Kia India has released the first teaser video and images of the second-generation Seltos SUV ahead of its official reveal on December 10. The Seltos is a truly global product, having first launched in 2019 before it arrived in the U.S. for the 2021 model year. It makes sense these teasers are coming out of India, though, as that country buys more Seltos SUVs than anywhere else in the world.
The second-gen Seltos will have a new exterior that mirrors the bold design of other new products such as the Telluride. We expect the small SUV will also receive a host of technological and safety improvements, as well. All will be revealed, though, at the vehicle’s debut, which will be livestreamed across the globe.
Why The Seltos Is So Important To Kia
The Seltos is a decent seller in the U.S. During its five years on the market here, its sales have ranged from 46,280 in 2021 (its first year on sale) to a high of 60,053 in 2023. Though it’s only the fifth best-selling Kia model in the U.S., it’s the second best-selling Kia model globally. Thus, it’s critical its first full redesign is a success.
The Kia Seltos will also be the brand’s least expensive SUV soon. The funky and fun Soul used to occupy that spot, but Kia has confirmed 2025 will be that model’s final year. While the Seltos and Soul sell in similar numbers, the Seltos has been winning for some time, which is likely due to the fact the Seltos offers all-wheel drive and the Soul does not and never has. Without the Soul to anchor Kia’s lineup, though, the company will be expecting this all-new second-generation Seltos to attract those shoppers who would be looking at the Soul.
The teaser images of the new Seltos reveal details such as boxier styling, flush door handles, and vertical outboard daytime running lights. The new vehicle is also clearly larger than the outgoing model, and even sports an integrated spoiler at the tail end of its flat roof.
The only questionable design element may be what’s going on behind the C-pillar where the sheetmetal of the rear fender reaches up towards a small part of the roof that’s reaching down, but they don’t touch. It’s a familiar if not derivative design choice that’s similar to what designers have done on the GMC Terrain and the Chevrolet Equinox. As for its mechanicals, the Seltos is expected to retain its current lineup of gas engines while adding a new hybrid variant.
TopSpeed’s Take
The Seltos is being readied to shoulder a significantly bigger burden of sales than it ever has, at least in the U.S. Without the Soul, Kia’s SUV lineup will shrink from five to four. Along with the Seltos, that includes the Sportage, Sorento, and Telluride. The latter three SUVs are all larger than the Seltos and considerably more expensive, but they sell in much higher numbers.
If people who would’ve bought a Soul decide to buy the new second-generation Seltos, then Kia will be sitting pretty with a tight lineup of SUVs that stretches all the way from affordable to aspirational. If, however, the redesigned Seltos falls flat, Kia will be missing its Soul, for sure.
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