The design language of Kia’s recent electric vehicles (EVs) is constant to trickle all the way down to petrol-powered models, and the Seltos can be the following vehicle from the Korean brand to get a more EV-like look.
We’ve seen this recently on the brand new K4 (Cerato alternative) and Sportage, and now the next-generation Seltos is about to get a design inspired by the similarly sized EV5.
Videos uploaded to social media and YouTube by South Korean spy photographer Shorts Automotive shows the upcoming Kia Seltos covered in camouflage, though the black coverings can’t hide its distinctive recent shape.
That features a boxier and more squared-off front and rear design, again with inspiration seemingly taken from the recently launched EV5.
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Elements from the present Seltos reminiscent of its integrated roof rails proceed to feature, though wider wheel arch mouldings suggest Kia can be going for a tougher look with the brand new SUV.
Reportedly because of enter production in 2025, it’ll replace the brand new six-year-old Seltos which debuted in 2019 and is one among Kia’s hottest cars in Australia.
As previously reported by South Korean publication ET News, the next-generation Seltos will offer a alternative of petrol or hybrid powertrains.
The brand new Seltos Hybrid is anticipated to feature the identical powertrain because the Hyundai Kona Hybrid, but offer the choice of an electronic all-wheel drive (E-AWD) system.
The front-wheel drive-only Kona Hybrid combines a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with a 32kW/172Nm electric motor, a 1.32kWh battery pack, and a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Total system outputs are 104kW and 265Nm.
Kia already has a similarly sized hybrid SUV within the Niro, which also offers the choice of an electrical powertrain.
That sees the Niro overlap with the electrical EV3, due here in 2025, but Kia has said it sees room for each the electrical Niro and EV3.
Much because the EV3 appears to cannibalise the Niro EV, the next-generation Seltos could steal sales away from the Niro HEV.
The present Niro measures 4385mm long, only marginally larger than the 4420mm Seltos, which is anticipated to grow in its next generation.
Kia confirmed at its Investor Day earlier this 12 months it plans to expand its hybrid lineup from six models in 2024 to eight in 2026 and nine in 2028, with next-generation hybrid powertrains to supply improved performance, torque and fuel efficiency.
In Australia, Kia sold 4048 hybrids across the Sportage, Niro, Sorento and Carnival model lines between January and September 2024.
This placed its seventh out of the 11 brands which sell hybrids in Australia, well behind market leader Toyota (88,919 sales) and with lower than half the entire of Hyundai (9062 sales).
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
