Kia Seltos Facelift- A Cut above the Rest

The Kia Seltos had been on my shortlist ever since its launch but with the launch of the facelift, its intrigue grew even more, I had been in search of a compact SUV since 2022 but one or more reasons prevented me from taking the plunge. When the news of the Kia Seltos facelift started making the rounds, I immediately made a booking with the Incheon Kia dealership in Thrissur, and the waiting began. I went for the GTX+ Diesel AT variant in Gravity Grey and the car definitely looks great in this shade. The experience from the dealership from booking to delivery was absolutely seamless and my sales executive regularly updated me with the details of the car, expected delivery timelines, and features of the car. I got a test drive immediately within a week of the official launch and I was immediately sold on the car. The price of the car ex-showroom was Rs. 19,79,900 and it came to Rs. 24,16,852 on-road in Kerala, we, however, opted for Kia's My Convenience Plus Luxury Package as well which provided us with the triple benefits of a 5-year maintenance package, an Extended warranty with 5-years' coverage, and 5-year Roadside assistance, and tyre alloy protection in the first year as well. Along with this, a few accessories like a sidestep, premium dual-layer mats, boot mats, body side molding, side fenders, and an underbody coating jacked the price up to over twenty-five lakh rupees. however, for what it offers, I definitely feel it is worth the price paid. The car was delivered on time as expected and we were treated to an extensive delivery ceremony by the dealership. I literally got goosebumps and was absolutely overjoyed to get my hands on my brand-new car. The initial impressions are great, the car is definitely a looker with a bold stance, tall 18-inch tyres, and excellent styling all around. The elegantly designed cuts and lines, connected tail lights, sequential turn signals, a big and bold front grill, DRLs, and fog lights all add to the imposing nature of the car. The car is practical with lots of space to store your stuff including cup holders at the front and back, bottle holders in all the doors, phone charging spaces, and so on. The boot is large at 433 litres and can hold more than enough luggage for a weekend trip or for ferrying luggage to the airport. The features in the car are definitely the talk of the town with almost everything you could ask for in this budget. The wireless charging pad with cooling function, drive, and traction control modes, electronic parking brake with auto hold, 360-degree camera, dual 10.25-inch screens, ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, voice commands, panoramic sunroof, Kia Connect, Air purifier and Bose Sound System provide you with a wholesome experience and make you feel like you are in a car from a class above. The safety features in the car are also top-notch with 6 airbags standard, ABS, EBD, VSM, TPMS, TCS, ESP, Hill Hold Control, Hill Descent Control, ADAS, and a lot more as part of the package. The fit, finish, and quality levels in the car are also up to segment standards and you won't feel anything cheap in the car. The space at the back is adequate for three average-sized adults with everyone getting their own headrests as well. The rear occupants also get a charging port with USB-C, sunshades, rear AC vents, and an armrest with cup holders as well, so the comfort levels are definitely top-notch. The ride is a bit on the firmer side, but it adds to the sporty nature of the car, however, I feel it is definitely much better than the pre-facelift version with the facelift offering a more mature suspension setup. The steering is light at slower speeds but builds up weight as you pick up the pace which is definitely confidence-inspiring. The car keeps its composure even on twisted roads and feels planted with body roll well contained. The mileage has been great so far, with it hovering around the 19 to 20 km/l mark while on the highway and around the 14 to 15 km/l range in the city. The performance is adequate with the car able to build up power and pick up the pace smoothly with seamless shifts from the torque converter gearbox. The engine noise, road noise, and wind noise are well contained with the engine getting audible once you floor the throttle. It's a calm and composed mile-muncher that will happily serve you well be it on the highway or in the city. The most intriguing feature while driving is the Level 2 ADAS which definitely helps with all the 17 or so ADAS functions. they assist the driver while on the road with timely interventions when required. Be it adaptive cruise control which is a boon on the highways as it steers the car ahead at an appropriate distance from the car in front, braking and accelerating in tow to maintain the fixed distance, forward collision warning which warns the driver of cars coming right at you, auto emergency braking which applies the brakes when the car senses obstacles very close by, blind spot warning which alerts the driver of vehicles coming in from his blind spot, lane keep assist which helps you drive perfectly within the lanes on marked roads and a host of others as well. The ADAS functions can be turned off or on at your convenience using the touchscreen infotainment system, along with customizing the level of assistance, warning sound levels, etc. Now moving on to service and maintenance, with Kia introducing the My Convenience Plus package in the facelift Seltos and with me opting for the same in the Luxury package, service has been taken care of for 5 years with almost everything covered, with the first service coming in one month or 1,000 km, the next at the one year mark or 10,000 km and thereafter at the second year or 20,000 km and so on till the five years or 50,00 km. So far, I have completed the first service within one month of my ownership and it has been absolutely hassle-free, with the dealership providing free pick up and drop, moreover, during the service, the service personnel regularly sends pictures of the car undergoing service and you feel assured that your car is in good hands. Service costs even without the maintenance package are on the lower side and definitely won't burn a hole in your pocket. However, with an all-in-one comprehensive ownership package at Rs. 46,995 for petrol cars and Rs. 51.995 for diesel cars, the Luxury package in My Convenience Plus is definitely value for money for all the benefits it offers. Overall, the Kia Seltos facelift provides you with everything you need in a compact SUV and then some, it's loaded to the brim with features without compromising on anything noticeable as such. The drive is great, the mileage is excellent, the fit, finish, and quality levels are top-notch and it has a good amount of interior space on offer too. However, the ride is a bit firm, so it doesn't sail over bumpy roads or rough patches with ease like a car with a softer ride would have, there are a few omissions that Kia could have taken care of like providing an adjustable armrest instead of the fixed one currently on offer and the lack of Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in an otherwise well-connected car. However, despite the minor shortcomings, if you are looking for a well-rounded compact SUV that is modern. loaded with technology, provides a great mix of features, engine options, drive, and comfort, The Kia Seltos facelift should definitely be on your shortlist, it is definitely a cut above the rest.