I saw one on the road the other day and I'm amazed how good looking the car is! The wheel to body size is proportional, and the design itself is eye catching.
my wife has the honda hrv .. has a cam in the left wing mirror which i think is a brilliant idea .. should be one in both as its great when changing lanes .. also with the plastics her hrv and also my cx9 both have a lot of hi gloss plastic which looks good but is a utter pain to keep clean as it scratches way to easy .. then once it has all those crap scratches it really looks shite.. i only use micro fibre clothes but somehow both the cars shiny plastics are covered in surface scratches : ((
I agree. As long as it isn’t something that looks or feels cheap and nasty, I’m fine with it. I care more about contact points like the armrests, worrying about the dash seems a bit ridiculous. But I’m sure a car maker can win their way into reviewers hearts by putting super squidgy materials on every surface. It would probably be the best rated car on the market. On the other hand I appreciate Paul shaking the centre console to see if the car is well screwed together or if it will come apart with age.
I don't know if other's have said it already but I'm really thankful for the timecodes. Even though pretty much always watch the entire video, I know it helps others who are shopping on the segment compare some specific areas. Besides, it says lengths about the effort put in.
I purchased the sport+ with the 2.0 litre cvt, it is a beautiful ride with more than enough power We have had it for 18 months the only problem we had is the battery died , my wife contacted the roadside assist and the had a guy there within an hour and they tested the system, replaced the battery which I thought we would have to pay for but no it was covered by warranty Overall we are more than happy with the cars finish and its drives beautifully We highly recommend this car
One of the biggest target markets is India where it is a big hit. hell I own the top model myself.. One peculiarity of our market is that we are crazy about comfort features so the Indian spec version is actually better equipped than many international versions. Sadly we aren't a very safety conscious market so the Indian variant comes stripped of various safety features.
I get what you mean. I sometimes like to visit cars from other market’s websites for the fun of it, and yea Indian spec cars be like 16 way power ventilated memory seats, panoramic sunroof, quad zone climate control as well as 1 airbag and lap belts for rear passengers. I’m exaggerating of course but what you said is true.
I have the LTD AWD 1.6T. Test long distance fuel economy today. Drove in eco mode 359 km, 6.3L/100km. Specs say 7.6L/100km. I love this SUV. So nice to drive and economical too.
I am from India. The kia stepped first time in India with it's Seltos around 1 year ago and after that the other cars in this segment got the shock of their life. The main competitors of Seltos are Hyundai Creta or ix25, ford EcoSport and Tata harrier. My family also looking for a car and we were confused between creta and seltos as Hyundai is very well established in India as a brand we were reclining towards it but my heart is going towards seltos as it looks more sporty, drives-handles nicely. So we chose seltos as our first car in the family and booked it today.
I love the Seltos S+… but My 2012 Nissan X Trail 4x4 manual has a soft dash and no piano black. Objectively, I still can’t justify replacing it. If I need to replace the steering wheel, gear knob and car stereo to make it feel modern, so be it. Plus the MY12 X-Trail’s 630+ litre boot means the x trail is still the sweet spot for our family. Great review, Paul!
I've owned the GTLine since Feb 20 (one of the first batch). I'm still loving it. Bit thirstier than I wanted but good power when you want it. Yes the plastics are hard but don't get in the way. I live in Canberra so the heated steering wheel was great, so is the front seats heater and cooler. Never had an issue with the sunroof tho. It's a pity that KIA chose to use fake leather on the GTLine seats, the real stuff would have been better. (yeah I know they have to pander to the millennials and anti kill the cows lobby) The steering assist tends to wander a bit if activated, works best when it can see two clear white lines. Annoying feature is the car warns you of school zones, speed cameras, speed changes etc, often when you are trying to listen to something else, and no way of turning it off. The lane depart warning is another annoyance but that can be turned off. DAB radio good in the city, not good if you get out of range. If I had a wish, the car has a front and rear camera, why cant they be turned into a dashcam and record to an external usb stick, it would be a great selling point KIA !
Great review Paul, only thing we agree to disagree on is dual clutch boxes I think 😉😂 they are something you appreciate when you own one, I have owned two one in a 2009 Jetta tdi and now one in my mk7 gti, as a car person I still prefer a manual deep down but IMO dual clutches are a good combo of both, what I can’t stand is CVT’s 🤮
I live in QLD where the temperature tends to range between hot and “I’m melting!”, and have increasingly thinning hair coverage on my head 😕. I usually spend my time actively avoiding the sun (and I am not a pale ranga). I also see a sunroof as another point of failure (electrics, waterproofing, hail or other falling debris damage). All of that means I was not looking for a sunroof/panoramic roof in a new car (I see it as a lovely, romantic idea but may be lacking in some pragmatic ways). I was quite happy to go for a two tone white/cherry black colour option without the sunroof. IMHO the body colour options are one of the weakest things in the Seltos range. The Neptune blue and Mars orange (red really) look cheap in person. Especially when they’re charging extra for it. ??? I think the greyscale rainbow colours look decent. There are other colour options overseas that I wish we had here. And the interior looks very “black” (Spinal Tap style) and I wish we had some of the interior colour and material options available overseas too.
I hopped out of VF Calais V 6.0 with cream leather into the GT line Seltos... Unless you like to rub a dashboard while driving I don't notice the hard plastic until watching reviews. I'm also super sporty with activity and my wife's tough on car trim so the plastic is appreciated. The Seltos is awesome to drive when used to its power delivery and the front center cup holder is actually smaller than the rearward positioned center one (weird having a small and slightly larger cup holder in one area) the duel clutch can shudder a little in heavy stop start traffic creeping forwards but can be put into low or shifted and driven to avoid shudder if it really bothers you and is a typical duel clutch annoyance many Euro cars have also. I think the styling is far better than the other small SUV's. I also drive a 2019 Mitsi ASX for work and the Seltos far out performs the ASX in handling, comfort, power and interior layout. I can't stand the side profile of the CX30s plastic wheel arch covers but I'd happily line up for a blue Kona turbo also.
Honestly the map pocket thing is probably just cost cutting. Bet it saves like $3 per car. Fun fact: American Airlines saved something like $40,000 a year by removing one olive from every salad.
Not gonna lie, after seeing a lot of car reviews testing out the softness of the materials used can help give you an understanding of whether or not you are getting value for what you spend.
