- The camouflage is starting to come off the redesigned Kia Seltos.
- It features a boxier, but evolutionary design with streamlined styling.
- The model is expected to debut next year with a hybrid powertrain.
The Seltos plays an important role in Kia’s lineup and Americans snapped up nearly 60,000 units last year. However, it’s getting old as the current model was introduced in 2019.
Kia is now working on a redesigned crossover and it has been spied undergoing testing in Europe. While it’s still wearing plenty of disguise, the heavy cladding has come off and this reveals an assortment of new details.
More: 2027 Kia Seltos Gets Boxier With Tasman Grille And Hybrid Powertrain
One of the most noticeable changes is an upright front fascia that appears to echo newer models such as the Sportage, Sorento, and Carnival. It features a wide grille that is flanked by stacked LED headlights. Further below, the crossover has been equipped with a boxier bumper and an expansive intake that is broken up by a centrally-mounted sensor.
Continuing further back, we can see a stylized hood and expressive fenders. They’re joined by a relatively flat roof and a familiar greenhouse. The crossover also appears to have grown a bit, although it’s hard to be certain at this point.
While the rear end is heavily disguised, we can see the license plate recess has been moved from the liftgate to the bumper. We can also get a glimpse at taller LED taillights that appear to mimic those found on the EV5.
Baldauf
Kia has been tight-lipped about the model, but it’s expected to debut next year and be offered with a hybrid powertrain. It will presumably be the 1.6-liter turbo system that the Hyundai Motor Group announced in April. At the time, the company said the powertrain would improve fuel efficiency by more than 4%
The Hyundai Motor Group also announced an e-AWD system. It features a rear-mounted electric motor to provide all-weather traction as well as improved performance.
If those developments weren’t interesting enough, the Seltos is expected to be offered in Europe for the first time. It will also be available in a variety of other markets as crossovers are king.
