Revamped SUV favourite incoming

We just got a closer look at a revamped compact SUV. 

Kia has released an official teaser video for its new-generation Seltos. 

Read More About Kia Seltos

• Kia's impending SUV boom
• Popular new small hybrid SUV imagined
• Major carmaker's hybrid surge

In the absence of full body shots of the car, the video focuses on specific elements of the exterior design. 

The car in the photos is an all-wheel drive version of the Seltos, bearing the ‘4X’ badging on the back. 

It gets a boxy overall design, and it is similar to what is found on the brand’s all-electric EV3 small SUV, and in keeping with the just-unveiled Telluride three-row SUV. 

It features a curious light design, with a light strip that runs along the length of the boot. 

Other elements include a rear spoiler, alluding to a sleek design, and hidden door handles.

It is anticipated the new-generation Seltos will get a hybrid power set-up for the first time ever. 

This hybrid is likely to have the same 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor found in its sister car, the Hyundai Kona, producing a combined 104kW and 265Nm. 

It has not been confirmed where the new Australian Seltos will be built, with Kia capable of producing the car in either India or South Korea.

It is likely that the Aussie version will continue to be built in South Korea to share the K3 platform also found on the Kona. 

The Seltos is currently available in Australia exclusively with a petrol engine. A hybrid set-up would bring it into line with much of Kia’s range, which has undergone a sustained hybrid shift. 

The brand recently unveiled a more comprehensive range of HEVs and PHEVs for its larger Sorento, with a now 20-strong variant lineup for the SUV. 

The Seltos is still battling to recapture its status as a strong seller in the Aussie market’s busy small SUV category. 

It sits behind many of its rivals, selling less than 9000 units so far in 2025. It trails its sister car the Kona, with MG’s ZS and the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro among other better sellers. 

Its rumoured starting price in its native South Korean market is roughly 20 million won, which is around $21,000, but it will endure a bit of a tax-related price hike when it hits Australia. 

The new-generation Seltos will be officially unveiled tomorrow, with an Australian launch date in the second half of 2026.