Omg! I was wondering when this car review would be uploaded. THANKS PAUL! The two-toned Black and white certainly does look like a ranger from afar! Now, its just a matter between Mazda vs Kia🤣
I was thinking that I'm ready to embrace the trend and finally upgrade to a CUV to see what the hype is all about 🚗🔥 the soul crystal red on CX30 looks so daaaarn good but that huge plastic over the wheels kinda ruins it for me, so the Seltos definitely wins on the exterior. Then again, Mazda is really stepping up their game in terms of interior and their driving style. It looks and feel premium in the inside no doubt! Nevertheless, I think both cars are great but not quite there yet. I'll probably pass on this year's model and wait for next year✨🤞🏻 cross fingers & hope they bring more change on the table ! Japan and Korea are definitely killing it this year tho !
Very happy with our Sport+ 2L CVT FWD. The CVT emulates a discrete ratio torque converter auto without the start-stop jerkiness of the DCT that I test drove before choosing. I'm often able to get better than the published fuel economy. Radar cruise control is best saved for following a line of slower traffic, under Sport or Normal mode. Don't rely on it for traffic that likes to speed away up to the next red light, or it'll likely end with AEB, followed by high risk from behind. Progressive freeway driving amongst slower and faster traffic is smoother under conventional cruise mode. The stop hold function is great for traffic lights, as well as taking off into busy fast multi-lane roundabouts.
This seltot headliner may be stripped before, indicated by the huge gap on driverside C pillar. This can be number of reasons, such as sunroof replacement, hail repair. Therefore the sunroof making noise usually just assemble error, some bolts may be missing.
As quite a few brands are now going more premium, even in their lower models, it's an interesting mix this one presents, in terms of sharp design with some practical let downs. Dash design and layout looks quite good, with a combination of buttons and touch screen, digital dash, not too much piano finish, etc. It seems strange to have a 7 speed dual clutch if it's not reasonably sharp on performance and the engine should provide more pep. Very valid point re road noise, as the vehicle base is shared with other variants globally. Sunroof issue is definitely not right.
Just say about the amount of plastic on dash especially, buy a dash mat to also stop heat reflect into the face while driving, ALSO, the reflection of the dash on the windscreen, so that one problem fixed.😀
i have just bought the gt line .. and to be fair as far as the plastics go i went out and checked with my luxury cx9 and i have to say that the seltos faired a little bit better on average, sure the cx9 was better for some but then this was a 58k car .. i will miss dual climate front and rear but to be honest thats about it as the seltos has so much more and beings as its only mostly me that drives its not such a big issue. i had the cx9 for almost 8 years without a single issue at all so lets see how crossing to kia holds up as i will be sad to see the mazda go .. they do make bloody good cars : )
Great looking SUV especially in Neptune Blue. I don't think the use of cheaper plastics on the dash and door trims will be an issue with most buyers. If I was to buy one it would be the GT Line in Neptune Blue. I like all the front LED lights over the lesser versions offerings. I also like the chrome trim the runs along the windows seals and up the back, side pillar as well as the chrome surround around the fake dual exhaust.
I'm close to making a deal on a Seltos SX Turbo. I also have an '08 Ford Mustang GT. Hard plastics in the interior as well, won't bother me a bit. Honestly, never think about it. A friend has a Seltos S Turbo. Really like it, fun to drive.
Another great review, pretty good for what is but 10k over Cerato and plastics a lot worse however though it’s built for India. To me it also drives better though than Kona and C-HR, H-RV (not sure about CX-30 as I haven’t driven it).
I have the 2020 Seltos EX. The plastic interior hasn't bothered me at all. It scuffs a bit on the door from shoes, but that's all. It does have other issues though. In Normal mode, the throttle response is all over the place. There can be noticeable lag from a standstill and then a lurch forward as it wakes up. It is much better in Sport mode, but in that case the rev counter cruises at an uncomfortable-sounding 1800-1900rpm. What I want is the Sport mode throttle response but with the Normal mode's willingness to use more of the IVT ratios.
The Seltos sold in India is quite premium compared to other cars in the segment and It is loaded with features when compared to the versions sold outside India. we've got features like surround camera, blind spot camera, Kia UVO which is connected car tech, Bose Speakers, etc.
We put a deposit down on one tbe other day. Im not sure why they didn't put a bigger engine in it but I'm used to driving my ford territory which is a much more powerful engine. I'm going to be driving it in sport mode constantly haha. Cheers for the review mate i literally asked sbout it yesterday so.. very pleased.
KauTi0N we traded a Territory for the Sport plus AWD Seltos late last year. Very torquey little engine and once you get used to the DCT, a great transmission. Handles well, well appointed and you’ve go to love the 7 year warranty, very spacious inside but small outside. We love it, hope you enjoy yours
Definitely. We have just taken delivery of a Hyundai Ioniq electric, super nice car. I know that’s not Kia but similar. The quality is amazing, a step up from the 2016 Vauxhall (Opel Astra) we had before. Hope you guys are well!
Just picked up mine. I agree the plastics are a little hard compared to the Hyundai range but I went to look at the new VW range like the T Cross and TRoc and found the interior has gone the same way but they are still trying to charge VW premium pricing. Colours though I don’t agree as much. The constant barrage of white on the road is nauseating, I love the old Hazard Yellow HSV GTS colour and wanted my VF in that colour but alas it was not available. Granted I’m a strange one that likes yellow but compared to the Hyundai Kona in Acid Yellow (Looks like green bile) I love the Seltos Sunburst Yellow.......hence why I got one in that colour.
I like the exterior look and entertainment system of the Seltos better than that of the cx-30, but the overall quality of the interior just seems better with the Mazda and that is the most important thing for me. Hm, can we merge those two maybe? :D
Another great review Paul - would be good to get your thoughts on the quality of the sound systems in your reviews too, even just in passing through like a "control" song. Not any audiophile type detail, just a quick play of part of the song (same in each car each time) possibly after a quick fiddle of settings (if required), and your thoughts on it. Can often be a surprising point of difference, where some cheaper stuff can perform quite well, and conversely where a higher end model may sound just rubbish (despite tweaking settings)!
Good point. It's a hard one because it's quite subjective, I'm not sure exactly how we'd quantify it. But it's a critical part of the new car buying process in my opinion.
