Kia India has announced the launch of the next generation of its most popular car in India, the Seltos. The new Kia Seltos will be launched on December 10 and is expected to come with many major updates over the current model. The new Kia Seltos will offer a new design which seems to have bigger dimensions, new features and tech, and also a new powertrain option (hopefully). The new announcement has also heated up the mid-size SUV segment as Tata recently announced the much hyped Tata Sierra, which will be a direct competitor to the new 2026 Kia Seltos.
Kia Seltos 2026 – Expected Price and Variants
In terms of the price, we don’t expect much to change. Given the current model and the competition pricing, we can expect a similar pricing to the newly-launched Tata Sierra, meaning a starting price of under ₹12 lakh. Current Kia Seltos starts at a price of ₹10.79 lakh onwards (ex-showroom) and goes up to ₹19.81 (ex-showroom) for the top-end variant.
In terms of variants, we are said to get pretty much the same lineup. However, with the possibility of Kia bringing their petrol hybrid to India with the 2026 Seltos. If that is the case, we can expect at least a couple of variants in the hybrid powertrain.
Kia Seltos 2026 – Design and Interiors
The new Kia Seltos is being codenamed internally as the SP3i and is expected to have a longer wheelbase compared to the current model. The current Kia Seltos is 4,365 mm long, 1,800 mm wide, and 1,645 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,610 mm. The longer wheelbase is expected to add to the space inside the Seltos’ cabin.
Apart from this, we also expect the new Kia Seltos to come with fresh interiors, which also include new upholstery, a new dashboard layout, and an updated control panel. We can also expect multiple screens, which could be similar to the dual-screen display that we recently saw with the new Hyundai Venue. Apart from this, we can also expect new and updated connectivity features with the new Kia Seltos.
The Kia Seltos’ second generation is also expected to come with more safety features as compared to the current one. The 2026 Kia Seltos could also come with an updated level 2 ADAS, 6 airbags as standard, and more safety features like hill hold assist, hill climb assist, and more.
Kia Seltos 2026 – Engine and Powertrains
In terms of engine options, things are expected to remain similar. The Kia Seltos currently comes with a 1.5-litre diesel engine with a 6-speed torque converter, a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, and a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine. The petrol engine also comes with an option of a 7-speed DCT transmission and a 7-speed CVT transmission apart from the 6-speed manual transmission on the Seltos.
The upcoming Kia Seltos is expected to carry these forward, along with the inclusion of a new hybrid powertrain, which could come with a 1.6-litre petrol engine combined with an electric motor. This combination is expected to make 141 bhp of power and 265 Nm of torque.
This is all we have to know about the India-bound second-generation Kia Seltos so far. The car has been spotted in camouflage on Indian roads, indicating a bigger size and updated design details like a new headlight shape and a similar connected tail lamp setup.
