What's the difference?
We live in a strange time, where cars are going the way of the dinosaur and SUVs will take their place as the primary offerings of the worlds oldest and biggest car companies.
Look at Ford, the brand that literally wrote the book on automotive mass-production will soon no longer sell cars in its home market of America (apart from the Mustang, of course…) There’s a story your grandpa won’t believe.
It makes SUVs, especially small ones like the EcoSport all the more important. Customers who once would have considered the Fiesta small hatch (on which the EcoSport is based) would now rather hop into one of these. At least, that’s what the data says.
So, is the EcoSport a worthy successor to the hatchback mantle? Is it even economical or sporty? And what happened to the spare wheel on the rear door? Read on 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.
So, should you buy a base-model Ford EcoSport Ambiente?Â
For the money it’s a great little daily commuter with an odd mix of dated trim and a great multimedia, but it’s definitely worth making room in your budget to investigate the Trend or Titanium grades.
Plus, it’s worth keeping in mind that many competitors now offer more comprehensive safety or more powerful drivetrains for not much more money.
Kia’s updated Seltos is more expensive than the previous version but it's better as well.
The entry grade no longer has hubcaps and gets alloy wheels, all grades have directional air vents in the second row, the jerky dual-clutch auto is gone and an excellent regular eight-speed auto has arrived, plus there’s more safety tech and modern displays screens.
What hasn’t changed is the Seltos’s size. It’s a big, small SUV, that’s easy to park in tight spaces but roomy inside even for tall, awkward humans like me.Â
The sweet spot in the range is the Sport+ with the 1.6-litre engine, if only it had the LED headlights that only come on the GT-Line.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.