The first-generation Kia Seltos has been a massive global success, but it always lacked one crucial option to dominate markets like Europe and North America: an efficient hybrid powertrain. For this brand-new second-generation model, Kia has finally fixed that, placing a 1.6-liter HEV system under the hood.
To see if this new package lives up to the hype, we traveled directly to South Korea for an extensive first drive, taking the all-new Seltos Hybrid on a long-distance road trip from the bustling streets of Seoul down to Gunsan, and ultimately finishing at the Gwangju plant—the very birthplace of the Seltos. While walking the factory floors in Gwangju, we even spotted U.S.-spec models already rolling down the assembly lines, confirming that a global rollout is just around the corner.
A Design That Steps Away From the Family Script
When you first see the new Seltos in the metal, it is immediately clear that Kia wanted this SUV to stand out. While it is instantly recognizable as a Kia, the design team has applied a completely unique front-end treatment that breaks away from the styling language seen on recent dedicated EVs or the refreshed Sorento.
Instead of the ultra-slim, sweeping light signatures of its siblings, the Seltos embraces a bolder, more vertical stance. It features a handsomely boxy, traditional SUV silhouette that gives it a rugged, commanding road presence. Compared to the swooping, hatchback-adjacent lines of the Kia Niro, the new Seltos looks like a proper, downsized rugged utility vehicle. It is a styling direction that will undoubtedly appeal to buyers wanting a more muscular aesthetic in a compact footprint.
Cabin Premiumization (and a Strange Screen Quirk)
Step inside, and the generational leap is immediately obvious. Kia has significantly elevated the interior environment, making it feel like a much more premium product than its price tag suggests.
The cabin is exceptionally well finished, utilizing high-quality materials and soft-touch surfaces across the major touchpoints, vastly outpacing the hard plastics of the outgoing model. It also comes incredibly well equipped, packing premium features that are typically reserved for segments above.
The centerpiece of the dashboard is Kia's massive panoramic digital cockpit layout. However, it retains a distinct hardware quirk inherited from upmarket siblings like the EV9 and K4: the 5-inch HVAC screen sandwiched directly between the dual 12.3-inch displays.
⚠️ The Ergonomic Catch: While the dedicated 5-inch climate display keeps the dashboard looking ultra-modern and cohesive, it remains largely unused and obscured from view in daily driving. Because it sits right behind the rim of the steering wheel, the driver’s hand and the wheel itself completely block it from sight. Thankfully, Kia still includes physical buttons and toggles further down the center console to adjust the temperature and fan speed, rendering the hidden touchscreen mostly redundant.
The Drive: Smooth Riding, But Lacking Muscle
Getting behind the wheel in Seoul and hitting the highway toward Gunsan, the first thing that stands out is the overall refinement. Built on a heavily updated architecture, the new Seltos Hybrid delivers an incredibly smooth-riding experience. Road imperfections are soaked up with ease, and the cabin insulation marks a massive step up from the previous generation. It feels mature, composed, and effortless to pilot over long distances.
However, once you leave the city traffic behind and ask for quick acceleration on the open highway, the limitations of the powertrain become apparent.
We tested the South Korean domestic spec, which pairs a 1.6-liter gasoline engine with an electric motor to generate 141 hp. While perfectly adequate for daily commuting and maintaining highway speeds, the powertrain lacks a bit of urgency when you need a sudden burst of power for overtaking—a trait it inherits directly from the closely related Kia Niro.
The Saving Grace: Stellar Efficiency
While the powertrain won't win you any drag races, it absolutely delivers where it matters most to a hybrid buyer: at the pump.
Despite the noticeable lack of high-end punch and a heavy right foot during our highway testing, the Seltos Hybrid proved to be incredibly frugal. Over our mixed test route covering highway cruising, rural roads, and stop-and-go city traffic, we managed to achieve a phenomenal 20.2 km/l in combined fuel economy. For global context, that translates to a highly impressive:
47.5 mpg (U.S.)
4.95 l/100 km (Europe)
For a boxy, upright crossover that doesn't shy away from a rugged design, these real-world efficiency figures make the daily performance trade-off incredibly easy to swallow.
The Global Outlook: More Power and E-AWD on the Horizon
The good news for international buyers is that Kia knows some global markets demand a bit more muscle. While the Korean-spec car makes do with 141 hp, the upcoming European-specification version is slated to receive a bump to 154 hp. (U.S.-spec figures are still unconfirmed.)
Even more intriguing for European enthusiasts is the planned addition of a high-spec 178 hp E-AWD Hybrid system, which will add a secondary electric motor to drive the rear axle. This should give the compact SUV the exact punch and all-weather capability that this excellent chassis deserves.
When we pressed Kia engineers about exactly where this extra power for the export versions is coming from—whether via a revised combustion engine tuning or a higher-output electric motor—the brand kept its cards close to its chest, citing unfinished global homologation processes.
Early Verdict
The second-generation Kia Seltos Hybrid is an incredibly smart evolution. By wrapping a highly efficient hybrid system in a bolder, boxier, and much more premium feeling wrapper than the Niro, Kia has created a vehicle that hits the sweet spot for the modern crossover buyer. Aside from a slightly hidden climate screen and the relaxed power delivery of the base 141 hp setup, the refined ride and upscale cabin make the new Seltos a formidable segment leader—especially once the punchier export versions arrive.
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