Kia Seltos launched in India: Competition check

The Kia Seltos has finally arrived in India! There are two variants across 16 trims and three engine options including a 1.4-litre GDi engine. Prices are in the range of Rs 9.69 lakh to Rs 15.99 lakh and all three engines have manual and automatic transmission options.

The Seltos is a direct rival for the likes of the Nissan Kicks, Renault Duster, MG Hector, Tata Harrier and it's very own sibling, the Hyundai Creta. Here is how this car stacks up against this group of vehicles. Before you begin, do check out our review of the Kia Seltos by clicking here or watch the video at the bottom of this story.

Nissan Kicks
The Nissan Kicks SUV is available in 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engine options. Emerging as a strong competitor in its segment, it gets the first-in-class features such as 360-degree camera, eight-inch floating infotainment system, a leather-wrapped soft-touch dashboard and door trims. The company boasts of offering the widest drive personalisation options in its segment with 27 accessory categories. Moreover, the vehicle is available with standard safety and convenience features in the form of auto AC, Nissan Connect, dual airbags and ABS with EBD and brake assist.
However, the Seltos too has emerged as a strong contender in this fray and offers an equally comprehensive feature list and some more too. Unique to the Seltos is also mood lighting and sound, leather upholstery as well as the two trim packages- Tech line and GT line.         

Renault Duster
The Renault Duster is the car that started this segment and has remained a constant presence in the fray. The vehicle is available in a range of petrol and diesel engine options in different power output figures. The top-spec 110PS RXZ diesel variant with a manual transmission is available with an all-wheel-drive system. The latest update for the SUV, which arrived just a few months ago, sees it get all the segment standard features like projector headlamps and a bigger touchscreen infotainment system.   
However, while the Duster may have started the game, it is quite clear that the Seltos has raised the stakes by offering a wider variety of engines, features and trim packages. This list includes the GDi engine as well as GT-line trim package.

Hyundai Creta
The Hyundai Creta is a strong seller in its segment and one of the best sellers for the Korean carmaker in India. The vehicle is available with a 1.4-litre diesel engine in the E and S variants, while the 1.6-litre petrol and diesel options can be had across all other variants. Standard features on the top model include climate control, touchscreen infotainment system and leather upholstery.
 
Additionally, it also comes with a contrasting metallic finish on the air-con vents, six-way adjustable driver seat, electric sunroof, wireless mobile charger and cruise control. In terms of safety, the six-airbag package with rear-camera for parking has also been retained from the pre-facelift model.
The Seltos is a sibling of the Hyundai Creta and in essence showcases what will be offered with the next generation Creta including the features, engines and most of the underpinnings.

MG Hector
The MG Hector like the Kia Seltos is the debut car for its parent company and has been such a hit that the company has had to close bookings for a few months just to make up the numbers. Like the Seltos, it too brings a heavy list of features raising the stakes for what is on offer in the segment. However, realistically speaking, the Hector is a full segment above the Seltos and currently running on introductory pricing, hence its present position. It is also a much larger vehicle and will eventually spawn a seven-seat variant which will be launched in India in 2020.

Tata Harrier
Tata’s big SUV for the Indian market had long been in the pipeline and was launched earlier this year in the light of much fanfare. It (the Harrier) now the second largest car in the segment and only marginally trails behind the Hector in terms of dimensions.
It is a larger car than the Seltos and competes with the South Korean model due to the way it is priced. This is currently Tata’s flagship model and offers most of what is standard in the segment. Within the next year, we expect that will introduce an AWD model as well as a seven-seat version. The Harrier is only offered with the 2.0-litre diesel while the Seltos gets three engine options including a 1.4-litre GDi engine.