Top model has bose speakers here in India and they do a decent job uptil 80% volume. Beyond that they get a little scratchy. The rear speakers are somewhat weak so even if you adjust the balance to the rear, they still sound squeaky. At mid levels, the high mid and low balance is quite decent and elements like bass, treble etc can be adjusted to suit individual preferences which is good considering bose doesn't usually let with their bass settings..
@@CarExpertAus Cheers - yeah probably more akin to the drive section where that too is subjective in terms of the "feel" and "responsiveness", but with your ears! Mostly as to where the sound quality is on a scale of say "rubbish", "ok but not great", and "really quite good". Even that would add value I reckon! :)
Just stand tall on price for paint !! Thanks for the review, i agree, interior is full of cheapness and Kia are taking the piss on price!! Made my mind up against one !!
I'd like to see 12v or usb ports near the rear view mirror to make it easier to install aftermarket dashcams. There's already interior lighting there with power.
I like to think that most new cars these days only have map pockets on the passenger seat as it is an easier reach for the driver, instead of the driver having to awkwardly bend their arms around behind them to get what they're after.
Yes Paul, you're just too obsessed with soft touch materials and that's understandable with your preference 😆 but I love how you actually tried forgetting about it in the whole review to see the good things that come with and shape the Seltos as one of the best you can have in its segment. Kinda envious tho, here in the Philippines our Seltos is priced a bit high but spec'd a bit too less than how it should've been given the pricing. Glad to know the Australian model comes at a more bargain price with tons of features. P.S those buttons around the shifter are mostly blank buttons in our local Seltos model, even in the top-spec trim 🙃
Definitely not obsessed! Just want to make sure buyers aren't getting poor quality materials. If I don't complain about it, they'll never change it. At $40,000, this shouldn't be maxxing out our durometer!
Juan Miguel Mendoza we own a sport plus AWD Seltos and the things that you actually need to touch, like the steering wheel, arm rest, seats, are fine. Apart from the occasional wipe over with a damp rag to keep it clean, i never actually touch the dash so it doesn’t matter how hard it is to me.
Maybe just too keen on the materials is the proper term then but yeah so far, that's the only downside of the Seltos that shouldn't be that much of a deal breaker considering the value for money features and specs that it carries.
I don't know what he's talking about... I've had a Kia Seltos GT-line for over a month, and I love it! It's very comfortable, especially with the remote start and heating/cooling seats. The throttle is very responsive, compared to my dad's Holden Astra hatchback, that literally takes 30 sec after you've floored it. I don't keep a lot of knives in my car, so I'm not worried about scratching the plastic? But my only issue is that the interior has too much reflection, like the chrome accents, do interior designers ever drive during twilight?
Love your videos Paul! And the Mercedes light up emblem in the States looks really tacky, and it’s usually on lower spec models as it can’t be paired with the advanced safety packages w/ adaptive cruise.
Thanks for watching! And thanks also for that information - you're right because normally those logos are used to house radars and all that kinds of stuff.
Korean cars have come a long way. I think they are best in premium styling compared to japanese cars these days. They look european. At this price point they can't make the plastics soft touch, that would raise the price.
Have Kia started to use their Smartstream G 1.6 T for this model, or is ti still the older 1.6 T-GDI? And also i don't understand Kia/Hyundai not using their 150KW 1.6 T on their bigger models , leaving them only with the 130KW version. I find it funny they are using the 150KW 1.6 T variant on the smaller models only. Do you think it will make any difference between the 150KW and 130KW engines, since the torque is the same? Thank you.
It's the T-GDI engine. Not sure why they aren't using the Smartstream engine - I suspect it'll be gradually rolled out. I can't say if this is the case for Kia/Hyundai, but often Australian brands will take the cheaper and less efficient engines because there is no government requirement for higher efficiency engines.
Hey Paul, are you sure your dimension comparisons are correct? Pretty sure the Seltos is 200mm longer than Kona (not shorter). Also quick check of CX30 specs suggests that is actually a tiny bit longer than Seltos by 20mm. Driven Kona and Seltos recently and Seltos certainly felt like a significantly bigger vehicle
@CarExpert: cool, I’m sure we can cut you some slack. With the amount and regularity of content you are currently pushing out (much appreciated by the way) must be tricky at times to keep those types of figures accurate 100% of the time.
Now added. Thanks for pointing that out! Can use this link too: Hardness tester results: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/121Auf6HGvaBqRToYcuAz94alin7Sw55SpOPECBDlnKE
Great review! Seems like every infortainment system you review are all wired Carplay and Android Auto haha. Which car brands actually have wireless? Can't think of any from the top of my head
Some Skodas have wireless Apple car play and Android Auto. Kia’s promo material for 2021 MY Seltos shows Wireless connection for S trim but not for the higher trims. ...???!...
I find myself in a strange situation where I’m getting the GT line Seltos. I want LED lights (for functional and safety purposes). I need adequate space to move 4 adult sized people in comfort. I tried a Cerato (Sport badged iirc), my head was scraping the roof liner and the seats were not comfortable at all (for me). The GT Line Seltos seats were very comfortable and with all the adjustment I was able to find my ideal “shape”. I don’t need an oversized vehicle that will be difficult to manoeuvre in tighter spaces and that won’t fit in our garage which has limited height and the Seltos will fit snug and should still be able to open the tailgate. Moving up a segment and the vehicles are too large. Competitors in this segment are either too small or a larger footprint with less space inside. It’s also a little unfair in the comparison as if you want similar spec levels in a more upmarket vehicle the budgets no longer align. $10k increase in pricing with a VW T-roc from a broker for example. And the T-roc does not have enough cabin space for our needs. Kia has done a great job with the Seltos IMHO. Horses for courses but after a while looking at cars, reviews and test driving that was my choice. There are a few things I wish I could change. I wish there was a leather seat option. I wish there was a bit more colour in the interior it’s very monotone black but has a cream/white head liner which I prefer. And I wish it had a 360 camera option. None of those are deal breakers though and I enjoyed test driving the Seltos very much. For me, the GT Line is worth it.
I like that your review focuses on what matters to the driver, such as interior comfort. In regards to the laws for the lights on the front, I believe the law only states that lights on the front of the vehicle must be white; so that white strip should be fine.
