2024 Kia Seltos GT-Line 1.6T AWD review

What is the Kia Seltos like on the inside?

The pre-update Seltos already had one of the better small SUV cabins, and the facelifted model has taken another step forward.

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The dual widescreen displays are integrated into a slick single panel, and the redesigned centre console is cleaner and easier to use than before. There’s a hint of Mercedes-Benz to the design, down to the configurable ambient lighting.

It’ll even pulse in time with the sound system if you enjoy being distracted by your car’s dashboard at night.

Behind the flashy bits, the fundamentals are good here. Front passengers sit in generously padded seats set high, for a commanding view of the road, and most of what you grab feels high quality. The wheel is trimmed in leather, as is the gear knob, and most of the places you rest your elbows are nice and soft.

Kia deserves credit for sticking with buttons for the climate controls. It’s easy to punch on your heated or cooled seat without taking your eyes off the road, because there’s a big button next to the gear lever, rather than a tiny icon on a distant display.

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Kia’s new infotainment system is a mixed bag. On the plus side, it looks polished and responds quickly to inputs. The graphics are all handsome, and it’s full-featured.

But the lack of wireless smartphone mirroring has been hard to understand for a while now, and it’s hard to excuse as we swing into 2024. Yes, you get factory navigation (capable of showing live traffic data), but it’s no match for Google Maps – and there’s no substitute for being able to respond to text messages using your phone’s native voice control.

The digital instrument cluster offers most of the information you need, but it’s not a patch on what’s on offer in the latest Volkswagen Group products. Likewise the head-up display, which is projected on a piece of glass instead of the windscreen like in new Mazda cars.

The amount of storage on offer is good. There’s a shelf under the centre stack large enough for an oversized phone or wallet, along with adequately-sized cupholders between the front seats, and a fairly deep console bin. The door bins are on the shallower side.

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One USB-A and one USB-C port feature up front, along with a 12V plug. A wireless phone charger features under the dash; although, you can’t actually use it if you want to use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

This is a bigger take on the small SUV formula, with lots of legroom and headroom for passengers in the rear seats.

The wide-opening rear doors and tall windows make this one of the better small SUVs out there for families with tight parking spaces, and mean you’ll more easily be able to load children or bulky child seats than in some rivals.

You get two ISOFIX points and a trio of top tethers back there. USB-C ports and air vents feature too, which will keep kids happy on long, summer road trips.

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When we first drove the Seltos it was a bit of an outlier, but the competition has caught up. The new Hyundai Kona is bigger than before, as is the new Nissan Qashqai. In that context the Seltos is still good, but it’s not quite the standout it once was.

Claimed boot space is 433 litres, and there’s a full-sized spare wheel under the floor. Folding the rear bench (60/40) expands that to 1393 litres.

What’s under the bonnet?

The 1.6-litre engine in the Seltos GT-Line is the range-topping option, and the only engine paired with all-wheel drive. The range is also offered with the naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engine discussed earlier, which is hooked up to a CVT and front-wheel drive.

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To see how the Seltos compares with its rivals, line it up side-by-side with any car you want using our comparison tool.

How does the Kia Seltos drive?

More power is usually a good thing, but it doesn’t necessarily make for a better Seltos.

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The good news is, the switch from a dual-clutch transmission to a conventional automatic makes the GT-Line feel more natural. Rather than stuttering off the line, and awkwardly getting caught between first and second gears, the turbocharged Seltos feels more at home in the city than before.

The light steering, solid visibility and high-resolution reversing camera make parking in tight spaces simple enough, and the Seltos is a great size if you want a reasonably large interior but spend a lot of time on small city streets.

Compared to cheaper models on smaller wheels, the GT-Line feels firmer around the city. It still does a decent job keeping smaller lumps and bumps at bay, but you’re more aware of speed bumps and sharp potholes here because of the skinnier rubber and bigger wheels.

If you’re the sort of driver who treats every traffic light like the start of a drag race, the turbo engine packs more of a punch than the base 2.0-litre engine. The all-wheel drive system means you can put your foot down hard off the mark, and in the wet there’s no wheel spin.

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With that said, the gap between it and the base engine is far smaller than you might expect. The more powerful turbo isn’t an engine that loves being pushed hard, with a strained sound and less shove than you’d expect.

The extra grunt does pay off on the highway, though. It makes overtakes with people and luggage on board easier, with less noise and fuss than you get in the 2.0-litre.

Beyond the engine, the Seltos is one of the best if you’re covering long distances. Road and wind noise are kept at bay, and the engine hums away below 2000rpm at the legal limit in Australia.

The GT-Line has a full suite of active driver assists designed to lighten the load on long road trips. The adaptive cruise control system smartly maintains a gap to the vehicle in front, and the lane-keeping assist smartly nudges you back between the white lines when you stray.

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Lane-centring is too hands on; however, maintaining an iron grip on the car’s position in a way that feels less like it’s helpful, and more like it’s trying to rip the wheel out of your hands.

While we’re talking about annoying safety equipment, the speed limit warning in the latest Kia and Hyundai products is diabolically bad. Drift over the speed limit and it will beep at you. Drift back below, and then over it again – even by a small margin – and it beeps again.

Drive through a school zone outside of school hours and, even though the 40km/h limit isn’t active, it’ll beep at you for exceeding the school zone limit.

It activates every single time you start the car, and takes multiple button presses to turn off. I’d be looking to the aftermarket to have it coded out, because owners have confirmed it doesn’t get any less annoying the longer you spend with the car.

What do you get?

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Seltos S highlights:

• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Spare-saver spare wheel
• Automatic halogen headlights
• Automatic high-beam
• Halogen daytime running lights
• Rear fog light
• Matte Black grille mesh
• Body-coloured door handles
• Body-coloured, power-folding side mirrors
• Roof rails
• Rear spoiler
• Shark fin antenna
• 4.2-inch instrument cluster screen
• 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 6-speaker sound system
• 12V power outlet in front console
• USB-A and USB-C outlet in front console
• Two USB-C outlets behind centre console
• Manual air-conditioning
• Second-row air vents
• Manual handbrake
• Folding key
• Cloth upholstery
• 6-way manually adjustable driver’s seat

Seltos Sport adds:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Full-size spare wheel
• Windscreen and front door Solar Glass
• Halogen (projector-style) front fog lights
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• DAB+ digital radio
• Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Satellite navigation
• Sounds of Nature
• Kia Connect (7yr subscription)
• Climate control
• Driver window one-touch up and down
• Premium steering wheel
• Premium gear shifter

Seltos Sport+ adds:

• Heated side mirrors
• Privacy glass
• AEB cyclist avoidance and junction turning assist
• Adaptive cruise control
• Keyless entry and push-button start
• Electric park brake with auto-hold
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• LED interior lights
• Illuminated vanity mirrors
• Front centre console armrest sliding function
• Rear centre armrest
• Cloth and artificial leather upholstery

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The flagship Seltos GT-Line adds:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights
• LED daytime running lights
• LED fog lights
• LED positioning lights
• LED rear combination tail lights
• Premium Gloss Black grille mesh
• Satin silver belt line
• Tilt and slide sunroof (N/A with two-tone paint)
• Power tailgate
• Rain-sensing window wipers
• Head-up display
• Wireless phone charger
• 8-speaker Bose premium sound system
• Heated, flat-bottom steering wheel
• Interior ambient lighting
• Parcel shelf
• Premium artificial leather upholstery
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• 10-way power driver’s seat
  • 2-way power lumbar support
  • 2-position memory
• 8-way power front passenger seat