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4 Years and 51k km with my Kia Seltos GTX+ DCT: Ownership experience

2nd September 2024, 16:42 by Kanad Kalasur

Long drives and trips, city commute and leisure drives have always been a breeze with the car. If I were in the market to buy a car under 25 lakhs, I would go for the facelifted Seltos without a doubt.

BHPian DesertStorm recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Kia Seltos 2020 - Ownership and Issues

Hello everyone!

After following and reading through countless threads on Team-BHP, I have recently started my journey in writing, contributing and engaging here. I would like to start with my detailed experience, ordeals and ownership review of the Kia Seltos GTX+DCT (MY2019)

After driving Santro Xing for over 15 years and 2.5 Lakh KMS, my parents had been looking for an upgrade to a “big car”, my dad had recently retired and did not have a daily commute anymore, which made him consider an SUV and a car with a larger footprint. We had the following must have criterias while shortlisting:

A comfortable 5 seater SUV with boot space for multiple full-sized bags.
Good safety rating.
Petrol Automatic, preferably BS-6

We test drove and kept our options open to any car under Rs. 50 lakhs OTR with a medium sized footprint over the span of 6 months, BMW X1, Volvo XC40, Hyundai Tucson, Hyundai Creta (pre-facelift), Tata Harrier, Tata Nexon, Nissan Kicks, MB GLA, VW Tiguan, Jeep compass, MG Hector. After every showroom visit, our discussions further validated how Seltos was the best fit and VFM option for our requirements.

We finalised on Seltos GTX+ DCT as it met all our required criterias based on comparisons made from above factors. There were very few BS-6 offerings in late 2019/early 2020 as the norms hadn’t kicked in yet and my dad wanted to be future proof with the purchase he made as we intend to keep our cars for a long period.

We booked the car in early January 2020 and were offered a 2019 manufactured vehicle in a different colour for a 25k discount but we decided to skip on the same. We got the delivery in mid-February, after a quick PDI. The initial driving impressions and experience of the vehicle was really positive, the DCT was butter smooth with shifts with great calibration to different driving styles, the steering felt accurate and light enough for city usage, the interior and features were best in class. My dad initially was hesitant in driving a big and an automatic car after owning hatchbacks for 30+ years but after a couple of drives he not only got used to it but prefers driving Seltos the minute he wants to go out of the city. The car has now been driven for 51K KMs and the ownership experience has been an overall mixed bag. Below are the major likes and dislikes of the same:

Likes:

