Kia Seltos review: Real-world performance tested

Kia is providing buyers a option of a few different engines – a 115hp, one.five-litre obviously aspirated petrol a 140hp, one.four-litre turbo-petrol and a 115hp, one.five-litre diesel engine. Each of these get a 6-speed manual and an computerized possibility as effectively. What’s unique is that every single computerized transmission is exclusive to every single powertrain. The one.five-litre petrol receives a CVT (continuously variable transmission), the one.four-litre turbopetrol receives a 7-speed DCT (dualclutch transmission), and the diesel receives 6-speed torque converter computerized. Kia has taken the lead in its phase by introducing BS6-compliant engines – for which the catalytic converters in the petrols have received some tweaks, but improvements to the diesel are additional sizeable like the addition of a highpressure pump, a catalytic converter with a diesel particulate filter (DPF), and a lean NOx lure (LNT).

With electrical power and torque figures of 140hp and 242Nm, respectively, the one.four-litre turbo-petrol motor absolutely impresses on paper, and even additional so in the serious world. Refinement stages are major-notch, and even on the move it goes about executing its position in a silent method. People with a keen ear will hear a faint whistle-like sound from the ingestion previous two,000rpm when the engine is below load. Beyond five,000rpm, the engine sounds a little bit boomy. Throttle responses are sharp, and for the reason that max torque arrives in from as reduced as one,500rpm, there is no perceptible hold off in effectiveness. Spin it previous two,200rpm and the tachometer needle swings towards the redline in a fairly enthusiastic method. Although effectiveness in the mid-selection is robust, there is no outstanding spike in electrical power shipping and delivery, so it builds speed in a very linear method. Keep on to a gear lengthier and it will spin previous five,000rpm in a gutsy method, despite the fact that electrical power starts to taper off outside of 6,000rpm. The 6-speed manual’s gearing is very tall, so it will rev until 6,800rpm in the to start with a few gears, with the to start with maxing out at 54kph, second at 99kph, and 3rd at 149kph. The tall gearing and spectacular torque distribute shoots the Seltos from -100kph in a immediate eight.9sec, earning it the quickest sprinter in India below Rs 20 lakh. Acceleration via the gears is similarly spectacular, even with the taller ratios. The manual transmission is a delight to use, with slick shifts that give a reassuring click every single time the gear slots into its gate. The clutch, despite the fact that light-weight, has a lengthy vacation, and the pedal experience is not reliable, so you are going to need to have to modulate it very carefully to generate effortlessly.

Paired to the turbo-petrol is also a 7-speed twin-clutch computerized transmission. This device is pretty rapid like most twin-clutch models and is just about generally in the suitable gear. There are driving modes too, and in ‘Normal’ and ‘Eco’, it shifts to the highest gear probable at the earliest for illustration, it shifts to sixth gear by 60kph and seventh by 80kph. Within urban confines, there is hardly any difference concerning the two modes so the Eco mode feels very usable, and it doesn’t blunt effectiveness or responsiveness either. Nevertheless, it does lessen the performance of the air conditioning, and this can be awkward on a hot working day. The 3rd driving mode is ‘Sport’, which sharpens throttle responses, weights up the steering and programmes the transmission to hold onto gears lengthier. But what it does is also aggravate the snappy engagement of the DCT which is not very userfriendly in start out-halt site visitors. In point, 1 of the weaknesses of the Seltos’ DCT is that clutch engages a little bit too sharply and it doesn’t have a progressive experience. Backing into a parking spot in reverse can be tough for the reason that of this unexpected engagement. It’s also essential to place out that the Seltos DCT did face overheating problems for the reason that of abnormal clutch ‘slip’ in halt-start out site visitors. A new computer software update has diminished the slip but the clutch now engages additional like an on-off swap, earning it experience a touch too snappy. Paddleshifters would have enhanced the generate working experience but the Tiptronic mode does offer the possibility to modify gears manually. The Seltos DCT has a couple of rough edges and is clearly not as smooth or refined as Volkswagen’s DSG device, which, in phrases of change high quality, is nonetheless the benchmark.

The Kia Seltos’ one.five-litre diesel sets a new benchmark in its phase in phrases of refinement and drivability. The motor is very smooth and the diesel clatter or drone is effectively in examine. What’s wonderful is that electrical power shipping and delivery is linear, and just like the turbo-petrol, this diesel helps make its max torque of 250Nm suitable from one,500rpm, so lag is nominal. Lazy motorists will be content to generate all-around city in increased gears without the need to have to downshift usually it can simply exit a speed breaker in second gear, without any juddering. The serious meat of the powerband is concerning two,200rpm and four,000rpm, earning it a fantastic cruiser overtaking in this selection feels effortless. Although the base-stop and mid-selection are fairly spectacular, it does operate out of breath towards its major-stop so even though the engine will spin until about five,000rpm, it starts to sound clattery and fairly coarse outside of four,000rpm, with hardly any electricity left in the previous one,000rpm. The 6-speed manual, just like the turbo-petrol’s device, has a very favourable change motion, and despite the fact that its clutch necessitates a little bit additional effort than the turbo-petrol’s, the pedal experience is far additional linear and less complicated to choose. Getting down on electrical power compared tothe Creta one.6-litre diesel-manual success in a slower -100kph time of 11.67sec, (Creta’s is ten.81sec), but the Kia only blows away the Creta when it arrives to drivability – 20-80kph in 3rd gear is one.58sec a lot quicker, and 40-100kph in fourth gear is one.57sec a lot quicker, reflecting on how a lot additional drivable the Seltos is compared to the Hyundai.

The 6-speed torque converter computerized is smooth and performs seamlessly whilst cruising. Demand from customers for a lot quicker responses, on the other hand, and it is gradual to respond. Pin the accelerator to the flooring, and it will upshift at all-around four,500rpm in the decrease gears, but the changeover concerning the ratios appears to be fairly lazy. This combination feels greatest when driven in a sedate method.

Very last but unquestionably not the minimum is the one.five-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine that puts out a healthful 115hp and 144Nm of torque. And whilst Kia has the effectiveness portion covered with the one.four turbo-petrol device, this one.five, obviously aspirated petrol engine focuses additional on a smooth driving working experience. From the minute you start out the engine, it feels refined and also operates quietly at reduced to mid revs. It’s only in the upper reaches of the powerband that it feels strained and the engine sound receives intrusive. Off the line, electrical power shipping and delivery is smooth and the engine feels responsive to the slightest of throttle inputs. It doesn’t have the mid-selection punch of its turbocharged siblings but doesn’t experience gutless like a lot of obviously aspirated engines. It’s only outside of four,000 rpm that it commences managing out of breath.

This engine is made available with a CVT and it does the position effectively. Sure, it does have the standard rubber-band outcome noticed in most CVTs, where you speed up tough and the engine RPM rises but doesn’t translate into a rise in speed. Nevertheless, the excellent information is that this undesirable outcome has been held to a minimum amount, which usually means there is adequate electrical power whilst overtaking on the highways. Although the instant reduced-speed reaction is spectacular, particularly on portion throttle, there is a momentary hold off just before the gearbox responds, and which is not a little something you hope in a modern-day CVT. There is a manual mode to move via predefined ratios but it doesn’t let intense downshifts for engine braking. On the other hand, in the course of outright acceleration, the manual mode holds on to every single ratio slightly lengthier than in ‘D’. All in all, this combination works genuinely effectively if you have a laid-back again driving type.