Driving Report Kia Seltos Hybrid—the Big Little One

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The new Kia Seltos fills the gap between the Niro and Sportage. The compact SUV offers a surprising amount of space and, for the first time, a hybrid with electric all-wheel drive.

If you want to be one of the world's largest car manufacturers, you need successful SUVs for the mass market. For Kia, the Seltos is just that. In Korea, India and the USA, the compact SUV is one of the brand's most important models. With the second generation, the Koreans now also want to attack in Europe.

And it's where they all hang out. The 14.5 feet-long Seltos meets VW T-Roc, Skoda Karoq, Nissan Qashqai or Renault Symbioz. It starts at $37,000 as a 180 hp 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol engine with manual transmission and front-wheel drive. As an all-wheel drive model with seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, it costs at least $41,000. However, the hybrid version, which will not be coming to Europe until the end of 2026, is likely to be more exciting.

Hybrid With Electric All-Wheel Drive Without Cardan Shaft

This is because the brand is breaking new technical ground here. In addition to the 113 kW/154 hp front-wheel drive model, the full hybrid is the first model in the Hyundai-Kia Group to be available with an electrified rear axle. In this case, the rear wheels are driven by their own electric motor, eliminating the classic cardan shaft. This saves weight, creates space and should improve fuel consumption and traction.

The 18 kW auxiliary engine also increases the system output to 131 kW/178 hp. It draws its energy from an approximately 1.5 kWh hybrid battery in the underbody of the trunk. The battery is not only charged via recuperation, but also directly from the combustion engine via the generator if required. This ensures that the all-wheel drive does not run out of energy, for example on long journeys over snow-covered mountain passes.

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The Seltos is based on the K3 platform, which is also used by Kia Niro and Hyundai Kona, among others. According to Kia, more than 60 percent of the body is made of high-strength steels.

In addition, the Seltos is the Group's first hybrid model to be equipped with a vehicle-to-load function with 230-volt sockets in the interior and at the rear. This V2L technology turns the car into a mobile power source, for example for charging bicycle batteries or grilling sausages on an electric barbecue. Remarkably, the system provides more than 3 kW of power despite the small battery.

Visually, the new Seltos is based on the design of electric SUVs: narrow lights and angular surfaces at the front, wide and beefy at the rear. The generous amount of space matches the appearance. Thanks to the long wheelbase, rear passengers in particular have plenty of space. Even tall adults are well accommodated in the rear without their knees hitting the backrests.

Clever Rail System With A Small Charging Hurdle

There is also no shortage of practical solutions. Passengers can charge their smartphones via USB ports on the backs of the front seats, and there are plenty of compartments and storage areas. Although the rear seat cannot be moved, the angle of the single-split backrest can be adjusted. The luggage compartment is also practical: there are rails with eyelets on the sides for attaching bags or hanging bags. The capacity of the rear compartment is also impressive. 19 cubic feet of luggage fit in the back, although some of the volume disappears into the lower storage compartment. The loading floor is correspondingly high. It could therefore be tight for particularly bulky boxes. Nevertheless, an almost flat loading area is created when the rear seat is folded down.

In terms of ergonomics, Kia is now one of the best in the industry. The large panoramic display is divided into three sections: Instruments for the driver, climate information in the center, and the 12.3-inch touchscreen for navigation and vehicle functions on the right. The size fits, the display does not overwhelm the interior like some new cars. Swiping, tapping and zooming are intuitive thanks to the logical menu navigation.

Convincing Operating Concept, But Not the Materials

Also because the Koreans have not dispensed with haptic controls. Six buttons below the display lead immediately to navigation, media or other functions. And the volume control is located in the middle. Also successful: the large head-up display. In the more expensive versions, there is also a panoramic glass sunroof and the option of moving the front passenger seat to an almost reclining position, even electrically from the driver's side.

The material quality in the details is less convincing. Although the cockpit is modern and tidy, the hard plastic surfaces in the center console or the poorly deburred cup holder inserts do not quite match the otherwise high-quality impression. The seats, which can be air-conditioned and heated on request, are pleasantly comfortable, but could offer a little more lateral support.

Only the hybrid with front-wheel drive was available for the first test drive in Korea. The speed limit there is usually 50 mph on country roads and a maximum of 60 mph on highways, exactly the environment in which a hybrid feels particularly comfortable. In fact, the Seltos is remarkably quiet and relaxed. It often rolls along electrically, with the petrol engine keeping a pleasantly low profile.

More Cruiser than Dynamic Cornering Predator

The more comfort-oriented character of the hybrid drive only becomes apparent when the accelerator is pressed down hard. Then the naturally aspirated engine seems a little strained, becomes loud and does not push off very energetically. The Korean model with 141 hp was less powerful than the European vehicles with 154 hp. They should be more confident. The Korean test car also seems rather softly tuned in fast bends. However, the engineers at the development center in Rüsselsheim want to fine-tune the car for Europe. Either way, the Seltos is more of a harmonious cruiser than a dynamic cornering predator.

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The fuel consumption matches this. Despite the SUV body, the average on Korean roads was around five liters. This is a remarkably good figure for a vehicle of this size. Nevertheless, the most important engine for Germany is likely to be the 180 hp turbocharged petrol engine. It should be noticeably more agile than the hybrid and better suited to the European driving style, especially at higher speeds.

Kia is deliberately positioning the Seltos as a grown-up family SUV. Plenty of space, good usability, modern technology and a relaxed character are clearly at the forefront of the hybrid model. This is exactly what could give the late European newcomer a good chance. At least as long as the price is right. The hybrid version always starts in the third-highest GT-Line trim level and is therefore unlikely to cost less than $48,000. The all-wheel drive version with an additional electric motor in the rear is likely to cost significantly more.

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