BMW 850I vs Kia Seltos

What's the difference?

Can a car company show off? It seems absurd; the kind of embarrassing, unedifying behaviour that only ego-driven, status-obsessed human beings engage in. And yet look at BMW’s new 8 Series, with its shinily silly cut-glass gear lever, its laser headlights, its outrageously powerful V8 engine and its bullfrog-but-beautiful stance - surely this is showing off on a corporate scale?

To be fair, when a car company makes a new range-topper - and BMW only applies the number 8 to its most special vehicles, think Z8 and i8 - it really is about making a kind of look-at-me statement. 

A car as obviously ostentatious as the M850i xDrive Coupe (and Convertible) has to appeal to buyers, even if it’s only a small and wealthy target market. And there is plenty that’s appealing about this old-fashioned yet modern-looking grand tourer, from the incredible way it accelerates to its luxuriant ride quality and decadent interior.

It would want to be impressive, of course, with a price tag of $272,900 (or $9000 more for the Convertible).

So, has the new 8 Series BMW got what it takes to separate the very rich from their hard-earned megabucks? We donned our shiniest shoes and went to the launch to find out.

Looking for a small SUV that’s not tiny? The Kia Seltos could be that SUV, and it’s been updated for 2023.

This review covers the entire Seltos range and reviews this small SUV based on its safety, practicality, price and features, plus ownership costs, its fuel economy and what it’s like to drive.

So, if you’re thinking about a Honda HR-V, a Toyota Corolla Cross or something even as large as a Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage then you need to be thinking about a Kia Seltos, too.