Kia Seltos 2026 Facelift: Full Review, Price & What’s New

Thinking of buying a compact SUV this year, but not sure if the new Kia Seltos is worth the wait? Fair question.

Kia has just rolled out the second-generation Seltos in India, and it’s not a small update. The car is bigger, looks sharper, and comes packed with gadgets that were missing before.

But does all that make it the right pick for you, or is it just shiny marketing? Let’s go through everything in plain, simple terms, so you can decide for yourself.

Kia Seltos 2026 Facelift: Key Specifications

Here’s a quick specs snapshot so you can compare numbers at a glance:

Price and Variants

First, let’s get into the money matters because that’s something everybody is interested in. The all-new Seltos is priced at around Rs 10.99 lakh (ex-showroom) for the basic HTE model and goes up to Rs 19.99-22 lakh for the fully-fledged X-Line automatic version. That’s widespread, so there’s genuinely a Seltos for almost every budget, whether you want a no-nonsense family car or a tech-loaded SUV with all the bells and whistles.

Kia has continued with the same naming pattern for the variants for all those who purchased the older-generation Seltos, which included names like HTE, HTK, HTX, GTX, and X-Line, with suffixes of either “O” for Option or “A” for Automatic kit. With 10 different trim levels altogether, multiplying by various engine and transmission options results in 40+ variations to choose from. Yes, it is a bit of an overwhelming choice, but that’s why people normally end up selecting the HTK or HTK (O) automatic version.

Here’s a simplified price table to make things easier:

Prices vary slightly by city due to local taxes, so it’s always smart to check with your nearest Kia dealer before finalizing anything.

Exterior and Interior

The old Kia Seltos had a slightly rounded, softer look. This one throws that out the window. Kia has gone for a boxier, more upright stance this time, clearly inspired by their electric flagship, the EV9. Up front, there’s a bigger version of Kia’s signature “tiger nose” grille, along with squared-off LED headlamps and vertical daytime running lights that give it a distinct road presence. Walk around to the side, and you’ll notice the car looks longer and flatter, with flush-fitting door handles that pop out only when you need them, plus sharp-looking alloy wheels depending on which variant you pick.

Step inside, and the cabin represents a genuine generational step forward. The dashboard has an upright and layered design – not much, yet it really adds a sense of organization and unclutteredness. The dash itself boasts a panoramic dual-screen that combines the instrument cluster and infotainment screens into a single sweeping panel for a proper cockpit feel. The plastic in some places is rather smooth and glossy, which looks quite nice initially, yet tends to scratch and attract fingerprints pretty quickly. The more luxurious models feature leatherette accents on the dashboard and doors, elevating the overall interior experience.

Space is where this generation really shines. Kia has stretched the Seltos in both length and wheelbase, so rear-seat passengers get noticeably more knee and shoulder room than before. The boot has grown too, and now offers enough room for a proper family’s luggage on a road trip.

Kia Seltos 2026 Facelift Features

This is the time when Kia does not disappoint, and the 2026 Seltos lives up to expectations. Even the lowest trims come with features such as touch screens, rear cameras, cruise control, and Kia’s Connect app, which offers remote functions. With upgrades to the trim level, you can enjoy a double-pane glass roof, ventilated seats, a head-up display, wireless phone charging, a digital key that lets you operate the vehicle with just your phone, and ambient lighting that adapts to your driving mood.

The first item on the list to discuss is the star map LED tail lamp at the back, which makes the Seltos stand out at night and immediately lets everyone know that it’s the updated version of the car. Another improvement from Kia is the upgrade to a larger screen, with enhanced graphics performance and smoother responsiveness. There is also support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but some versions still lack wireless connectivity, which is somewhat disappointing given the car’s price range. The family version offers the driver’s memory position, two-zone climate control with separate settings for the front passenger, and a spacious boot that can be folded down.

Engine, Mileage and Powertrain

Kia has kept the tried-and-tested engine line-up mostly intact, just with a bit more refinement this time around. There are three engine choices on offer. The base one is a naturally aspirated 1.5-liter petrol producing around 113-115 bhp, paired with either a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic. This is the one to pick if your driving is mostly city commutes and you don’t care much for outright punch. Then there’s the star of the range, the 1.5-liter turbo-petrol engine, which puts out close to 158-160 bhp and 253 Nm of torque. It comes with either a 6-speed iMT (a clutchless manual) or a smooth 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.

This engine genuinely feels lively, whether you’re merging onto a highway or overtaking on a two-lane road, and the DCT gearbox shifts quickly and with minimal fuss, even in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Diesel lovers haven’t been forgotten either. The 1.5-liter CRDi diesel makes around 113-116 bhp and comes with a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic. This is the one to consider if you regularly drive long distances, since diesels still tend to sip less fuel on highways.

Regarding mileage, you can expect it to range from 17 kmpl to 20.7 kmpl, depending on your engine-transmission combination. While it’s been observed that the naturally aspirated petrol engine with a manual transmission is the most fuel-efficient among the variants, the turbo-petrol engine consumes slightly more fuel because it is more powerful. And according to information provided by Kia, a hybrid variant of the Seltos will also be made available at a later date. Till then, all bases have been covered with this petrol-turbo-petrol-diesel combination.

Safety Features

Safety is one area where Kia has genuinely stepped up its game with this generation. Every single variant of the Kia Seltos car, right from the base HTE, comes with six airbags as standard, along with a set of 24 core safety features including electronic stability control, traction control, hill-start assist, and all-wheel disc brakes. That’s a solid starting point, and it means you’re not compromising on basic safety even if you’re buying the entry-level trim.

If you move up to the higher trims like the GTX and X-Line, you unlock Level 2 ADAS, which stands for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. This includes things like adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, and blind spot monitoring, essentially technology that helps the car look out for you on busy Indian roads. There are close to 18 such features bundled into the ADAS suite on the top-spec models.

While the new Seltos hasn’t been crash-tested yet under Global NCAP protocols at the time of writing, Kia has built it on a new platform that the company claims offers better structural rigidity and improved crash protection compared to the outgoing model. Given Kia’s recent track record with safety ratings on other models, expectations are reasonably high here too.

Kia Seltos 2026 Facelift Rivals

The compact SUV segment in India is brutally competitive, and the new Seltos has no shortage of rivals to worry about. The most obvious one is the Hyundai Creta, its cousin under the same parent group, which continues to be a sales juggernaut in this space. Then there’s the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and its newer sibling, the Victoris, both of which offer strong hybrid options. The Tata Sierra has also made a comeback recently and is shaping up to be a genuine style-focused competitor.

Other names in the mix include the Honda Elevate, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, MG Astor, Citroen Aircross and the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. On top of that, the Renault Duster and Nissan’s upcoming SUV are expected to join this crowded segment soon. So while the new Seltos brings a lot to the table, buyers genuinely have plenty of solid alternatives to cross-shop before making a final call.

Final Thoughts

The 2026 Kia Seltos facelift isn’t just a cosmetic touch-up; it’s a proper generational jump. It’s bigger, more spacious, loaded with features, and comes with engine options for almost every kind of buyer, whether you want fuel efficiency, outright performance, or diesel-friendly highway comfort. Sure, some cabin plastics could feel a bit more premium, and wireless phone connectivity should really be standard by now. But overall, if you’re shopping in this segment, the new Seltos deserves a serious test drive before you sign on the dotted line for anything else.

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