The Kia Seltos has been a massively popular car in India ever since its launch. The Seltos, in fact, can be credited as the car that made Kia popular in India. Launched back in 2019 as the first car that Kia brought to India, the Seltos was an instant hit, thanks to its butch yet modern design, features, and the amount of options it came with in terms of drivetrain and transmission combinations.
Ever since its launch more than 6 years back, the Kia Seltos has only seen one generation, which got a facelift last year in 2024. And while the Kia Seltos still offers enough for a modern car in 2025, the brand is working on bringing the second-generation Seltos to India.
The new Kia Seltos has also been spotted testing on Indian roads multiple times, hinting at an imminent launch in India. While the exact timeline of the launch is yet to be disclosed, we have learned quite a bit about the upcoming Seltos, thanks to reports and leaks online. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming second-generation Kia Seltos:
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.
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.
We are not sure about the date of launch or what price the new Kia Seltos will be launched at, but if online reports and leaks are to be believed, the second generation Kia Seltos will be launched in the first quarter of 2026 and will be launched at a price similar to the current version, with a slight hike of about 50,000 – 60,000 rupees.
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