2022 Kia Seltos to go hybrid? Updated small SUV to rival Toyota C-HR, Nissan Qashqai, Subaru XV with petrol-electric option: report

Kia’s Seltos small SUV could be in even more demand with reports that the updated version is going to be electrified.

According to the Korean Car Blog, the mid-life update for the Seltos will usher in a new hybrid variant that will replace the diesel version offered in some markets.

The report says that the hybrid Seltos will borrow the petrol-electric hybrid powertrain from Kia’s other small SUV, the Niro.

Read More About Kia Seltos

2022 Kia Seltos facelift confirmed: Australian launch timing locked in for updated MG ZS, Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-30, Mitsubishi ASX and Subaru XV rival 2021 Kia Seltos pricing and specs detailed: Rising cost for MG ZS, Hyundai Kona, Mitsubishi ASX, Mazda CX-30 and Nissan Qashqai rival Kia models hit hard by delivery delays with Stinger, Stonic, Seltos, Sorento, Rio and Picanto months away, but supply of new Cerato looking good

The current Niro hybrid combines a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 32kW/170Nm electric motor, and a 1.56kWh battery pack, for a combined output of 104kW/265Nm.

It consumes 3.8-4.4 (depending on the model grade) litres of fuel per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle.

At the moment, Kia offers two powertrains for the Seltos in Australia. The S, Sport and Sport+ use a 110kW/180Nm 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine paired with a continuously variable transmission driving the front wheels.

The Sport+ can also be optioned with the 130kW/265Nm four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine from the higher-grade GT-Line. It is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and is exclusively all-wheel drive.

If the reports are spot on and the hybrid gets the green light for Australia, it could carry a premium over other Seltos variants when the update hits Australian shores in the second half of 2022.

The current Kia Seltos landed in 2019.

It would also face competition from other small SUVs that are available with a hybrid powertrain, including the Toyota C-HR and Subaru XV. Mitsubishi’s Eclipse Cross comes with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) option, and the Mazda CX-30 and MX-30 are offered with mild hybrid power.

Next year, the new-generation Qashqai will be available with Nissan’s e-Power hybrid option, and the next Honda HR-V will also be hybridised.

Kia is slowly building out its electrified offering, with the Niro available with hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric powertrains, while the Sorento PHEV has also recently launched. The Kia EV6 battery EV will also hit showrooms next year.

The facelifted Seltos is yet to be revealed, but the design is expected to be updated to carry Kia’s new ‘Opposites United’ design language as seen on the freshly launched Sportage, and seen in the render above.

It should also get an uptick in safety gear and the latest multimedia updates.

The Seltos has been a hot seller for Kia since its late 2019 launch. Like many makes and models, the Seltos has been impacted by global parts and supply chain issues which has delayed deliveries in Australia, particularly the higher model grades.

Seltos sales are down by 9.6 per cent to the end of November this year, but Kia has still recorded 8149 registrations, more than the C-HR (6074) and HR-V (5298) and just trailing the XV (8852).