It makes a lot of sense not haveing a net pocket behind driver's seat. I just can't stand when my children touches/presses/pull my backrest. Just hate it. If there is no pocket, there also is no uncontroled movement of my seat during a drive... In my opinion it is very well thought out.
Tough call! The Subaru is smaller in comparison and the engine isn't great. But, the permanent all-wheel drive system and higher ride height makes it slightly more capable off-road.
Hi Paul - love your Review! I’m also looking at upgrading from a Subaru XV to the Turbo Gt line Seltos - does this Kia have more guts than the XV? I feel like my XV Makes a lot of noise but doesn’t have great acceleration... 🤔
Hi Paul, do you know if anyone has ever complained about how far apart the pedals are in this? We bought one after having a VF commodore for so long and are struggling to get comfortable in it driving for longer than 30 minutes
I really like the look of the GT-Line. The major problem I have with the Sport+ is those halogen headlights. We featured that car on a recent headlight comparison and they are a very poor design. You can watch it here if you haven't seen it yet: th-cam.com/video/iElE9_RFDGA/w-d-xo.html
The price jump from sport + to gt line is big for what you get.. we went sport + for the awd and turbo engine.. not interested in the other crap in the gt line ... bit of a rip off i reckon
Love your reviews, Paul. When I am driving on expressway at 90 km/hour up a hill and need to pass another car, I want extra power. Does the Seltos have the power? Am deciding between Kamiq and Seltos.
I have a serious problem with my seltos... is it normal for the vehicle to jerk when slowing down ? I asked my sales rep and he said yes because the vehicle gears down for itself please help.... it make the vehicle feel like an old car.
I saw one on the road the other day and I'm amazed how good looking the car is! The wheel to body size is proportional, and the design itself is eye catching.
They're a good looking car! I spotted quite a few around during the tennis in Melbourne and they certainly turn heads.
CX30 imo
I don't mind the plastics if it's the hard wearing ones, new cars should all come with built-in dash cams
Yes dash cams built into the AEB equipment are a great idea.
my wife has the honda hrv .. has a cam in the left wing mirror which i think is a brilliant idea .. should be one in both as its great when changing lanes .. also with the plastics her hrv and also my cx9 both have a lot of hi gloss plastic which looks good but is a utter pain to keep clean as it scratches way to easy .. then once it has all those crap scratches it really looks shite.. i only use micro fibre clothes but somehow both the cars shiny plastics are covered in surface scratches : ((
I can’t speak for most but I myself never hop into my car and touch the dash and say glad that is soft touch
Drive on a rough road and you will wish its a soft dash since its less noisy
@@josh3221ify that’s why u get a dash mat 👍
@@nodrama490 don’t need it collecting dust and blocking the passenger airbag.
I agree. As long as it isn’t something that looks or feels cheap and nasty, I’m fine with it. I care more about contact points like the armrests, worrying about the dash seems a bit ridiculous. But I’m sure a car maker can win their way into reviewers hearts by putting super squidgy materials on every surface. It would probably be the best rated car on the market. On the other hand I appreciate Paul shaking the centre console to see if the car is well screwed together or if it will come apart with age.
@@nodrama490 putting fabric on top of plastic doesn’t make it any better. Plastic on plastic in cars is terrible
I don't know if other's have said it already but I'm really thankful for the timecodes. Even though pretty much always watch the entire video, I know it helps others who are shopping on the segment compare some specific areas. Besides, it says lengths about the effort put in.
Glad you find it useful! :)
I purchased the sport+ with the 2.0 litre cvt, it is a beautiful ride with more than enough power
We have had it for 18 months the only problem we had is the battery died , my wife contacted the roadside assist and the had a guy there within an hour and they tested the system, replaced the battery which I thought we would have to pay for but no it was covered by warranty
Overall we are more than happy with the cars finish and its drives beautifully
We highly recommend this car
One of the biggest target markets is India where it is a big hit. hell I own the top model myself..
One peculiarity of our market is that we are crazy about comfort features so the Indian spec version is actually better equipped than many international versions. Sadly we aren't a very safety conscious market so the Indian variant comes stripped of various safety features.
Interesting, thank you for that feedback!
I get what you mean. I sometimes like to visit cars from other market’s websites for the fun of it, and yea Indian spec cars be like 16 way power ventilated memory seats, panoramic sunroof, quad zone climate control as well as 1 airbag and lap belts for rear passengers. I’m exaggerating of course but what you said is true.
I have the LTD AWD 1.6T.
Test long distance fuel economy today.
Drove in eco mode
359 km, 6.3L/100km.
Specs say 7.6L/100km.
I love this SUV.
So nice to drive and economical too.
I am from India. The kia stepped first time in India with it's Seltos around 1 year ago and after that the other cars in this segment got the shock of their life. The main competitors of Seltos are Hyundai Creta or ix25, ford EcoSport and Tata harrier.
My family also looking for a car and we were confused between creta and seltos as Hyundai is very well established in India as a brand we were reclining towards it but my heart is going towards seltos as it looks more sporty, drives-handles nicely.
So we chose seltos as our first car in the family and booked it today.
Harrier and ecosport aren't the seltos rivals FYI
I have just bought this car and can’t wait to pick it up and I got the 2 tone yellow in the GT line
Hey Margaret, congrats u bought this beauty. How is your experience so far. R u in Australia?
*The best looking vehicle in its segment. Good job again KIA!!!* 👍
It's definitely a looker!
Halogen headlights really let down the design. Qashqai looks way better IMO, and it’s a 2014 car.
@@User-cb4jm I personally would go for the CX-30
The pocket behind the passenger seat is still reachable by the driver. They used to be used to hold maps in older cars.
Yea I remember back in the day when we had a map in our cars lol good times
I love the Seltos S+… but My 2012 Nissan X Trail 4x4 manual has a soft dash and no piano black. Objectively, I still can’t justify replacing it. If I need to replace the steering wheel, gear knob and car stereo to make it feel modern, so be it. Plus the MY12 X-Trail’s 630+ litre boot means the x trail is still the sweet spot for our family.
Great review, Paul!
My step-mom just bought one like 3 months ago
And she has been loving it
Me as well its a very nice car
Haha mate loved the reasoning behind having the yellow as the base. Actually makes so much sense.
