2021 Kia Seltos
The 2021 Kia Seltos is a subcompact crossover SUV manufactured by Kia. Kia Motors is the second-largest Korean car manufacturer after Hyundai, and their cars are globally recognized as some of the most value-for-money and reliable vehicles. The latest 2021 Kia Kia Seltos to help you better understand the small SUV and its place in the Australian market. The 2021 Kia Seltos is a small SUV that sits below the Kia Sportage and above the Kia Stonic in terms of SUV sizes. According to Kia Australia, the range of Kia Seltos offers 6 variants. They come with 2 engine options in 4 trim levels of which 2 have an additional Safety Pack option, which Kia considers as being separate variants altogether.
2021 Kia Seltos Interior
The base models are front-wheel drives and pack a 2.0-litre inline 4 engine with automatic CVT transmissions. The top models are all-wheel drives that pack a 1.6-litre turbo engine with 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions. Surprisingly, this top-tier engine and transmission is also an option with the Sport Plus trim that sits in the middle of the range.
2021 Kia Seltos Infotainment and Technology
The base models feature an 8.0-inch infotainment system that offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a reversing camera with rear parking sensors. The Sport variants offer the larger 10.25-inch infotainment system, satellite navigation, and DAB digital radio. The top variant adds tech upgrades such as a 7-inch colour instrument cluster, ambient lighting, premium Bose 8-speaker sound system, wireless charging, and a head-up display. These excellent features make the Kia Seltos a semi-luxury vehicle. The interior is rather good-looking, especially with the added tech features in top variants, which makes the 2021 Kia Seltos an attractive option in the Australian market.
2021 Kia Seltos Specification and Price
The 2021 Kia Seltos is a small SUV that sits below the Kia Sportage and above the Kia Stonic in terms of SUV sizes. According to Kia Australia, the range of Kia Seltos offers 6 variants. They come with 2 engine options in 4 trim levels of which 2 have an additional Safety Pack option, which Kia considers as being separate variants altogether. The base models are front-wheel drives and pack a 2.0-litre inline 4 engine with automatic CVT transmissions. The top models are all-wheel drives that pack a 1.6-litre turbo engine with 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions. Surprisingly, this top-tier engine and transmission is also an option with the Sport Plus trim that sits in the middle of the range.
They include the “S”, “S with Safety Pack”, the “Sport”, the “Sport with Safety Pack”, the “Sport Plus”, the “Sport Plus 1.6T AWD”, and the range-topping “GT-Line AWD”. These variants are priced between AUD 26,790 and 42,200, which is competitive considering what’s on offer.
2021 Kia Seltos Fuel Economy
Both engines on the Kia Seltos line-up require 91RON regular unleaded fuel and can run on E10. The standard 2.0-litre engine is rated at 6.8-litre per 100km, whereas the turbocharged 1.6-litre is rated at 7.6-litres per 100km. These numbers are decent; however, they are on the lower end as compared to direct competitors like the Nissan Qashqai and Mitsubishi ASX.
2021 Kia Seltos Safety Features
The Kia Seltos has a five-star rating from ANCAP, which is as good as it gets. Safety features like forward-collision warning, anti-lock brakes, auto emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and curtain airbags are standard across all variants. Models with the Safety Pack and the top end models also come with cyclist detection. The GT-Line and Sport Plus also offer rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring. The Safety Pack also adds 15-inch rear disc brakes, an electronic parking brake, and adaptive cruise control. Overall, the safety is good; however, it would have been nice to see features like blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control as standard. While the AUD 1,000 Safety Pack upgrade is a worthy package, Kia could have eliminated the Safety Pack variants and offered its features as standard and not an optional add-on.
Practicality
This is an area where the 2021 Kia Seltos shines because its interior space is more than most rivals in the small SUV market. Customers certainly get more than what they expect, and this is great considering that interior space is a defining characteristic of any small or compact SUV. In terms of boot space, the Kia Seltos provides a whopping 433-litres of space, which is also a big number compared to other competitors in the small SUV market. Moreover, the cargo space can be extended to 1393-litres with the second-row seats folded down.
Reliability
In the early days of Kia Motors, it was known as a manufacturer of cheap cars with low reliability. However, this was a long time ago, and Kia has since changed its ways to now become one of the most reliable auto manufacturers in the world. You can easily count on the 7-year warranty that Kia offers with its Seltos models. Having been around in the Australian market for two years, judging Seltos’ reliability is difficult. However, there haven’t been any known issues so far. The car’s warranty and Kia’s global reputation for exceptional reliability mean that the Kia Seltos is a reliable car for Australians.
Ground Clearance
The ground clearance on the Kia Seltos is quite decent as well. At 177mm, it is on par with most rivals but not as high as competitors like the Mitsubishi ASX, which sits 203mm above ground. Kia Seltos has a wheelbase of 2630mm, and its approach and departure angle comes in at 28.0 degrees. These numbers are enough to get you around urban and B-roads quite comfortably.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking to buy a car in the small SUV segment, we highly recommend the 2021 Kia Seltos because it is a great value-for-money option, especially when compared to competitors. It is a good-looking and reliable car with an up to date interior packed with plenty of features and technologies you won’t find easily at this price point. Most car experts dislike the lack of an autoboot feature; however, even they highly recommend the Kia Seltos for this segment.