Engine and Transmission Performance - 1.4 TGDI engine mated to the DCT has been a very good package and the car feels in its zone wherever you drive. From expressways, bumper to bumper traffic to ghats, muddy and country roads. The engine never feels uncomfortable in any situation whatsoever. The turbo kick remains a highlight and is comparable to higher torque diesel engines as well. We have never faced an overheating issue with the transmission and most of the time my dad does not even realise when it’s upshifting or what gear he is in. The power is spread out evenly between 2nd to 5th gears and the gearbox is always accurate with the right gear to be in wrt driving style or throttle input.
Comfortable and Ventilated Seats - The seats are well padded and provide good underthigh, back and side support for average sized adults. Ventilated seats are a boon in the hot Indian weather.
Efficient Air Conditioning - The AC cools down the cabin in less than 7-10 minutes and you will never feel the need to increase the blower speed more than 3 even with 5 passengers onboard in peak summer.
Advanced Parking Aids - 360 degree cameras, front parking sensors, Blind spot cameras make parking and driving in tight spots a breeze. Touchwood - I have never had a single scratch or fender bender while driving in narrow streets, traffic or parking the car, even when our home garage is a tight fit on the sides.
Impressive Interior Quality - The interior fit and finish as well as overall feel is commendable for a car in its segment. The armrests on the door and centre (both front and back) are perfectly placed to rest your hands while driving casually or cruising. There are ample soft touch spots in highly touched or seen areas. The dashboard, doorpads, and centre console are a tight fit with no rattling or wear so far.
Precise and Predictable Brakes - The brakes are extremely precise and predictable in emergency and unexpected situations. The bite is strong and unlike older Hyundais, the breaks feel linear and ABS kicks do not feel harsh or strong on your legs. The brakes hold the car with the slightest of input and always make you feel confident.
Well-Calibrated Steering - The steering is well calibrated and weighs up well at higher speeds. It was a breeze for my dad coming from a hydraulic unit in the Santro. The self-centering mechanism works really well while taking U-turns. It feels decently connected with twists and turns. You always know where your wheels are going and there is minimal understeer.
Effective Driving Modes - Driving modes are effective and seamless to change - eco mode has oddly 20% higher fuel efficiency on highways while cruising, the gearbox upshifts well before the turbo kicks in and tries to keep the engine running at lower than 1800 rpm, the throttle input slows down and there is a lag in acceleration and downshifts while overtaking. The sports mode on the other hand has extremely sensitive throttle input and tries to keep the engine running higher than 2000 rpm at all times, the gear shifts at red line and the steering weighs up quite a lot. Best engaged at speeds over 20kmph and open roads.
Excellent Visibility - Visibility and in cabin feel is spot on. The front glass is wide and high with the A pillars narrower than Nexon The windows and ORVM give a good view of what's around and beneath you. The auto dimming IRVM is wide and shows the entirety of the rear windshield.
The windows are placed rightly across the shoulder line and open up the cabin well. The sunroof is an added plus to passengers who feel claustrophobic in closed interiors.
Confidence-Inspiring Driving Dynamics - The driving dynamics inspire confidence and make you want to push it hard. The body roll is well controlled and the chassis feels stiff and planted.
Abundance of Useful Features - There isn’t a single feature or gimmick that we haven’t used except the UVO connected tech. The HUD, 7 inch MID, ambient lighting, ventilated seats, automatic headlights and wipers, air purifier, wireless charger, perfume in air purifier, cruise control and sunroof have added to the driving and in-cabin experience by a huge mark. We were initially not confident about going for the top model but how our perception has changed - going forward, we will only buy the top model.

Dislikes:

Disappointing Safety Rating - For a car this well-packaged and loaded, especially with the enthusiast-friendly 1.4 turbo engine, the safety rating was a pure disappointment and caused mistrust. I haven’t been comfortable driving on highways or at high speeds after the safety rating was released.
Stiff Suspension Setup - Although this is something that my enthusiastic self really likes, my parents, potholed city drives, country roads, and my claustrophobic peers have had clear dissatisfaction with the same.
Frequent Wiper Blade Replacements - In 4.5 years of ownership, I have replaced the wiper rubbers and blades 5 times; they start squeaking and roughen up in a few months.
Jerky Downshifts in Traffic - The downshifts in bumper-to-bumper traffic can get jerky at times if you are not careful about letting the car idle or brake fast enough for it. More or less a con of the DCT.
Inadequate Headlights - In the initial ownership period, the headlights felt adequate, but as our highway rides increased and monsoon set in, the headlights, even with the fog lamps on, felt non-existent.
Weak Rear AC Blow- The rear AC fans/blow is weak - although it helps cool down the cabin, there isn’t enough speed to feel a breeze.
Poor Paint Quality - Paint quality isn’t up to the mark. It is easily scratched and has started fading even when we have covered parking. We have gotten ceramic coating multiple times and the shine does not last long.
Minor Cost-Cutting Issues - Minor and unnecessary cost-cutting: unlit window switches, shiny and easily scratched interior trims, lack of cushioning on the center back seat, power window motor on all passenger windows are less powerful/refined than the driver side, no mirror light on the passenger sun shade, no buttons on the AVNT, bad quality Bose speakers, squeaky door hinges, rattling HUD, back seat, and rear parcel tray with no fix are a few that I have an ick on quite often.
Suboptimal Fuel Economy - Although this wasn’t unexpected, the fuel economy (7-9 in the city and 12-15 on highways, tank to tank - 20% lower on average as displayed on MID) and eco mode tuning could have been better optimised.
Inconsistent Service Quality - Service feels like a hit or miss - go in for a regular service and it should be just fine. However, if you expect even slightly more, you will be disappointed. The dealer we bought our car from is always busy, does really bad paint and repair jobs, and wants to get rid of your car ASAP. Complaints go unanswered (no wonder they have a Tata dealership too. The second dealership provided a slightly better experience.
Interior Design Flaws - There are certain sore elements in the interiors that do not suit a car of this segment. The rear parcel tray doesn’t lock properly in its holder and I have had to tape it up for insulation to prevent it from rattling. The back seat is a similar story. The glossy plastic frame around the music system and gear lever not only gets scratched easily but also has a loose fit. They make a squeak sound on bumps until you push them hard to get them back in place. The HUD will vibrate and rattle on the slightest undulations on the road, even when it’s not turned on.

