Second-generation Kia Seltos unveiled | Launch in January 2026

Overview

Kia has finally taken the covers off the next-generation of the Seltos, its most popular product in India. First launched in 2019, the Seltos has consistently appealed to young buyers, and with this new generation, Kia aims to strengthen that connection even further. Built on the all-new K3 platform, the second-generation Seltos receives a completely redesigned exterior and interior, while retaining the familiar powertrain options. Positioned in the fiercely competitive mid-sized SUV segment, Kia has undoubtedly raised the stakes with this launch. Pricing for the next-gen Seltos will be announced on January 2, 2026, with bookings opening on December 11, 2025, and deliveries beginning in mid of January 2026. Kia is gearing up to take on the mid-sized SUV segment head-on.

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Exterior

Upfront, the Seltos gets a completely revamped styling. What’s carried forward from the older Seltos is the signature Tiger nose grille, although it's far bigger than before and spans across the entire face of the car. The SUV now gets squared-off housing for the headlamps, and a vertical LED bar sitting right next to it gives Seltos a modern look. It gets all LED lighting up front, which Kia calls “starmap lighting”. In profile the second-gen Seltos continues with 18-inch wheels, although with a new design. The GT-Line and X-Line variants get neon-painted brake calipers, which look very quirky, and the SUV also gets thicker wheel arches. Sharp lines run through the doors of the next-gen Seltos, and it now gets flush-type door handles, which gets an auto pop-out function to aid practicality. It gets the same treatment as before on the C-pillar, which gives it a wraparound effect. The rear-end of the next-gen Seltos gets L-shaped tail lights similar to the Carens Clavis, it gets a roof spoiler with a high-mount stop lamp placed right below it. Dimensions-wise, the next-gen Kia Seltos is now wider by 30mm, the wheelbase is larger by 80mm, and the overall length has also been increased by 95mm, which amounts to better interior space.

​Kia is offering the new Seltos in 4 new colour options: Morning Haze, Magma Red, Frost Blue and Ivory Silver gloss.

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Interior and features

The next-gen Kia Seltos gets a completely revamped dashboard, with dual 12.3-inch touch screens, but what's new is a smaller 5-inch display for the AC controls, which sits between the driver’s display and the infotainment screen, similar to the Syros. It also gets a new steering wheel with a dual-tone finish, it now gets steering-mounted controls for the drive modes and traction modes. In the centre console, Kia has retained the physical buttons for the AC and audio control, which are also taken from the Syros.

​Talking about features, the next-gen Seltos gets a a360-degree cameras, front, rear, and side parking sensors, panoramic sunroof, Level 2+ ADAS, 64-colour ambient lighting, 10-way adjustable driver’s seat with memory function and ventilation, wireless Android Auto and Apple Car Play, 8-speaker Bose audio system, OTA updates, and connected car tech.

​Standard safety features include six airbags, TPMS, ABS, hill start assist, all four-wheel disc brakes, rear parking sensors, and even a reverse camera.

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Kia Seltos Trims and Variants

Kia Seltos is offered in a total of 3 major trims: Tech-line, GT-line, and X-Line. The Tech-line has a total of 6 variants: HTE, HTE (O), HTK, HTK (O), HTX, HTX (A). The GT-Line has a total of 2 variants, being GTX and GTX (A), and the last being the X-Line, which sits at the top of the Seltos lineup. All these trims differ in features and exterior looks; the GT-Line and X-Line are more sportier versions of Seltos with blacked-out bits, different alloys, and a different interior theme.

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Powertrain options

Despite all these changes, what remains the same are the powertrain options, Kia has carried over the same engine and gearbox options from the older Seltos.

Pricing and Rivals

Pricing of the next-gen Kia Seltos will be announced on January 2, 2026. We expect it to be priced between ₹11 lakh to ₹21 lakh (ex-showroom). It will rival with the likes of Hyundai Creta, Maruti  Suzuki Victoris, Honda Elevate, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Tata Sierra, Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun, and with Renault Duster to join the competition soon on 26th January, this segment is about to get extremely competitive.