Boosted baby SUV top pick
The Kia Seltos is a great option as a roomy five-seater. But what happens if you give the engine a bit more punch? Nile Nijoux finds out.
We never got the chance to try the turbo-charged Seltos before lockdown so we’ve spent some well overdue time with it. Is it worth spending the extra dosh over the naturally aspirated or atmo version?
Are there any other major changes aside from the turbo?
There are a couple; the CVT transmission makes way for a sevenspeed dual-clutch unit, the torsion beam rear suspension is swapped for a multi-link setup and the front brakes have been enlarged from
280mm to 305mm. All-wheel-drive is also standard. This, alongside the
130kW/265Nm boosted 1.6-litre engine, turns the Seltos from an urban family runabout to a machine that offers decent performance in the corners as well as around school.
The multi-link kit improves comfort over bumpier roads and lets each rear wheel move more independently than the torsion beam on lower models, which helps handling. As does all-paw power, which is exclusive in the Seltos range to the Limited.
The AWD system features a centre-locking differential for more traction in the mud or snow as well as torque vectoring and hill descent control. Though I’d imagine Seltos buyers will rarely want to get into any form of off-roading, despite 185mm of ground clearance and an approach angle of 28 degrees, which is about 10 degrees more than a Subaru XV.
Only the Limited has these mechanical changes, which pushes weight up to 1410kg from 1295kg. That’s still respectable, given the size, but it also means fuel consumption rises from 6.8L/100km to 7.6L/100km.
One final note – the Limited Turbo has a four-year/40,000km scheduled servicing plan as opposed to Kia’s standard three-year/ 45,000km plan. The warranty is the usual five years/100,000km while roadside assistance is also five years but with unlimited mileage.
Right, how about that engine then?
It’s definitely stronger than the
2.0-litre naturally aspirated version found in other Seltos models. More output in all areas is appreciated, particularly the increase in torque. Kia says all 265 Newton-metres hit from as low as 1500rpm, which means as soon as you breathe on the throttle you have torque. The power increase isn’t quite as dramatic, the
1.6 only offering 20 extra kilowatts but it’s noticeable enough. Sprinting to 100kmh takes less than eight