2020 Kia Seltos

Just as one should beware of Greeks bearing gifts, automakers should beware of competitors named after Greeks.

The Kia Seltos is named after Celtos, the son of the Greek God Hercules.

This was the first revelation made by Kia Philippines president Manny Aligada when he welcomed the media and dealers at last Wednesday’s launch of the Korean brand’s latest global crossover.

Parlaying the Greek God identification, Aligada touted the 2020 Kia Seltos as the boldest crossover engineered for epic adventures. A wide body stance and athletic contours project this bold attitude.

Aligada said that Greek God-inspired boldness means longer and bigger dimensions for the Seltos, which has a +75 and +205 mm length compared to the competition, making the Seltos comparable to SUVs above its subcompact class.

The wheelbase is longer by +20 and +30 mm respectively, translating into generous cabin space for occupants: more front headroom with +31 and +12 mm respectively, as well as rear legroom increase of +10 and +85 versus competitor models in the segment.

Manufactured in South Korea, the Seltos was welded and crafted with advanced high strength steel for enhanced body rigidity and maximum occupant security.

BEAT CONCEPT. The emboldened spirit of the Seltos is projected in the stylish design cues and a lighting image that visualizes Kia’s Beat Concept, Aligada said, meaning the concept to capture the heart of the customer and making it beat a bit faster for a bit longer.

The Beat Concept is further enhanced with the technologies that offer enjoyable in-cabin experience, such as the 8-inch display audio with touchscreen, tilt and telescopic 3-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel with remote switches to swiftly browse through driving data and multiple Spotify playlists, Bluetooth hands-free, Apple Car Play and Android Auto connectivity, six speakers, cruise control, 3-stage fully automatic air conditioner, and 2-step rear seat recline feature.

The 60:40 rear seat folds completely flat to accommodate any type of cargo load and offer more storage capacity.

Kia’s exterior design language combines a strong image, a dynamic profile and delicate details: a long hood with strong and sharp character lines, LED headlights with unique inside elements, LED daytime running lights, and a lighting sequence that extends to Kia’s signature Tiger Nose Grille, which itself has a diamond patterned chrome garnish.

Black wheel-arch cladding, 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome beltline molding, C-pillar garnish, roof rails, faux silver skid plates front and rear contribute to the rugged, masculine SUV character.

At the rear, LED taillights similar to the front lighting sequence, a 3-dimensional rear bumper design, a tailgate garnish that makes the back look wider, and a dual chrome muffler garnish enhance the Seltos’ sporty presence on the road.

SMART STREAM POWERTRAIN. The Seltos is powered by a naturally aspirated Atkinson Cycle 2.0-liter in-line 4 DOHC gasoline engine paired with an IVT (Intelligent Variable Transmission) and producing 149 hp and 179 Nm max toque.

An Atkinson cycle engine is more fuel-efficient because after ignition, when the piston begins descending on the expansion (also called power) stroke, the shortened intake stroke combined with a full-length expansion stroke squeezes more work out of every increment of fuel. Its expansion ratio is significantly larger than its compression ratio.

Kia’s new IVT further improves the 2020 Seltos’ fuel economy.

Similar to but an improvement of the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), the IVT performs continuous shifts to provide superior efficiency over automatic transmissions, using a pulley system that has a wide-ratio and a chain belt rather than the much more common push belt—the first time this has ever been achieved in the compact car segment.

The IVT simulates the gear shifts customers like about the automatic transmission, so it feels like driving with an old 6AT. What’s more, the IVT uses new Shift Control Strategy technology to line up driver input, vehicle behavior and acceleration, making it more responsive and delivering a better driving experience on the road.

Combined, the Atkinson engine and the IVT are part of Kia’s new line of efficient “Smart Stream” powertrains that maximize power and efficiency, complemented by the Drive Mode selector that allows drivers to choose from Normal, Eco and Sport Mode.

AERODYNAMIC. Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) levels have been minimized in the Seltos, with the use of bonnet insulation, commonly found in diesels, contributing to a more silent and peaceful cruise.

The 0.33 Drag Coefficient of the Seltos, versus the 0.35 to 0.45 of typical boxy SUVs, further improves the car’s fuel efficiency and acceleration.

The safety equipment includes six airbags, electronic stability control, ABS, downhill brake control, hill start assist, rear view camera with rear view driving function, rear parking sensors, Remote Keyless Smart Entry and push start feature in the SX variant.

Slotted under the Sportage compact crossover in the Kia Philippines lineup, the 2020 Kia Seltos is the brand’s most affordable light commercial vehicle with introductory SRPs starting at P1.098 million for the LX variant, P1.198 million for the EX and P1.498 million for the SX.

The Philippines is the first ASEAN market to launch the 2020 Seltos.

Incidentally this year, for the fourth year in a row, Kia Motors was named as the top non-luxury automaker for new vehicle quality in J.D. Power’s annual US Initial Quality Survey Study.