The 2021 Kia Seltos has been with us for nearly a year now and is a force to be reckoned with across the industry and in its segment. Even within the Kia family, it is on track to become the brand's top seller ahead of the Sorento, which it is expected to accomplish over the next 12 months.
What's the secret behind this success? A look at the five versions on offer will help us find out.
1 - LX FWD and LX
In the case of the first two models, the main difference is that one is offered with a front-wheel drive configuration and the other with all-wheel drive. The other difference is that the first model has 16-inch wheels and the second has 17-inch rims. Otherwise, the offer is the same with a choice of eight colors, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto applications, heated front seats, as well as alerts for blind spots and rear cross-traffic.
The LX models are equipped with a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder engine that delivers 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. It is mated to Kia's intelligent Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).
2 - EX
By making the jump to the EX variant, the model inherits a sunroof, additional safety features such as frontal collision avoidance assist and lane tracking, push-button start and keyless entry. The seat upholstery also changes to Sofino leather.
3 - EX Premium
This EX version is also available with a Premium Package that comes complete with 10.25-inch multimedia screen navigation, UVO Smart System, wireless cell phone charging, and LED headlights and fog lights in the front.
4 - SX Turbo
Finally, moving up to the top of the range, you get your hands on a model with a different personality, as it is basically equipped with a more powerful engine. The latter is a 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine offering 175 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. It is mated to a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission. In terms of equipment, it also offers more with a Bose audio system offering better quality, as well as a head-up display, among other things. It's also equipped with 18-inch wheels, which adds to its handling.
Finally, here's what it looks like in terms of fuel economy. With the front-wheel-drive LX model, city and highway ratings are 8.2 and 7.1 L/100 km, respectively. With AWD, they go to 8.8 and 7.6 L/100 km, in the same order and for the same references. For the turbo engine, we're talking about 9.4 and 7.9 L/100 km.
