We are heading into the final stretch of 2025, and Kia has decided to close the year on a high note by unveiling the new Seltos. The price reveal is still a few weeks away, but if you are already wondering what’s new and how different it is from the outgoing model, here’s a clear and quick breakdown of all major changes.
Seltos Old vs New: Exterior Changes
The biggest update is under the skin. The new Seltos now shifts to Kia’s global K3 platform, and that alone brings a noticeable change in its stance and road presence. The SUV is now 95mm longer at 4,460mm, and the wheelbase stretches by 80mm to 2,690mm, giving it a more planted, elongated profile.
Visually, the Seltos takes a big step forward. Up front, it sports a new vertically oriented dark-chrome grille, flanked by split LED DRLs and a squared-off headlamp cluster. The bumpers have been reworked, too, featuring dark grey skid plates that add a tougher edge.
Down the sides, the longer silhouette is emphasised by the new flush-fit door handles, fresh 18-inch alloy wheels, green-painted brake callipers, and even the addition of side parking sensors. The rear design feels like a modern reinterpretation of the Clavis, with split LED tail lamps separated by the 360-degree camera module instead of a connected light bar. A hidden rear wiper, sleeker stop lamp, and a larger roof spoiler complete the makeover.
The new Seltos is now offered in ten exterior colours, with Magma Red, Morning Haze, Frost Blue, and Ivory Silver joining the palette. The X Line trim continues in Matte Graphite with blacked-out highlights and a Black and Green interior combination.
Seltos Old vs New: Interior and Features
The cabin has evolved just as much. Thanks to the 80mm increase in wheelbase, rear passengers now get slightly more knee room. The dashboard, meanwhile, borrows cues from Kia’s latest models. The dual 12.3-inch screens, five-inch aircon display, and the physical AC and infotainment controls echo the layout seen on the Syros.
The steering wheel is now the same as the one from the EV6, complete with dual-tone finishing, offset Kia logo, and integrated drive and traction mode toggles. Depending on the variant, buyers will get different interior themes, including light-dark dual-tone combinations.
One quirky new detail is the mesh-style front headrests. They are wider and unique as compared to traditional cushions, and while comfort seems promising, long-term usability will be something we will evaluate over time.
Feature additions are extensive. The Seltos now gets front cooled seats, powered driver seat with memory, Bose audio system, panoramic sunroof, Type-C ports for all passengers, 64-colour ambient lighting, and an upgraded suite of Level 2 ADAS features.
Seltos Old vs New: Engine and Gearbox Options
Under the hood, things remain familiar. Kia has carried forward all existing powertrains:
- 1.5-litre NA petrol – 113bhp, 144Nm | six-speed manual or CVT
- 1.5-litre turbo petrol – 158bhp, 253Nm | six-speed iMT or seven-speed DCT
- 1.5-litre diesel – 114bhp, 250Nm | six-speed manual or six-speed torque converter
While a hybrid powertrain was rumoured, Kia seems to be holding that back for a later update.
Kia Seltos Rivals
With the new design, upgraded cabin, and a richer feature list, the Seltos will once again lock horns with the Hyundai Creta, Honda Elevate, Skoda Kushaq, Maruti Suzuki Victoris, MG Astor, Toyota Hyryder, and the newly launched Tata Sierra.
The only missing piece now is the pricing. The new Seltos will be available across HTE, HTK, HTX, and GTX variants. Bookings are already open, and prices will be officially announced on 2 January.