It's a cheeky way to get people to spend some extra cash!
@@CarExpertAus i'll just choose white...to piss em off!
Finally Paul been hanging for you to review this car thanks buddy
Thanks! Hope you enjoy it :-D
I've owned the GTLine since Feb 20 (one of the first batch). I'm still loving it. Bit thirstier than I wanted but good power when you want it. Yes the plastics are hard but don't get in the way.
I live in Canberra so the heated steering wheel was great, so is the front seats heater and cooler. Never had an issue with the sunroof tho.
It's a pity that KIA chose to use fake leather on the GTLine seats, the real stuff would have been better. (yeah I know they have to pander to the millennials and anti kill the cows lobby)
The steering assist tends to wander a bit if activated, works best when it can see two clear white lines.
Annoying feature is the car warns you of school zones, speed cameras, speed changes etc, often when you are trying to listen to something else, and no way of turning it off. The lane depart warning is another annoyance but that can be turned off. DAB radio good in the city, not good if you get out of range.
If I had a wish, the car has a front and rear camera, why cant they be turned into a dashcam and record to an external usb stick, it would be a great selling point KIA !
Thanks Paul for the comprehensive review. Just bought my Kia Seltos GT and am LOVING IT 😍😍😍
I'm not a car person, cars usually bore me but somehow you make it really interesting! Love your videos! 🙃
Awesome! Thank you, Vanessa! Glad to hear it.
Great review Paul, only thing we agree to disagree on is dual clutch boxes I think 😉😂 they are something you appreciate when you own one, I have owned two one in a 2009 Jetta tdi and now one in my mk7 gti, as a car person I still prefer a manual deep down but IMO dual clutches are a good combo of both, what I can’t stand is CVT’s 🤮
I like the two-tone yellow... which is actually free!
I own the Kia Seltos GT Line and I have that exact problem with the squeaking sun roof. Its maddening for a brand new car.
Interesting! What is Kia saying about fixing it?
That's what warranties are for....
I live in QLD where the temperature tends to range between hot and “I’m melting!”, and have increasingly thinning hair coverage on my head 😕. I usually spend my time actively avoiding the sun (and I am not a pale ranga). I also see a sunroof as another point of failure (electrics, waterproofing, hail or other falling debris damage). All of that means I was not looking for a sunroof/panoramic roof in a new car (I see it as a lovely, romantic idea but may be lacking in some pragmatic ways).
I was quite happy to go for a two tone white/cherry black colour option without the sunroof.
IMHO the body colour options are one of the weakest things in the Seltos range. The Neptune blue and Mars orange (red really) look cheap in person. Especially when they’re charging extra for it. ??? I think the greyscale rainbow colours look decent. There are other colour options overseas that I wish we had here. And the interior looks very “black” (Spinal Tap style) and I wish we had some of the interior colour and material options available overseas too.
I loved how detailed you were reviewing the car, looking forward for you guys reviewing MG ZS and HS. Thanks!
Love from Brunei!
Thanks! Review of the MG HS coming soon :-D
@@CarExpertAus Amazing!
I hopped out of VF Calais V 6.0 with cream leather into the GT line Seltos... Unless you like to rub a dashboard while driving I don't notice the hard plastic until watching reviews. I'm also super sporty with activity and my wife's tough on car trim so the plastic is appreciated. The Seltos is awesome to drive when used to its power delivery and the front center cup holder is actually smaller than the rearward positioned center one (weird having a small and slightly larger cup holder in one area) the duel clutch can shudder a little in heavy stop start traffic creeping forwards but can be put into low or shifted and driven to avoid shudder if it really bothers you and is a typical duel clutch annoyance many Euro cars have also. I think the styling is far better than the other small SUV's. I also drive a 2019 Mitsi ASX for work and the Seltos far out performs the ASX in handling, comfort, power and interior layout. I can't stand the side profile of the CX30s plastic wheel arch covers but I'd happily line up for a blue Kona turbo also.
Honestly the map pocket thing is probably just cost cutting. Bet it saves like $3 per car.
Fun fact: American Airlines saved something like $40,000 a year by removing one olive from every salad.
No one's going to pick the yellow, eh? I've got one on order and I wouldn't have anything else. Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.
I don't think the target market will check the dash softness haha
You'd be surprised! My wife actually pointed out that it felt a bit low rent for the price.
I agree Aalok.
The car is angled at a younger market and the way my teenage daughter throws her handbag around her car, I think it is a good thing . 😄
Not gonna lie, after seeing a lot of car reviews testing out the softness of the materials used can help give you an understanding of whether or not you are getting value for what you spend.
@@CarExpertAus yeah but she's married to guy who rants about interior hard plastics after 3 beers
Omg! I was wondering when this car review would be uploaded. THANKS PAUL! The two-toned Black and white certainly does look like a ranger from afar! Now, its just a matter between Mazda vs Kia🤣
It's a very swish looking car from the outside! The infotainment system is also great. Which Mazda are you also looking at?
Don’t forget the forester , had mine 18 months 10 litres per 100 , + Japanese quality
I was thinking that I'm ready to embrace the trend and finally upgrade to a CUV to see what the hype is all about 🚗🔥 the soul crystal red on CX30 looks so daaaarn good but that huge plastic over the wheels kinda ruins it for me, so the Seltos definitely wins on the exterior. Then again, Mazda is really stepping up their game in terms of interior and their driving style. It looks and feel premium in the inside no doubt!
Nevertheless, I think both cars are great but not quite there yet. I'll probably pass on this year's model and wait for next year✨🤞🏻 cross fingers & hope they bring more change on the table ! Japan and Korea are definitely killing it this year tho !
@@iluvbeezify have you made up your mind?
Very happy with our Sport+ 2L CVT FWD.
The CVT emulates a discrete ratio torque converter auto without the start-stop jerkiness of the DCT that I test drove before choosing.
I'm often able to get better than the published fuel economy.
Radar cruise control is best saved for following a line of slower traffic, under Sport or Normal mode. Don't rely on it for traffic that likes to speed away up to the next red light, or it'll likely end with AEB, followed by high risk from behind. Progressive freeway driving amongst slower and faster traffic is smoother under conventional cruise mode.
The stop hold function is great for traffic lights, as well as taking off into busy fast multi-lane roundabouts.
