Honey I’ve shrunk the car.
Kia drivers could be forgiven for thinking they’re seeing double whenever they find themselves in one of the Korean marque’s shiny new showrooms.
And it’s all to do with this compact SUV, the Seltos.
It’s not easy to tell this little machine apart from its bigger, more expensive and highly acclaimed mid-sized sibling, the Sportage.
Having won a couple of the nation’s leading car of the year awards in recent years, the Sportage has become one of the top-selling models in its segment - so don’t be surprised if you see the Seltos following suit.
While the Sportage has been around the Australian market since 1993, after five generations it has gone from ugly duckling to one of the most desirable models in its field.
The Seltos is not nearly so well-known - its launch in 2020 was affected by the onset of Covid - but it’s now ready to blossom after recently undergoing a comprehensive facelift - hence the case of mistaken identity with the Sportage.
That’s particularly true of the flagship model, the GT-Line, which like the Sportage offers an eye-catching dual paint effect (the test model was white up to the window line and black above) - which accentuates the strikingly similar lines and posture between this pigeon pair.
The same paint-job can be found on a giant-killer in this segment, the Volvo XC40 which suggests the Seltos is mixing in some very good company.
It has landed in one of the real hot zones of the new-car market, where rivals include fellow Koreans the Hyundai Kona (recently updated) and the urban SUV, the Venue. That’s not to mention the likes of Nissan’s Juke and Qashqai, Toyota’s recently-released Corolla Cross and Mitsubishi’s popular Eclipse Cross.
Tested was the Seltos GT-Line, a trim level Kia has used on models from its high-performance Stinger into its sedan and hatchback range.
In this guise the Seltos doesn’t want for power, nor for technology and features although with a $47,690 drive away price it wouldn’t want to.
Yet despite its modest size it delivers impressive interior space, with grown-up road manners to boot. A well-resolved ride is complemented by delightfully sharp steering and the balance and sturdiness of a bigger machine. It feels particularly at home on the open road.
The Seltos is offered across three grades (S, Sport and GT-Line) with a choice of two engines (a 2-litre, normally-aspirated four in the two lower-grades and a vibrant 1.6-litre, turbocharged four in the top-spec model).
There’s also a choice of two-wheel or all-wheel drive (only the S offers a FWD setup).
While the non-turbo engine brings a sensible 110kW and 180Nm; the turbo produces 146kW with 265Nm to create a decidedly sporty personality. It also gets an eight-speed automatic as opposed to the CVT fitted to the cheaper models.
The payback is despite bigger capacity, the two-litre engine sips 6.9L/100km on the combined cycle, compared to the GT’s thirstier 7.4L/100km which is just a bit thirsty for a smallish machine.
That leads to one of the few complaints about the Seltos - its puny 50-litre petrol tank which lasted just over 500km on an extended test - with the fuel gauge showing the tank three-quarters full one minute and verging on empty the next.
Nobody will argue that active and passive safety features are not good thing - but the Seltos is proof it is possible to have too much of a good thing.
In particular, the speed sign recognition function and an over-enthusiastic speed alert combined to make a test of patience, with beeps and chimes following every move. It even overshadowed the very impressive audio setup, including Bose speakers which are generous in a vehicle of this size and price.
Less intrusive was the lane departure warning and driver attention alert (with forward vehicle departure alert); autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning system and pedestrian/cyclist avoidance.
Put that all together and you’ve got a small SUV that’s perfect for peak-hour, inner-city motoring.
A good feature was the clever little head-up display that rises from the top of the instrument panel when the car starts - a welcome reminder to beware the car’s zippy performance.
Wireless phone charger (a must-have for the target market), those excellent Bose speakers and something called Sound Mood Lighting for the Taylor Swift fans completes a desirable little machine.
Other features of a generous package include two 10.25-inch screens, one for the driver and another to control the infotainment and climate control.
It also boasts heated and ventilated driver and passenger seats, three-state climate control and a powered tailgate, again a nice surprise for a car of this size and price
Also available across all three grades is Kia’s new infotainment system known as Kia Connect which will offer remote engine starting and door lock control as well as access to some of the apps. All of which, no doubt, will soon be on display in its copycat Sportage.
KIA SELTOS GT-LINE
HOW BIG?
It’s crisp design masks the Kia’s impressive interior space, including 433 of luggage space and room for four adults (or three kids).
HOW FAST:
The turbocharged test machine is willing and feisty.
HOW THIRSTY:
Its 7.4L/100km thirst is decent if not class-leading,
HOW MUCH:
Entry-level models start just over $30,000, while the flagship models almost tips $50,000 on the road.
