By Krishna Dua 
Kia Seltos 2026 Debuts With Bigger Body, ADAS & 30-Inch Display
Hyderabad’s Hitex Exhibition Centre thrummed with automotive fervor on December 10, 2025, as Kia India unveiled the second-generation Seltos 2026, a compact SUV that amplifies its urban prowess with a larger footprint, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), and a groundbreaking 30-inch panoramic display. The global premiere, attended by 2,000 media, influencers, and industry stalwarts, marked a bold evolution for the model that has sold 3.2 lakh units in India since 2019, capturing 16 percent of the mid-size SUV market. Priced from Rs 12.49 lakh to Rs 21.99 lakh (ex-showroom), the new Seltos blends a 95 mm longer wheelbase, Level 2 ADAS suite, and seamless tech integration, positioning it as a formidable rival to the Hyundai Creta and Maruti Grand Vitara. “The Seltos 2026 isn’t just bigger; it’s bolder—crafted for India’s dynamic drivers who demand space, safety, and smarts,” declared Hardeep Singh, Senior Executive Director of Kia India, as production prototypes gleamed under laser lights and a custom light show synced to pulsating beats. Bookings commence December 12, with deliveries from January 2026, backed by a Rs 1,800 crore localization push to sustain Kia’s 28 percent YoY growth.
The refreshed Seltos arrives in a segment exploding at 20 percent CAGR, valued at Rs 1.5 lakh crore per SIAM data. Stretching 4,455 mm in length (+90 mm over the facelift), 1,800 mm wide, and 1,665 mm tall, it rides a 2,775 mm wheelbase for cavernous cabin space, weighing 1,320 kg with 195 mm ground clearance. Exterior ethos echoes Kia’s EV6: a star-pattern LED headlamp bar framing the tiger-nose grille, sculpted flanks with flush handles, and connected taillights bookending a faux diffuser. Offered in nine shades—Ocean Blue Pearl, Matte Silver, and Gravity Grey—the Seltos exudes executive edge, shod in 18-inch aero alloys on HTX trims.
Design Daredevil: Bigger, Brawnier, Bolder
The 2026 Seltos’ styling, christened “Daring Urbanite” by Kia Global Design VP SangYup Lee, fuses muscularity with modernity, evolving the first-gen’s sporty silhouette into a more imposing icon. The front, inspired by the EV9’s angular aggression, sports a wider grille with chrome lattice and vertical air curtains channeling 20 percent better airflow. Slim quad-LED projectors deliver 2,200 lumens, flanked by C-shaped DRLs and a sculpted bumper with integrated fog lamps. Side profiles boast character lines rippling from wheel arches to haunches, concealing 19-inch blacked-out alloys on GTX+ variants. The rear, with its seamless light bar and quad exhaust tips, asserts authority, complemented by roof rails for 60 kg loads and a powered liftgate with hands-free kick.
Cabin couture elevates to executive enclave: a horizontal dashboard in soft-touch vegan leather with ambient lighting in 64 colors. The marquee is the 30.4-inch Trinity curved display—a bezel-less fusion of a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment, and a slim heads-up display (HUD) projecting navigation cues. Powered by Kia Connect 4.0 with wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, it supports OTA updates and Hindi voice commands. Rear denizens delight in 60:40 split-folding seats with ottomans, a 10.25-inch rear entertainment screen, and dual-zone AC vents. Luggage lair expands to 450 liters (+50 liters), swelling to 1,500 liters folded, with underfloor storage for tools.
Safety is stitched in: 8 airbags standard, 360-degree surround-view cameras, blind-spot intervention, and a high-strength steel chassis earning 5-star ASEAN NCAP (India tests pending). Ventilated seats and a panoramic sunroof combat climes, while the Bose 10-speaker system with Active Noise Cancellation hushes highway hum.
Tech Tempest: ADAS Arsenal and Digital Dominion
The Seltos 2026 is a tech titan, Kia’s Cockpit Domain 3.0 catapulting it from gadget gallery to genius nerve center. The 30.4-inch wraparound display multitasks masterfully: split-screen nav and media, AR lane guidance, and gesture swipes for climate. Kia Connect 4.0 integrates telematics for remote start, geo-fencing alerts, and UBI scoring for insurance perks. The Meridian premium audio, with 12 speakers and subwoofer, thumps with sound staging, while a 15W wireless charger and 5G hotspot cater to connectivity cravings.
ADAS dazzles at Level 2+: forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise maintaining 0-150 km/h gaps, lane-follow assist, and smart summon for parallel parking. Highway Driving Assist 2.0 enables hands-free motoring up to 130 km/h on mapped roads. The suite, standard on HTK+ trims, includes traffic jam assist and rear cross-traffic alert, bolstered by 12 ultrasonic sensors and 5 radars.
Power palette: the 1.5L Kappa petrol (115 PS, 144 Nm) pairs with 6-speed iMT/CVT for 20 kmpl; the 1.5L CRDi diesel (116 PS, 250 Nm) mates 6MT/TC for 22 kmpl; the 1.5L turbo GDi petrol (160 PS, 253 Nm) links 7DCT for 18 kmpl. AWD debuts on HTX, with Snow/Sand/Mud modes. Strong hybrid (1.6L + electric, 141 PS) arrives Q2 2026, promising 26 kmpl.
Rivals Reckoning: Seltos’ Segment Supremacy
The Seltos storms a savage scrum: Hyundai Creta’s 4.5 lakh YTD sales dwarf Seltos’ 3 lakh, but Kia’s 30-inch tech trumps Creta’s 10.25-inch duo. Maruti Grand Vitara’s hybrid (Rs 13.49 lakh) meets Seltos’ AWD (Rs 16.99 lakh), while Tata Nexon’s sub-compact (Rs 8.99 lakh) yields premium ground. Mahindra XUV3XO’s 5-star Bharat NCAP rivals Seltos’ arsenal, but Kia’s 7-year/1.5 lakh km warranty wins loyalty. VW Virtus’ turbo (150 PS) matches, but Seltos’ ecosystem—Kia Live app for bookings—outpaces.
Pricing pyramid: HTE (Rs 12.49 lakh) basics, HTK (Rs 13.99 lakh) alloys, HTX (Rs 16.49 lakh) infotainment, GTX (Rs 19.49 lakh) ADAS, X-Line (Rs 21.99 lakh) AWD hybrid. Variants: 12 petrol, 10 diesel, 8 hybrid. Shades: 9 monotone, 6 dual-tone.
Buzz and Beyond: Premiere Pulses and Powertrain Prospects
The unveil wowed: 2,500 attendees ovated the Seltos’ stage strut, influencers like @autocarindia’s 1.5 million-view walkaround trending. Media maelstrom: CarWale’s “SUV Symphony” 4.5/5 preview praises “progressive poise,” Team-BHP notes “tech tempest.” Bookings blitz: 60,000 in 24 hours, per Kia, targeting 3.5 lakh units FY26.
Powertrain palette: petrol’s pep (0-100 in 9.8s), diesel’s torque (250 Nm), hybrid’s hush (EV 55 km). Ride-refine: independent rear suspension on GTX, tuned for Indian undulations.
Safety spotlight: 7 airbags base, ESC, VSM, TPMS. ASEAN NCAP 5-star assured.
Verdict: Seltos’ Surge to Sovereign Status
The 2026 Seltos isn’t evolution; it’s eruption—bigger, brainier, Bharat-bound. Kia’s compact colossus claims the crown with design daring and tech triumph, a Rs 12 lakh portal to premium. In SUV’s savage skirmish, Seltos soars supreme.