Kia Seltos is available in seven trims namely HTE, HTK, HTK+, HTX, HTX+, GTX(O) and GTX+ and priced between Rs 9.95 lakh and Rs 18.10 lakh (ex-showroom)
Kia Seltos has been posting consistent monthly sales volumes ever since it was launched back in August 2019. In October this year, it was the highest-selling SUV in the Indian market. With a sales volume of 10,488 units, Seltos easily outsold its cousin- Hyundai Creta which managed a sales volume of 6,455 units during the same period.
One of the primary highlights of Seltos’ success in the country is its wide range of options offered by the Korean carmaker. This includes trims, engine and transmission options and combinations of all these. Consumers will soon get more options for Seltos making its case stronger in the compact C-segment of SUVs/crossovers.
Kia Seltos Diesel IMT
As per our sources, Kia will be launching the option of an iMT gearbox with the 1.5-litre diesel engine. It is expected to be launched after the Carens MPV – that is scheduled for launch in Jan/Feb 2022. This will be the third transmission option for the oil burner as currently it is offered with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic transmission.
As of now, it isn’t clear on which trims this combination will be offered. It is likely that it could be on offer with the HTK+ variant, just like its petrol IMT counterpart. Expect price to be about Rs 50k over the respective MT variant
For the uninitiated, an iMT gearbox or intelligent manual transmission is a clutch-less manual gearbox fitted with sensors and actuators. While gear shifting is carried out manually using a stick shift, clutch operation is carried out automatically.
Such a type of gearbox serves enthusiastic drivers who wish to have manual control over the transmission yet is more convenient during heavy bumper-to-bumper traffic. It was earlier introduced in Kia Sonet and Hyundai Venue. The iMT is also on offer in the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol unit of Seltos. A 6-speed manual gearbox is offered as standard across the lineup.
Engine, Transmission Options
Other transmission options include a CVT automatic, a 6-speed torque converter and a 7-speed DCT automatic gearbox. The 1.5-litre diesel unit churns out 114 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque while the 1.5-litre petrol unit delivers an output of 114 bhp and 144 Nm of peak torque. There is also a 1.4-litre GDI turbo petrol engine which kicks out 138 bhp and 242 Nm of torque.
In terms of features, Kia offers notable features such as a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 7-inch multi-information display, Kia’s UVO connected car technology, an 8-speaker Bose sound system, ventilated front seats, ambient lighting and much more. Safety is taken care of by up to six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control (ESC), brake assist and hill assist control (HAC).