My Sunroof doesnt creek. The things I would of love is the orange LED light for Auto cabin lights to go away, and have a auto closing boot.
We suspect it was just something with the car we tested, but we wanted to make sure we called it out for full transparency.
Great honest review. I had this on my shortlist, but I’m not so keen now.
How come, if i may ask?
@@PlumbThrill I test drove one. Plenty of things to like, except how it drives. I’d prefer a cerato over this.
I imagine they put map pocket behind the passenger seat because the driver can reach around and grab something easier than behind the drivers seat
True! But most cars on the market have them on both sides.
Base model of the same car is 26k.. base for the fam, and a nice used Toyota 86 for the same price as the top spec.
True! Only issue is the halogen headlights :-D
This seltot headliner may be stripped before, indicated by the huge gap on driverside C pillar. This can be number of reasons, such as sunroof replacement, hail repair. Therefore the sunroof making noise usually just assemble error, some bolts may be missing.
Interesting! Thanks for that feedback.
I Like watching how your videos is easy and practical, the scrollable on what topic is needed is very time saving. Thank You.
Reviews for more realistic, affordable cars come from Paul and the channel. Keep up the good work.
As quite a few brands are now going more premium, even in their lower models, it's an interesting mix this one presents, in terms of sharp design with some practical let downs. Dash design and layout looks quite good, with a combination of buttons and touch screen, digital dash, not too much piano finish, etc. It seems strange to have a 7 speed dual clutch if it's not reasonably sharp on performance and the engine should provide more pep. Very valid point re road noise, as the vehicle base is shared with other variants globally. Sunroof issue is definitely not right.
Best comment 🤙
Just say about the amount of plastic on dash especially, buy a dash mat to also stop heat reflect into the face while driving, ALSO, the reflection of the dash on the windscreen, so that one problem fixed.😀
i have just bought the gt line .. and to be fair as far as the plastics go i went out and checked with my luxury cx9 and i have to say that the seltos faired a little bit better on average, sure the cx9 was better for some but then this was a 58k car .. i will miss dual climate front and rear but to be honest thats about it as the seltos has so much more and beings as its only mostly me that drives its not such a big issue. i had the cx9 for almost 8 years without a single issue at all so lets see how crossing to kia holds up as i will be sad to see the mazda go .. they do make bloody good cars : )
U will sad with KIA in any case
Great looking SUV especially in Neptune Blue. I don't think the use of cheaper plastics on the dash and door trims will be an issue with most buyers. If I was to buy one it would be the GT Line in Neptune Blue. I like all the front LED lights over the lesser versions offerings. I also like the chrome trim the runs along the windows seals and up the back, side pillar as well as the chrome surround around the fake dual exhaust.
yeah i couldnt care less. treat it right and it wont be an issue.
I'm close to making a deal on a Seltos SX Turbo. I also have an '08 Ford Mustang GT. Hard plastics in the interior as well, won't bother me a bit. Honestly, never think about it. A friend has a Seltos S Turbo. Really like it, fun to drive.
Another top notch review, love it
Thanks again!
Another great review, pretty good for what is but 10k over Cerato and plastics a lot worse however though it’s built for India. To me it also drives better though than Kona and C-HR, H-RV (not sure about CX-30 as I haven’t driven it).
ya I own a 22 SX Turbo and love it...I have zero issues with the fact that some of the interior
is hard and not all soft...gy
I have the 2020 Seltos EX. The plastic interior hasn't bothered me at all. It scuffs a bit on the door from shoes, but that's all. It does have other issues though. In Normal mode, the throttle response is all over the place. There can be noticeable lag from a standstill and then a lurch forward as it wakes up. It is much better in Sport mode, but in that case the rev counter cruises at an uncomfortable-sounding 1800-1900rpm. What I want is the Sport mode throttle response but with the Normal mode's willingness to use more of the IVT ratios.
The Seltos sold in India is quite premium compared to other cars in the segment and It is loaded with features when compared to the versions sold outside India. we've got features like surround camera, blind spot camera, Kia UVO which is connected car tech, Bose Speakers, etc.
Very cool - we don't get some of those features. What is the price in India?
@@CarExpertAus 200,0000 INR
@@CarExpertAus and only available as FWD ONLY..No option for awd
Thanks Mark for this review, am presently looking at this vehicle 👍🏾
Great video Paul. As always.
Thanks again!
We put a deposit down on one tbe other day. Im not sure why they didn't put a bigger engine in it but I'm used to driving my ford territory which is a much more powerful engine. I'm going to be driving it in sport mode constantly haha. Cheers for the review mate i literally asked sbout it yesterday so.. very pleased.
Great timing! Hope you enjoy the new wheels :-D
KauTi0N we traded a Territory for the Sport plus AWD Seltos late last year. Very torquey little engine and once you get used to the DCT, a great transmission. Handles well, well appointed and you’ve go to love the 7 year warranty, very spacious inside but small outside. We love it, hope you enjoy yours
Great video as always Paul! Kia are really stepping up their game 👀
Thanks! And agree - such a big step forward for the brand. They're really going places.
Definitely. We have just taken delivery of a Hyundai Ioniq electric, super nice car. I know that’s not Kia but similar. The quality is amazing, a step up from the 2016 Vauxhall (Opel Astra) we had before. Hope you guys are well!
with the two bottle holders, the front one seems a little smaller than the one behind... so probably front is for coffee cup and rear for a bottle
Just picked up mine. I agree the plastics are a little hard compared to the Hyundai range but I went to look at the new VW range like the T Cross and TRoc and found the interior has gone the same way but they are still trying to charge VW premium pricing. Colours though I don’t agree as much.
The constant barrage of white on the road is nauseating, I love the old Hazard Yellow HSV GTS colour and wanted my VF in that colour but alas it was not available.
Granted I’m a strange one that likes yellow but compared to the Hyundai Kona in Acid Yellow (Looks like green bile) I love the Seltos Sunburst Yellow.......hence why I got one in that colour.
I like the exterior look and entertainment system of the Seltos better than that of the cx-30, but the overall quality of the interior just seems better with the Mazda and that is the most important thing for me. Hm, can we merge those two maybe? :D
A Kazda CX-os? Ha ha.
