at $46,990 which is pretty damn good, considering it’s the very top of the Seltos line-up. Being based on the Limited, the Turbo gets all the bells and whistles, including Kia’s full driver assist suite, leather heated/ventilated seats, LED lights front and rear and a bunch of visual additions. You also get a Bose sound system (with accompanying flashing disco lights), wireless phone charging, smartphone mirroring, remote start/stop, a 10.25-inch infotainment screen and a 7.0-inch digital screen between the analogue dash dials.

Despite the extra chromey bits and lights flashing in time with the music, the interior isn’t overly exciting. It’s a safe design, not quite as conservative as the Skoda Karoq but not all that far off.

All Seltos’ were ANCAP tested in 2019 and scored five stars, so safety is assured regardless of which model you choose.

It also pays to mention that all Seltos models up from the LX and LX Plus have slightly less storage capacity (433/1393L versus 468/1428L). This is due to the fact that the base models have a spacesaver spare wheel while the EX, Limited and Limited Turbo all get full-size spares.

Any other cars I should consider?

Kia is positioning the $47k Seltos Ltd Turbo against the likes of the Subaru XV Premium ($39,990), Suzuki Vitara Turbo AWD ($37,990) and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross ($47,590). Against those three, the Seltos offers more storage, a larger infotainment screen, better active safety kit and a more powerful engine.

We’d also put the Skoda Karoq Style ($44,990) in, as well as the base VW Tiguan ($45,990) and Hyundai’s Kona Elite ($41,990). The Kona and Seltos are essentially the same car with different designs, and the Karoq is very similar to the Tiguan, albeit with a slightly larger engine (but no more power to show for it) and a seven-speed DSG rather than a six-speeder. The German options are both two-wheel drive as well, compared to the AWD competition.

You could also throw in Mazda’s new CX-30 which, in AWD GTX form, costs $44,990 and has an arguably nicer interior and slightly more powerful but slightly less torquey 139kW/252Nm 2.5-litre naturally aspirated engine.

It might not surprise you to hear that these are all good cars, your decision will lie in what you want most in a new vehicle - power and specification or outright value.