Kia New Zealand is bolstering its SUV line up with the confirmation that it will add the Seltos small crossover to its range.
The Seltos was recently unveiled internationally by Kia Motors, and sits under the medium sized Kia Sportage.
Kia New Zealand says the Seltos could arrive here before the end of year, and it expects to make a “big impact on the local market”.
“The Seltos has a confidence about it, the styling and design are stunning and it’s packed with the latest technology,” said Kia NZ’s managing director, Todd McDonald.
“I think, in a similar way to (the Kia) Stinger, this car is a coming of age for Kia – we will look back on this model in years to come and say, ‘that was the moment for us’.”
The name Seltos is inspired by Greek mythology, representing the brave and youthful spirit of ‘Celtos’, the son of Hercules, with the ‘S’ in the vehicle’s adapted name implying speed and sportiness.
KMNZ expects demand to be high for the Seltos, adding that the newcomer brings sophistication, assertiveness as well as cutting-edge technology and safety features to the small SUV segment.
Pricing and other details for our market are yet to be released but so far Kia has unveiled three different engine options for the Seltos. The first a turbocharged 1.6-litre four cylinder petrol making 130kW, the second a naturally aspirated 2-litre four cylinder making 110kW, and the third a 1.6-litre four cylinder diesel making 100kW.
We’d expect Kia NZ to take both petrol models but reject the diesel as demand for these models is in decline in the SUV market here.
The Seltos has comprehensive suite of safety tech, which includes vehicle stability management, brake-force assist, and parking sensors front and rear. There's also three drive modes; normal, eco, and sport.
The Sportage has dominated local SUV sales since its launch and year to date sits in third place in new vehicle sales list with 1786 models registrations. Kia NZ should see the same interest in its small Seltos SUV.