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Kia Seltos review

And that's what we experienced with two adults and a couple of small bags on board. Load up the Seltos for a family weekend away, and it's going to be even more stressed. But at least the noise is fairly muted and not as much of a racket as some other SUVs[1] emit.

Plus the transition back and forth between the two power sources is virtually seamless. The gearbox is pretty good, delivering smooth and slick shifts, although it does have a tendency to hold on to gears for longer than we'd like after you ease up on the throttle. We found it was best to take your foot off the pedal entirely after getting up to your desired speed, because this causes the engine to shut off and get the car running in EV mode.

Town driving, visibility and parking

There's a nice weight to all the controls in the Seltos, including steering that's still light enough that quick manoeuvres in tight car parks won't feel like hard work.

Visibility is good all-round, too, helped by the lofty driving position, while the big square bonnet stretches out in front of the driver. The Seltos features the latest iteration of Kia's smart regeneration system, which automatically adjusts based on traffic flow, sat-nav data and the road ahead. Alternatively there are paddles behind the steering wheel that the driver can use to choose between four strength levels on the fly, or turn off regenerative braking to allow the car to coast along, if they prefer.

Country road driving and handling

As you'd expect for a family-focused SUV, the Kia Seltos is focused very much on comfort rather than carving up corners like a Lotus Elise[2].

As such, this isn't a fun car to drive on a twisty country road, but it's composed enough and can handle being chucked into a corner or two, should you wish.

Motorway driving and long-distance comfort

The suspension did a good job absorbing the impacts from the potholes and cracks we encountered on the road from Seoul to Gwangju in South Korea where we drove the Seltos. We found the car settled down well on a motorway as well. While a bit of road noise made its way into the cabin at higher speeds, we couldn't detect any wind noise, which is impressive for such a boxy SUV.

Competitive pricing combined with a frugal hybrid powertrain and plenty of standard kit should provide attractive value for money

Pros

  • Every model features frugal hybrid system
  • Should be competitively priced next to rivals

Cons

  • Fuel economy and CO2 emissions figures not confirmed
  • No indication on how much it will cost to insure yet

We were very impressed by how often we'd glance at the driver's display to see the car was driving around in EV mode with the engine in hibernation, which would explain how we managed to average exactly 50mpg on a route that involved a lot of time cruising on the motorway. However, we should point out that Kia hasn't yet told us how efficient this hybrid system is meant to be.

Insurance groups

Insurance ratings for the Kia Seltos haven't been confirmed yet, but we expect it will cost about the same to insure as many of its key rivals. For instance, the Nissan Qashqai[3] sits in insurance groups 12 to 30 (out of 50), depending on the exact model and powertrain, while the Kia Sportage falls into groups 19 to 26.

Tax

While there isn't going to be a plug-in hybrid or electric version of the Seltos to attract company car[4] drivers in great numbers, the full-hybrid set-up emits less than 100g/km of CO2, so will receive a lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) bill than pure-petrol alternatives.

This interior prioritises functionality and spaciousness, although some will wish it felt a little more plush

Pros

  • Bold design will help it stand out in the family SUV crowd
  • Functional interior with good old-fashioned physical buttons
  • Sharp screens and easy-to-use infotainment system

Cons

  • No hiding the amount of plastic
  • There are a lot of menus in the touchscreen to navigate through
  • Climate control screen is obscured by the steering wheel

With its boxy shape, tall floating roofline and bluff front end, the Seltos shares more than a few styling cues with Kia's other SUVs, particularly the EV5[5] and EV9[6]. Yet it still feels fresh and has an identity of its own, because the chunky bumpers with their fake skid plates and angular wheelarches give it a more rugged look. In fact, if you added a seven-slot grille, we think this handsome Kia could pass as the next-generation Jeep Renegade[7] we've been waiting for.

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References

  1. ^ SUVs (www.autoexpress.co.uk)
  2. ^ Lotus Elise (www.autoexpress.co.uk)
  3. ^ Nissan Qashqai (www.autoexpress.co.uk)
  4. ^ company car (www.autoexpress.co.uk)
  5. ^ EV5 (www.autoexpress.co.uk)
  6. ^ EV9 (www.autoexpress.co.uk)
  7. ^ Jeep Renegade (www.autoexpress.co.uk)