If you merge it, it would means more $$$$
Stunning looking car inside and outside
I have the Sports +. I found the Kona and Venue far worse in terms of the interior plastic. I have really enjoyed my 6 months of driving my Seltos.
That's good to know. Is the the road noise really an issue? Thanks
Another great review Paul - would be good to get your thoughts on the quality of the sound systems in your reviews too, even just in passing through like a "control" song. Not any audiophile type detail, just a quick play of part of the song (same in each car each time) possibly after a quick fiddle of settings (if required), and your thoughts on it. Can often be a surprising point of difference, where some cheaper stuff can perform quite well, and conversely where a higher end model may sound just rubbish (despite tweaking settings)!
Good point. It's a hard one because it's quite subjective, I'm not sure exactly how we'd quantify it. But it's a critical part of the new car buying process in my opinion.
Top model has bose speakers here in India and they do a decent job uptil 80% volume. Beyond that they get a little scratchy. The rear speakers are somewhat weak so even if you adjust the balance to the rear, they still sound squeaky. At mid levels, the high mid and low balance is quite decent and elements like bass, treble etc can be adjusted to suit individual preferences which is good considering bose doesn't usually let with their bass settings..
@@CarExpertAus Cheers - yeah probably more akin to the drive section where that too is subjective in terms of the "feel" and "responsiveness", but with your ears! Mostly as to where the sound quality is on a scale of say "rubbish", "ok but not great", and "really quite good". Even that would add value I reckon! :)
There is a big difference comparing the base model audio on cars. It's hard to know when an upgrade to premium is needed or not.
Just stand tall on price for paint !! Thanks for the review, i agree, interior is full of cheapness and Kia are taking the piss on price!! Made my mind up against one !!
Not a fan of the yellow, it's free? 😄
@@CarExpertAus How would you describe the yellow? Same as my logo here?
What is the point of the small vertical bar between the air conditioning controls and the gear shifter on the left?
I One of the Best review's,I have heard,Thanks.
Compared to the VW T-Cross which interior look cheaper? or better?
I think this interior feels a little more premium than the T-Cross.
Seltos in Singapore is 1.4 turbo 138 hp made in India selling at $120000 sgd
I'd like to see 12v or usb ports near the rear view mirror to make it easier to install aftermarket dashcams. There's already interior lighting there with power.
Hahaha I liked the darude - sandstorm reference 😂
Nice review Paul!
Ha ha, thanks!
I like to think that most new cars these days only have map pockets on the passenger seat as it is an easier reach for the driver, instead of the driver having to awkwardly bend their arms around behind them to get what they're after.
Most cars we tested have pockets at the back of both seats.
Fantastic video as always 👏👏
Thank you! Cheers!
I just tried to buy/find one... good luck getting anything without a decent wait. Ended up finding a Sportage with only a 2 week wait.
Yes Paul, you're just too obsessed with soft touch materials and that's understandable with your preference 😆 but I love how you actually tried forgetting about it in the whole review to see the good things that come with and shape the Seltos as one of the best you can have in its segment. Kinda envious tho, here in the Philippines our Seltos is priced a bit high but spec'd a bit too less than how it should've been given the pricing. Glad to know the Australian model comes at a more bargain price with tons of features.
P.S those buttons around the shifter are mostly blank buttons in our local Seltos model, even in the top-spec trim 🙃
Same in Mauritius. Premium price for a lot of Japanese and Korean cars but budget or near budget specs.
Definitely not obsessed! Just want to make sure buyers aren't getting poor quality materials. If I don't complain about it, they'll never change it. At $40,000, this shouldn't be maxxing out our durometer!
Juan Miguel Mendoza we own a sport plus AWD Seltos and the things that you actually need to touch, like the steering wheel, arm rest, seats, are fine. Apart from the occasional wipe over with a damp rag to keep it clean, i never actually touch the dash so it doesn’t matter how hard it is to me.
Maybe just too keen on the materials is the proper term then but yeah so far, that's the only downside of the Seltos that shouldn't be that much of a deal breaker considering the value for money features and specs that it carries.
Can you look into reviewing the new Skoda Karoq Sportline model!
Android Auto on my seltos gt does not take the whole screen. Is that normal?
I believe that could be an Android Auto restriction. I haven't seen any other cars on the market with full size Android Auto systems.
It's Android auto issue
Great review, thanks. Your time code for interior section is a little off though. Starts at 3:04, not 3:34. Cheers.
I don't know what he's talking about... I've had a Kia Seltos GT-line for over a month, and I love it! It's very comfortable, especially with the remote start and heating/cooling seats. The throttle is very responsive, compared to my dad's Holden Astra hatchback, that literally takes 30 sec after you've floored it. I don't keep a lot of knives in my car, so I'm not worried about scratching the plastic? But my only issue is that the interior has too much reflection, like the chrome accents, do interior designers ever drive during twilight?
The S trim with the turbo and AWD at below $26K USD is the perfect package.
Great review mate
Nice car
Thanks! 👍
I like the car, but the creaking noise? No thanks , it would drive me crazy and I'm now actually disappointed. Good review.
We think it was likely a fault with the car and wouldn't be common to all vehicles.
@@CarExpertAus I was put off by that too
Amanda and Nick - The two tone (black roof options) come without a sunroof. I have no need or desire for a sunroof so went for the two tone white.
Great car reviews.
Would love if you could incorporate a decibel meter for cabin noise.
Features of English language define features of thinking, can therefore you such stupid?
Great review(s), but not this car
Thanks for the realistic reviews on your channel. Any chance of a review of the Niro ev S?
Love your videos Paul! And the Mercedes light up emblem in the States looks really tacky, and it’s usually on lower spec models as it can’t be paired with the advanced safety packages w/ adaptive cruise.
Thanks for watching! And thanks also for that information - you're right because normally those logos are used to house radars and all that kinds of stuff.
Korean cars have come a long way. I think they are best in premium styling compared to japanese cars these days. They look european. At this price point they can't make the plastics soft touch, that would raise the price.
I have a seltos gt. Has a sunroof. No noise whatsoever. The car is from India tho. Might be the specific test car.
Love love love my Seltos.
Have Kia started to use their Smartstream G 1.6 T for this model, or is ti still the older 1.6 T-GDI?
And also i don't understand Kia/Hyundai not using their 150KW 1.6 T on their bigger models , leaving them only with the 130KW version.
