There is something to be said about knowing exactly what you are going to get. In an industry that has lately insisted on pushing out products that don’t seem ready, Kia has built a reputation on being the adult in the room. They build consistently reliable, high-quality products that work exactly as advertised. And with the launch of the new 2026 Kia Seltos, they have done it again.
Let’s address the elephant in the room immediately. The new “Digital Tiger Face” is aggressive, angular, and decidedly busy. I have already heard the murmurs. Some are calling it overstyled; others are saying it tries too hard. And I get it. When you park this next to the newly unveiled Tata Sierra, which just picked up a Red Dot Design Award for its masterclass in restraint and clean lines, a lot of folks will just pick the latter.
But here is the thing – I actually like it. And the headlamps with a set of DRLs come together to almost resemble a squarish headlamp. The lightning-like DRLs on the sides then serve to add a touch more personality. There is a sharpness to the angular nature of this new design that works for me. It feels technical, precise, and unapologetically modern. At the rear, the connected tail lamps now feature an inverted ‘L’ shape, and the bumper has been reworked with sportier cladding, especially on the GT Line and X-Line trims.
Step inside, however, and the debate ends. From my brief time with the car, it is clear that the Seltos has taken yet another step up in quality. The cabin feels tighter, the materials richer. It is that classic Kia polish. Everything from the tactile click of the buttons to the resolution of the dual 12.3-inch screens feels great. A new addition is a dedicated 5-inch display (first seen on the Syros) for the dual-zone climate control, decluttering the center console while keeping essential functions accessible. It is a level of finish that nothing else in this segment can match.
Feature-wise, Kia has thrown the kitchen sink at it: panoramic sunroof is now standard on mid-spec trims upwards; ADAS Level 2 suite has been expanded to 28 features, including Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Blind Spot Collision Warning, and High Beam Assist; a new ‘Pewter Olive’ and the matte ‘Magma Red’ (exclusive to the X-Line) join the palette.
Mechanically, Kia has stuck to what works with three 1.5-litre engine options: an NA petrol producing 115hp, 144Nm (6MT/IVT), a turbo petrol delivering 160hp, 253Nm (6iMT/7DCT) and a diesel with 116hp, 250Nm (6iMT/6AT).
The arrival of the Sierra does change the conversation though. For the longest time, the Seltos was the default recommendation. Now, we have to talk about what the Seltos doesn’t do.
The Sierra is being lauded for its ride quality that steamrolls over imperfections. In contrast, I can tell you right now that the Seltos is going to feel stiff. That has always been the Kia way. It is set up to be the better driver’s car—tighter body control, sharper steering, less roll. But if you are looking for a magic carpet ride over broken city roads, the Seltos isn’t going to pamper you the way the Tata will. It will let you know exactly what the road surface is like, sometimes a little too earnestly.
The new Kia Seltos, being a new generation model, is a big step-up from everything else in the segment apart from the Sierra. Even with the Kia being much longer, the Tata is packaged to have more space on the inside, both for the passengers (wider cabin, more legroom and headroom) and their luggage.
Prices will be out on the 2nd of Jan, 2026, and we expect it to be priced at a slight premium over the outgoing model.
