Re: The Kia Seltos SUV (SP Concept). EDIT : Launched at Rs. 9.69 lakhs +1
Kia Seltos should be better than XUV in all aspects other than space, road presence etc.
The package offered at this price is unbeatable IMO.
Anyways, I had a couple of test drives on the 1.4 GTX DCT and here are my impressions. Since I have driven the Compass 1.4 Petrol Auto few days back, I will also share some comparisons. Exterior - Much has been said about the design of the car and such opinions are highly subjective. SO, I will leave it short. To me, it does look attractive but seems slightly overdone. It will grab lot of attention in the night with all those different light elements. If I end up buying one, I might do some modifications to reduce the 'bling'.
I don't judge the build quality by heaviness of the door. Overall, the car felt well-built though it does not have the tank-like build of a Compass.
Interiors - I think Kia has really hit it out of the park. My car GTX variant came with all black leatherette interiors with red stitching and looked fabulous. I think this is segment best by a margin. Fit and finish is excellent and the cabin feels premium. My family was super impressed by the cabin. We have been taking quite a few test drives recently and this is the only car other than the Octavia where family has been really happy with the interiors. (this includes supposedly higher segment cars like the Compass and the Tucson). Also, the rear seats have a recline functionality, retractable sunshades and the window line is lower than other cars - all of these added to the satisfaction of the rear passengers.
Performance - I was skeptical before the test drives as the test drive of a similar combination (Compass 1.4 turbo petrol DDCT ) was a big disappointment. I am happy to say that all my skepticism is gone after the test drives. I was not able to take the car to more than 80 kmph due to traffic but I was very happy with the refinement and performance. The car responds very nicely to gentle throttle inputs and when you push the pedal card, there is only a marginal delay before the gearbox downshifts and you lunge forward. In normal driving, the shifting is seamless and not noticeable. The engine has decent low end torque and does not suffer from the terrible turbo lag of the Compass petrol. The refinement is also amazing and much better than the Compass petrol. However, when revved hard it does sound a bit rough but not as bad as the Compass petrol. The TSI engines from VW/Skoda are at a higher level in terms of responsiveness and refinement. There is a mode dial to switch between eco, normal and sport. I tried the sport mode for a short while and it does change the gearbox characteristics considerably where the shifts happen much later in the rev range. I could not test out the sports mode properly but it is something which should keep the enthusiasts happy Ride and handling - I think Kia has absolutely nailed it. The ride is super composed and absorbent without being stiff. It rides more like an European car. Also, the suspension is pretty silent. I could not test out the handling thoroughly but the steering seems pretty direct and the chasis felt taut. I think Kia is right up there with the best of the segment in terms of ride-handling. Features - Nothing much to say here. It has more than what I need. Surprisingly, I thought the HUD is a gimmick but it was fun and useful and fully adjustable. Only features missing are - panoramic sunroof (current one is very small), lumbar support and possibly auto-dimming external mirrors. Test drive experience - Nothing much to write about. Kia showroom is flooded with customers. So, there is lot of wait time and the dearelship is not very keen to sell the car ascustomers are anyways queueing up to buy the car. Hope Kia focuses more on customer satisfaction as the initial euphoria will die down sooner or later. Should you buy it? Absolutely yes. Unless you need a bigger car like MG for space or other reason. For me, MG is not in consideration for the size, brand and performance (MG auto can't match the Seltos DCT on performance). I am thinking which variant to buy - GTX or GTX+. I liked the all black interiors on GTX but the electric and ventilated seats on GTX+ is pushing me towards GTX+. Suggestions?
Overall, I feel Kia has absolutely nailed it with the Seltos and next-gen Creta will have to really up the game if it wants to take the mantle from Seltos.
EDIT- When in the TBHP review? Don't want to buy a car without reading the TBHP review.
Last edited by adimicra : 2nd October 2019 at 22:31.
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