Kia Seltos: What’s New, What’s Coming, and Why India Is Excited

If there’s one SUV that has consistently managed to stay in the Indian spotlight, it’s the Kia Seltos. The brand knows exactly how to keep the buzz alive, and the upcoming update — more like a next-gen overhaul — has made people even more curious. To be fair, the Seltos has always had this charm: stylish enough for city folks, practical enough for family buyers, and powerful enough for enthusiasts who like a bit of kick.

And now, with the teasers of the new Kia Seltos 2026 showing up, the excitement meter is pretty much in the red.

Let’s break it down like you’d explain it to a friend over tea — casual, honest and with a few personal opinions.

A Bolder New Kia Seltos Is Coming

The moment Kia dropped that first teaser, it became clear that this isn’t just a facelift — it’s a proper redesign. The front looks more square, more confident, almost as if Kia wants the Seltos to stand taller among its rivals.

You get a rectangular grille, two-part LED headlamps, and those new vertical DRLs that look sharp even in still photos. Interestingly, the bonnet also appears flatter, which gives the entire face a slightly boxy SUV vibe — something Indian buyers love right now.

One line takeaway?

The new Kia Seltos looks grown-up, fresh, and honestly quite premium.

Design Changes You’ll Notice Instantly

From the teaser and spy images, here’s what stands out:

• Flush door handles — finally, a feature that instantly adds a luxury feel.
• All-new alloy wheel designs — funky, modern, and bold.
• Connected C-shaped LED tail-lamp cluster — this is clearly inspired by Kia’s newer models.
• Matte black colour in the teaser — pretty strong hint that the X-Line will launch right from day one.

To be fair, the Seltos always had good road presence. But the 2026 version seems to push that up another notch.

The Feature List: Kia Is Going All Out

Here’s where the car really starts sounding tempting.

The new Kia Seltos 2026 is expected to bring feature upgrades that Indian buyers have been begging for:

• Panoramic sunroof — finally!
• Dual 12.3-inch screens (one for infotainment, one for the instrument cluster)
• Wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay
• Ventilated rear seats (this is honestly a big deal in Indian summers)
• Powered co-driver seat with boss mode
• Powered tailgate
• New interior layout with premium materials

Some of the older features should continue too:

• Ventilated front seats
• Dual-zone climate control
• Bose 8-speaker system
• Wireless phone charger
• 360-degree camera

Safety-wise, Kia seems to be upgrading the ADAS suite too. Expect:

• Level 2 ADAS
• 6 airbags as standard
• ESC
• Hill-start assist
• All-wheel disc brakes
• Front + rear parking sensors

The Seltos was already feature-rich, but this next-gen model seems to take an even more premium direction.

Engines: Familiar but Still Strong

Kia is likely to continue with the existing engine lineup:

Engine	Power	Torque	Transmission
1.5 NA Petrol	115 PS	144 Nm	MT / CVT
1.5 Turbo Petrol	160 PS	253 Nm	MT / 7-DCT
1.5 Diesel	116 PS	250 Nm	MT / AT

All tried and tested, and already popular.

However, there’s an interesting rumour floating around — Kia might introduce a hybrid option globally for the new Kia Seltos. Whether that comes to India or not is still unclear, but if it does, it will shake up the segment.

New Kia Seltos Price in India: What to Expect

The expected pricing is:

₹11.30 lakh to ₹20 lakh (ex-showroom).

The Kia Seltos on-road price varies city-wise, but in metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, expect it to stretch towards the ₹13.5 lakh to ₹23 lakh bracket depending on the variant.

Yes, it’s getting pricier… but almost everything in the segment is going up anyway.

Compared to rivals like the Creta, Taigun, Kushaq, Grand Vitara, Hyryder, and the upcoming Tata Sierra, the Seltos still sits comfortably in the “value-packed premium SUV” slot.

Kia Seltos 2026 Launch Date

Kia has confirmed a global debut on December 10.
India, on the other hand, will likely get it in January 2026 — timed perfectly for the new-year buyer wave.

Why the Seltos Still Makes Sense for Indians

There’s something about the Seltos that keeps Indian buyers coming back.

Maybe it’s the design.
Maybe it’s the features.
Maybe it’s the fact that even the base variants don’t feel bare-bones.

But honestly, the biggest strength is that the Kia Seltos doesn’t feel confused. It knows exactly what it wants to be — a stylish, feature-loaded SUV with enough performance to keep things fun. And the new version seems to double down on that.

If Kia nails the pricing and adds a few more comfort upgrades, the Seltos is probably going to stay in the top 3 of its segment… again.

FAQ: Kia Seltos