Kia Takes The Wraps Off The 2026 Seltos; Here’s What You Should Know…

Kia has finally revealed the new generation of one of its most popular SUVs, the Seltos. This new generation marks the SUV’s biggest update since its debut in 2019 and the mid-life facelift that it received in 2023. This is the first time the Seltos has undergone a full generational change, and the results are evident in its completely new exterior design and a revamped cabin. While the SUV has only been unveiled for now, more details on the pricing and launch timeline are expected to be announced in the coming months. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the Kia Seltos 2026:

 

 

 

 

 

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Kia Seltos 2026 Exterior: A Fresh Look

The new 2026 Seltos has taken on a more boxy, upright, and dominating stance as compared to the outgoing model. At the front, the SUV gets a completely redesigned look, featuring noticeably larger, more sculpted grille finished in high gloss, flanked by vertical LED DRLs and a reworked ice-cube LED headlight setup. It also gets a redesigned front bumper with squarer lines, giving the SUV a more mature and confident look.

Moving towards the side, it gets a completely new designed 18-inch alloy wheels, flush door handles, body claddings, and subtle revisions along the profile to complete the visual aesthetics.

At the rear, the 2026 Seltos gets newly designed LED taillights, which are connected by a full-width LED light bar, along with a cleaner, more refined tailgate design. Overall, Kia seems to be aiming towards a stronger road presence while still retaining the core styling identity that has defined the Seltos so far. 

Kia Seltos 2026 Interior: New Layout 

The cabin of the new Seltos is a step up from the outgoing model. It now gets a more modern and mature layout with cleaner lines and a noticeably more premium touch, with the overall layout very similar to the Kia EV6. The steering wheel is finished in a dual-tone black and cream-white finish, and the dashboard design has been completely reworked to feel wider and more upmarket than before. The cabin continues to focus on practicality with the use of physical buttons for key functions, like the AC controls, avoiding an overload of touch controls or oversized screens. 

For the X-Line variant, the interior boasts an all black theme, which gives a sense of sportiness inside the cabin, along with the premium touches it has to offer. 

On the rear seats, the Seltos continues to offer plenty of space, good knee room, ample headroom, and enough space to seat three occupants. The sense of comfort is further enhanced with rear AC vents and sun blinds. 

Kia Seltos 2026 Features And Safety: Loaded Like It’s Supposed To Be! 

If you’re here for the latest technology, the 2026 Seltos leaves little to be desired. The Seltos has always been one of the most feature-loaded cars in its segment, and that legacy is continued here as well. It gets features like a panoramic sunroof, dual 12.3-inch screen setup comprising a touchscreen infotainment and another one for the driver’s display, 10-way electrically adjustable driver seat with lumbar support, ventilated front seats, 8-speaker BOSE sound system, 64-colour ambient lighting, dual-zone automatic climate control, and drive and traction modes. 

Speaking of Safety, key highlights on the new Seltos include a Level-2 ADAS suite, a 360-degree camera with front and rear sensors, 6 airbags, electronic parking brake with auto-hold, all-wheel disc brakes, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, hill-hold assist, tyre pressure monitoring system and impact sensing auto door unlock. 

Kia Seltos 2026 Powertrain Options: The Known Devils

The Kia Seltos 2026 retains the same powertrain options as the outgoing model, which include a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, and a 1.5-litre diesel engine. These engines are available with manual, clutchless manual, torque converter automatic, CVT, and DCT transmission options. 

Here are the detailed specifications:

Engine	1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol	1.5-litre turbo-petrol	1.5-litre diesel
Transmission	6-speed manual/CVT automatic	6-speed iMT/7-speed dual-clutch automatic	6-speed manual/6-speed torque converter automatic
Power (PS)	115 PS	160 PS	116 PS
Torque (Nm)	144 Nm	253 Nm	250 Nm

Kia Seltos 2026 Expected Price And Launch Timeline

Kia will most likely release the official pricelist of the new Seltos early in January 2026, but considering the prices of the outgoing model and the amount of updates and new features on the updated model, we expect the 2026 Seltos to be priced from Rs 11.5 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base model, while the top-of-the-line variant could be priced upwards of Rs 21 lakh (ex-showroom). 

The commencement of deliveries is expected later in mid-January 2026, post the official launch on January 2, 2026. Interested buyers can book the new Seltos starting tonight for a token amount of Rs 25,000.

Kia Seltos 2026 Rivals: The Toughest Segment 

Upon launching, the Kia Seltos 2026 will continue to take on the likes of popular cars like the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Victoris, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Tata Sierra and Curvv, Honda Elevate, MG Astor, and the German siblings, Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun. Renault's upcoming Duster and its sibling, the Nissan Tekton, are also expected to be strong contenders against the new Seltos. 

ZigSays…

The new Kia Seltos may have finally stepped into the spotlight, but the real story will begin once Kia reveals the pricing of the car, along with the launch timeline. The SUV has already stirred up plenty of excitement, with loyal Seltos fans closely watching what comes next. 

Ultimately, it will be the price tag that will decide whether the Seltos can once again recreate the magic that it did back in 2019, and reclaim its spot as the favourite choice in the segment. 

Do you like the new Kia Seltos? Or would you prefer some other car over it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!