Next-gen rival to the 2025 Hyundai Kona, Toyota Corolla Cross and Nissan Qashqai hybrid takes shape: 2026 Kia Seltos hybrid small SUV shown in new digital renders

Another popular compact SUV is about to join the hybrid party.

It is believed the next-gen Kia Seltos - due sometime in the next 12 months - will use petrol-electric power.

Korean YouTube channel KKSStudio has given us a glimpse via its latest digital rendering of what the new Seltos might look like.

This view of the next-gen Seltos shows an extreme makeover for the front end with a fresh headlight design not seen on any Kia to date. The grille borrows elements from the bigger Sorento and a short bonnet gives it stubby kei car vibes.

We previously commissioned digital artist Thanos Pappas to create his vision of the new Seltos based on Kia's current range with the model borrowing elements from the new EV3 electric SUV and K4 small car.

We'll have to wait a little longer to get a glimpse of what it really looks like, though.

What potential customers can expect is the new small SUV to share much of its underpinnings with the Hyundai Kona, including its hybrid-set-up.

That means a tried-and-tested 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine paired with an electric motor. This combo makes 104kW and 265Nm in the Kona Hybrid and delivers outstanding fuel use of just 3.9L/100km. Expect any Seltos Hybrid to come with similar numbers.

Kia has committed to bringing in a broader range of hybrids across several model lines in Australia.

 Last year Kia Australia’s Chief Operating Officer, Dennis Piccoli, told CarsGuide it was planning on strengthening its hybrid line-up in Australia through 2025 to help it offset any penalties under the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).

“What you’ll see through '25 is more variants of hybrid and plug-in hybrid, we’ll reach down deeper into the variant list of Sorento, Sportage and Carnival,” said Piccoli at the time.

It is believed the new Seltos will use a hybrid all-wheel drive system to better compete with the Nissan Qashqai e-Power and Toyota Corolla Cross. All-paw grip is also reported to be essential to the car’s success in Europe, where Kia is making a concerted push with its range of electric cars.

The new Seltos is believed to be sticking with the same petrol options as the current version, with the 2.0-litre four-cylinder and the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol motors to remain unchanged.

The Seltos isn’t expected to come with a fully electric option like the Kona does as the EV3 occupies that space for Kia.

It is also expected the arrival of the Seltos Hybrid could spell the end for the Niro small SUV, which comes in hybrid and fully electric layouts.

The majority of new-generation models are accompanied by a price rise, so factor in a jump of up to $2000 for the Seltos petrol. Hybrid models will likely be about $4000 more than the petrol examples.