Kia Seltos Pricing and Specs

I would reject the assertion that all modern engines ping because they run lean. Pinging (or detonation or pre-ignition, call it what you will) is a symptom of a problem (usually with the ignition timing or fuel mixture) and it’s not something you should expect to hear. Over time, continued pinging will damage the engine’s internal components and then you’re faced with a huge bill instead.

The knock sensor should detect the first signs of pinging (even before you’ve heard it) and adjust the engine’s ignition curve (generally) to stop it happening. So, either the knock sensor’s not working or the computer that is supposed to control the engine’s settings isn’t operating correctly. The fact that a tankful of 98RON fuel stops the problem suggests that the engine settings are off.

Kia recommends normal 91 RON ULP for the Seltos and says that E10 fuel is also compatible with the vehicle. So there should be no need to buy the more costly 98 RON stuff just to prevent the engine pinging. Your vehicle is still well and truly under warranty, so make it Kia’s problem to fix it. And don’t be fobbed off by `they all do that, Sir’.

The Seltos was only launched in Australia in 2019 (and has already had a couple of specification tweaks) so I wouldn’t be expecting an all-new model to be just around the corner.

There are strong rumours from around the world, however, that the next Seltos will gain a hybrid driveline option as part of its mid-life update probably next year. If it does, the question then become one of when we will see it. And car-makers being traditionally coy about future product plans, who knows, other than to say Kia doesn’t usually mess around getting new tech to market.

For an idea of what it might be like, we reckon a look at the Kia Niro hybrid (which went on sale here mid-last year) might just give you a pretty good insight into what a Seltos hybrid might consist of. Certainly, that’s what reports out of South Korea are speculating on.

Kia in the US has copped plenty of flak over the two-litre petrol engine fitted to some Seltos and Soul models. In fact, there’s been a major service campaign undertaken to identify cars with the problem and attend to them. The problem seems to be within a batch of piston rings which were incorrectly heat-treated during manufacture and can lead to excessive oil consumption. In extreme cases, this can lead an engine to run completely out of oil and seize.

But just because that has happened in the US, doesn’t mean the problem is the same in Australia where different batches of engines might be built in different factories. In fact, Kia Australia tells me that there is no recall or service bulletin issued for this problem in Australia.

In any case, if you bought a brand-new Kia and it had this – or any other – problem caused by faulty materials or workmanship, then you’d be covered by the factory new-car warranty anyway.