First Drive of the 2024 Kia Seltos – More Than Just A Facelift

Kia Philippines recently invited us to a media drive to test the new 2024 Kia Seltos. The crossover recently got an update towards the end of 2023, giving it a new front fascia, a reworked interior, new engine options, and more safety features.

The media drive took us from Bonifacio Global City to Batangas via Tagaytay to test out the capabilities of the Seltos on winding mountain roads and the highway.  We tested the naturally aspirated 1.5-liter gasoline engine EX model and the top-spec SX variant with a 1.4-liter turbocharged motor. 

Seltos EX: The mid-trim with a great set of features

Starting with the Kia Seltos EX, our assigned car for the trip to Batangas, the 1.5-liter, despite being smaller in displacement versus the 2.0-liter motor, was surprisingly peppy. The crossover didn’t feel like it didn’t have enough power, thanks to the excellent power delivery the IVT, Kia’s version of a CVT, could deliver. The new 1.5-liter motor produces 115 horsepower and 144 Nm of torque. Despite being fully loaded with three passengers and luggage, the EX Seltos was peppy enough for overtakes and getting up to speed on the highway.

The suspension in the mid variant was decent, keeping most of the bumps and road imperfections at bay. NVH was also great with the Seltos, as wind noise would only make its way into the crossover cabin at speeds over 80 kph. However, we did notice one quirk of the Seltos as highway crosswinds easily pushed around the fairly light vehicle. It’s something we can attribute to its chunky design, but it’s something an owner will have to get used to.

As for its feature set, we loved that it came with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from its 8-inch infotainment system, which was easy to use and connect. It’s a feature that should come with more modern vehicles, reducing the need for wires. The Seltos also comes with a new digital instrument cluster, which is clear and crisp yet reminds us much of what you could find in the Hyundai Creta and Hyundai Stargazer.

Kia Seltos SX: More power, More Features

While the top-spec SX model looks similar to the EX with its LED lighting elements, it does come with a different set of wheels to differentiate it from the rest of the model lineup. The differences don’t stop there, as the top variant gets a different infotainment system, wireless charging, and a new 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline motor. 

Don’t let its lower displacement fool you, as the new engine packs quite the punch delivering 140 horsepower and 242 Nm of torque. Unlike its lower variant counterparts, the SX ditches the IVT and gets a 7-speed DCT instead. The new gearbox gives the crossover faster and smoother shifts while helping put down all its newfound power. Despite the power upgrade, we found the SX to suffer the same problem most DCTs have, as the car tends to roll backward on inclines, which was prevalent on the onramp heading into BGC while stuck in traffic.

Despite these minor quirks, we found the SX to have better NVH than the EX, but it still suffered from being moved around by highway crosswinds. Aside from this, we noticed that the top model didn’t come with wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto but instead the wired versions of the feature. It was a weird trade-off for a bigger 10.25-inch display, but the extra screen real estate is a welcomed addition to the crossover. 

Conclusion: You may miss the 2.0-liter, but the upgrades are well worth it

While the 2.0-liter motor has been dropped from the model lineup, the new 1.5 and 1.4 turbo motors more than compensate for its disappearance. It takes driving the new Seltos to feel the change, especially regarding power delivery. The new features, like smart cruise control, lane keep assist, and lane following assist for the SX, make the crossover safer and more appealing to those who want more features from the car but don’t want to buy a Chinese vehicle.

As for their fuel economy figures, during the media drive, we got around 11 km/L on the 1.5-liter EX variant and around 9 to 10 km/L on the turbo variant. Do note that we switched cars during the trip’s return portion and had driver changes on the way back to BGC in mixed driving conditions. Once we get a review unit, we can give you more conclusive numbers on how the Kia Seltos performs in fuel economy.

Overall, the new updates to the Kia Seltos elevate the crossover and make it more competitive than ever. Priced at Php 1,288,000 for the EX and Php 1,688,000 for the SX, the updated variants are at competitive price points and will likely take a good chunk of the crossover market away from more established nameplates.