New Kia Seltos teased ahead of global premiere on December 10, will challenge Tata Sierra, Hyundai Creta

The Kia Seltos is one of the largest-selling SUVs in India.

Kia India has released the maiden teasers of the second-generation Kia Seltos ahead of its global premiere on December 10. The Seltos has been among the country's highest-selling mid-size SUVs and played a major role in establishing Kia as a key player in the domestic market.

Since its debut in August 2019, the Seltos has been known for its design, equipment levels and multiple powertrain choices, including naturally aspirated petrol, turbo-petrol and diesel engines paired with manual and automatic transmissions. It has been one of the most carefully packaged models in the segment.

The fresh teasers point to a sharper redesign that advances the familiar Seltos silhouette while aligning with Kia's 'Opposites United' design language. A prominent change is the new Kia Digital Tiger Face grille dominating the front, supported by the brand's Star Map LED lighting, which is also visible at the rear. The SUV additionally gains flush door handles and a larger panoramic sunroof.

Kia has not showcased the interior of the new Seltos yet. Given the current competition, updates inside the cabin are expected as the company seeks to broaden the SUV's appeal.

The mid-size SUV space continues to expand, with models from several manufacturers. The new Kia Seltos will compete with the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Maruti Suzuki Victoris, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Mahindra Thar Roxx, Tata Curvv, Honda Elevate, Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun, MG Astor and the newly-launched Tata Sierra.

In FY25, the mid-size SUV category accounted for 25.76% of overall domestic SUV sales. Out of 23,66,274 SUVs sold during the fiscal, mid-size SUVs contributed 6,09,516 units. The Seltos added 72,618 units to this tally.

The current-generation Seltos already offers features such as 18-inch alloy wheels, a 10.25-inch HD touchscreen with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, front ventilated seats, an 8-way powered driver's seat, a 360-degree camera with blind view monitor, dual-zone climate control, an 8-inch HUD, a panoramic sunroof and Level 2 ADAS with 19 functions. How Kia positions additional equipment on the new model will be important.

Possible upgrades include memory settings for seats, second-row seat ventilation and improved seat cushioning. Kia has typically added more features with each new model, and the second-generation Seltos is expected to follow that pattern.

The new Seltos is likely to retain the powertrains from the outgoing version. The existing model is offered with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine (115PS/144Nm), a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol (160PS/253Nm) and a 1.5-litre diesel (116PS/250Nm). Gearbox choices include a 6-speed MT, 6-speed iMT, IVT, 7-speed DCT and 6-speed AT.

The current Seltos is priced between Rs 10,79,276 and Rs 19,80,529 (ex-showroom). The new model is expected to be priced between Rs 11,00,000 and Rs 20,00,000 (ex-showroom).