While all the above make the Seltos a balanced package for the price and what we were looking for, there have been some major ordeals and complaints during our ownership.

For all the countless hours of driving pleasure there is a consistent 25% downtime. I have visited the service centre (20 kms away from my house) approx 100 odd times in the last 4.5 years. I am thankful to myself every single day that I forced my dad to get the extended warranty. Below are the service(out of schedule) and warranty replacements made so far:

Steering Worm Shaft and Reduction Motor - Replaced twice due to stiffness in rotation, misalignment of steering, and rattling noise.
Clutch Actuator - The car got stuck in odd gears while driving on the highway and surprised us with jerky shifts. Got it replaced within a day.
Bumper Repainted - After a minor accident, the car was sent in for repainting the bumper and bonnet. The repainted bumper did not match the color and finish with the rest of the body and was repainted by the service center twice.
Here Comes the Big One - The Music System - A few weeks after buying the car, I realized that AA/AC was frequently getting disconnected. I highlighted the issue during the first and following services, and the issue was fixed by a software update. However, due to the software update, the maps and navigation didn’t work. The service center at "Shri Kia, Indore" seemed clueless and repeated the same software update process repeatedly for months. After they finally gave up, they raised a request to get the music system replaced under warranty. This happened more than a year after the first complaint was raised. I was informed it takes around 3 months to get the replacement music system and I agreed to wait. Fast forward 2 years, 100s of follow-ups and no response or active persuasion from the team, lapse of company warranty, I escalated it to their service manager. He informed me that the last request for replacement had expired because I didn’t follow up and had to be raised again. I decided to leave the past behind and asked them to continue with the process. 3 months after the visit to SM, I finally received a replacement Head Unit under goodwill warranty in March 2024. Only for it to stop working after a few days of use, it started with lag and jitters while playing animations or complex tasks and ended up going completely blank. I had raised a complaint about the issue a week after receiving the replacement. The vehicle underwent multiple software resets and updates by the service center and was even left at their premises for 4 days to fix the issue, which did happen for a couple of hours after their software update and was back again. I requested for the music system to be fixed or replaced free of cost. After multiple meetings with people of all designations at the dealership, I was promised an expedited process for requesting a second replacement unit under goodwill warranty. After continuous follow-ups and visits to multiple folks, I received an email today saying there will be no replacement as the company policy does not allow multiple replacements under goodwill warranty and I would have to pay approximately Rs. 1.29 lakh out of my pocket to fix their mistakes. I am left with 4.5 years of erratic experience with the car and no solutions in sight. I am now exploring the consumer court route and am in discussions with the lawyer on how to go about it.

Despite the negative experiences, I believe the car has satisfied us with its balanced feature set and a gem of an engine. The car has had minor niggles which have been turned to major ordeals solely by the negative service centre experience. Long drives and trips, city commute and leisure drives have always been a breeze with the car. If I were in the market to buy a car under 25 lakhs, I would go for the facelifted Seltos without a doubt. I would welcome any suggestions on the above issue.

I have attached a few photos of the car below and a video showing the music system issue.