Is The Kia Seltos A Competitor's Nightmare?

Kia has brought to the subcompact SUV market a new model to compete with, which has been given the name "Seltos," which is an almost direct correlation with the Greek demigod, Hercules' son, whose name is spelled "Celtos." I can see why. I will get to that later. What I want to say is that since it is an all-new model, is it a nightmare for it's competitors? Or Should they just laugh at it? After all, it is made to be loved and bought by the younger crowd. But all cars are nowadays. Either way, let's find out below, shall we?

Exterior Styling

​The exterior design is in fact bulky as mentioned before, but it looks like it is beefed up a bit. The edges and lines on the Seltos though do look like it is flexing a bit to metaphorically show off its muscles. The front fascia looks like someone who has just accepted a challenge that their opponent doesn't know what they're getting into and it is grinning at them. As for actual size, it is a bit bigger than expected, but that is because contrary to popular belief, it does not run on the same platform as Hyundai's Kona. There is not another subcompact SUV that looks just as good as the Seltos. That is all I am saying about that.

Interior Design

The interior of the Seltos is very charming. The trim of the panels and plastic go hand-in-hand with the bits of metal Kia could spare. The seats are comfortable to sit in and the space is quite abundant. I can comfortably sit behind myself in the rear passenger seats. Sure, this sounds all too familiar like most would see in other models in the competition, but once the sun goes down, that is when the real party begins. The ambient lighting, and I wish I recorded it, can be set to pulse to the beat of your music using different colored lights. Or said lights can be changed and can put one in the mood to the settings of something like a romantic effect. Last but not least, keep them solid, be it multi-color or one single color. It honestly is the best interior I have been in like that, next to a Mercedes-Benz.

Pricing and Options

So, how much does this hunk of a vehicle cost? After everything being added up, the total price comes to a mere $29,485. That's it. But what does that get someone who'd want to have one? Well, for safety this Seltos comes with multiple airbags all around, electronic stability control, forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, blind spot collision warning, blind spot collision avoidance assist in the rear, rear cross traffic collision alert with avoidance assist, lane keeping assist, lane following assist, lane departure warning, driver attention warning, and adaptive cruise control. For comfort and convenience, the Seltos comes with heated front seats, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, multiple USB ports, Bose premium audio with sound connected lighting, sat-nav, and a wireless phone charger.

Performance

The 1.6L turbocharged 4 cylinder underneath the hood of the Seltos only makes a laughable 175 horsepower and 195 foot pounds of torque. Sure, that's fine but not for overtaking on the highways. For the fuel economy, I was able to achieve around 25 miles per gallon with my driving habits which is not too bad at all for a bulky vehicle. The suspension kept everything from being dramatic and was able to secure great ride comfort, especially for those long trips. Steering is light as many would expect and braking is great if needed to be put to use in an emergency. When it comes to performance, the Seltos pretty much is like most of the competition out there.

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Conclusion

So, is the Seltos a competitor's nightmare? In short, yes it is. Sure, it performs like most of the competition, but it has so much more character than the rest of the vehicles. In my opinion, it should be seen as the new standard in the subcompact SUV category. Why do I say that? Because it fits the wants and needs of a young buyer for quite a reasonable price. Kia hit the nail on the head with this one. The competition should start re-evaluating at this moment to make something just as good, if not better because right now, the Seltos is the subcompact SUV "King of the Hill." And from my point of view, this is great because now the fun will begin with the manufacturers doing their best to win the title. Who wouldn't?

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