I find it funny they are using the 150KW 1.6 T variant on the smaller models only.
Do you think it will make any difference between the 150KW and 130KW engines, since the torque is the same?
Thank you.
It's the T-GDI engine. Not sure why they aren't using the Smartstream engine - I suspect it'll be gradually rolled out. I can't say if this is the case for Kia/Hyundai, but often Australian brands will take the cheaper and less efficient engines because there is no government requirement for higher efficiency engines.
Hey Paul, are you sure your dimension comparisons are correct? Pretty sure the Seltos is 200mm longer than Kona (not shorter). Also quick check of CX30 specs suggests that is actually a tiny bit longer than Seltos by 20mm.
Driven Kona and Seltos recently and Seltos certainly felt like a significantly bigger vehicle
You're right! Very sorry about that - I actually had that written down too. Apologies that it wasn't picked up in the edit review.
@CarExpert: cool, I’m sure we can cut you some slack. With the amount and regularity of content you are currently pushing out (much appreciated by the way) must be tricky at times to keep those types of figures accurate 100% of the time.
4:05 there's no table :(
Now added. Thanks for pointing that out! Can use this link too: Hardness tester results: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/121Auf6HGvaBqRToYcuAz94alin7Sw55SpOPECBDlnKE
Uber drivers are slobbering over those disco lights...😂😂
😅
Great review! Seems like every infortainment system you review are all wired Carplay and Android Auto haha. Which car brands actually have wireless? Can't think of any from the top of my head
There are a few out there :-D we called it out in the Passat sedan review, also in the Q7 review. Some of the BMW products we've reviews too.
@@CarExpertAus the Chevy TrailBlazer has wireless Apple CarPlay
Some Skodas have wireless Apple car play and Android Auto.
Kia’s promo material for 2021 MY Seltos shows Wireless connection for S trim but not for the higher trims.
...???!...
The GT Line is just not worth it considering you can get many better cars. The lower ranges are defo worth it compared to their competitors.
It's a shame the lower models all have the halogen headlights we used in our headlight comparison.
I find myself in a strange situation where I’m getting the GT line Seltos. I want LED lights (for functional and safety purposes). I need adequate space to move 4 adult sized people in comfort. I tried a Cerato (Sport badged iirc), my head was scraping the roof liner and the seats were not comfortable at all (for me). The GT Line Seltos seats were very comfortable and with all the adjustment I was able to find my ideal “shape”. I don’t need an oversized vehicle that will be difficult to manoeuvre in tighter spaces and that won’t fit in our garage which has limited height and the Seltos will fit snug and should still be able to open the tailgate.
Moving up a segment and the vehicles are too large. Competitors in this segment are either too small or a larger footprint with less space inside. It’s also a little unfair in the comparison as if you want similar spec levels in a more upmarket vehicle the budgets no longer align. $10k increase in pricing with a VW T-roc from a broker for example. And the T-roc does not have enough cabin space for our needs. Kia has done a great job with the Seltos IMHO. Horses for courses but after a while looking at cars, reviews and test driving that was my choice. There are a few things I wish I could change. I wish there was a leather seat option. I wish there was a bit more colour in the interior it’s very monotone black but has a cream/white head liner which I prefer. And I wish it had a 360 camera option. None of those are deal breakers though and I enjoyed test driving the Seltos very much. For me, the GT Line is worth it.
I like that your review focuses on what matters to the driver, such as interior comfort. In regards to the laws for the lights on the front, I believe the law only states that lights on the front of the vehicle must be white; so that white strip should be fine.
I got one new 2021 new logo attached Kia seltos GT-Line black one. Loving it 😍
“This is too big...this is too small!” Just call it the bloody Goldilocks Paul!🤣
😅
It makes a lot of sense not haveing a net pocket behind driver's seat. I just can't stand when my children touches/presses/pull my backrest. Just hate it. If there is no pocket, there also is no uncontroled movement of my seat during a drive... In my opinion it is very well thought out.
Would you recommend this over a Subaru Crosstrek (xv?)?
Tough call! The Subaru is smaller in comparison and the engine isn't great. But, the permanent all-wheel drive system and higher ride height makes it slightly more capable off-road.
Hi Paul - love your Review! I’m also looking at upgrading from a Subaru XV to the Turbo Gt line Seltos - does this Kia have more guts than the XV? I feel like my XV Makes a lot of noise but doesn’t have great acceleration... 🤔
I can't decide between Kia Seltos or Mitsubishi Eclipse cross 🤔
Really surprised that you didn't talk about the speedometer either it's digital or not, or what it displays..Etc. Very helpful video though. Thanks.
Hi Paul, do you know if anyone has ever complained about how far apart the pedals are in this? We bought one after having a VF commodore for so long and are struggling to get comfortable in it driving for longer than 30 minutes
Great looking SUV would buy the top GT line in Neptune Blue if I was going to buy one.
Need a review on the 2022 Cerato!!
Trying to choose between gt and sports +. What's better value. Or is there something else an similar size
I really like the look of the GT-Line. The major problem I have with the Sport+ is those halogen headlights. We featured that car on a recent headlight comparison and they are a very poor design. You can watch it here if you haven't seen it yet: th-cam.com/video/iElE9_RFDGA/w-d-xo.html
@@CarExpertAus I've seen your video. Really turned me off halogen lights. Which engine was the better drive
The price jump from sport + to gt line is big for what you get.. we went sport + for the awd and turbo engine.. not interested in the other crap in the gt line ... bit of a rip off i reckon
Sport + and gt are tbe exact same drive
After watching this review and your other very in depth on the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, which would you prefer Paul?
Love your reviews, Paul. When I am driving on expressway at 90 km/hour up a hill and need to pass another car, I want extra power. Does the Seltos have the power?
Am deciding between Kamiq and Seltos.
Great review.
Not a fan of the front design, but the rest of the car looks great :)
Do you think the CX-30 looks better on the road?
@@CarExpertAus yes, i looked at buying one once but found the interior / boot to be very small.
The rattle is not from the sunroof. It's from the roof-bar socket.
I have a serious problem with my seltos... is it normal for the vehicle to jerk when slowing down ? I asked my sales rep and he said yes because the vehicle gears down for itself please help.... it make the vehicle feel like an old car.