2023 Kia Seltos Facelift Review: Enough To Take Down Hyundai Creta & Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara?

To stir the mid-size SUV segment, the Kia Seltos has received a mid-cycle update and of course, it has big shoes to fill. After all, it was the first-ever Kia vehicle to go on sale in the Indian market almost 4 years back. The SUV established the South Korean brand in India by receiving a warm response from the audience. Now in 2023, the Kia Seltos is revamped with a host of updates and changes, which are claimed to put this forward as a more capable version of an already happening SUV. But, is it really the case? Well, we drove it to find out.

2023 Kia Seltos Facelift Review - Design

Kia Seltos facelift gets slightly more than a simple nip and tuck job. The Tiger Nose grille is now larger, with LED DRLs extending into it. The headlamps are altered to feature dynamic-swipe turn indicators. The bumper is an all-new unit with chunkier fog lamp housings. These changes add some freshness to the design. Yes, the facelifted Seltos is easily distinguishable from the model it replaces, when looked into the face.

The Seltos now rides on new alloy wheels, and the top-spec GTX and X-Line trims get larger 18-inch units. Around the sides, it’s the only noticeable change. However, the Seltos has now grown up in size by a few millimetres in all axes. The new Pewter Green paint option is a new addition to the palette.

Following the trend of modernity around the rear, like the front-end, connected LED tail lamps make their way to the Seltos. No doubt, the new setup makes the Seltos look wider than it actually is. Kia has resculpted the bumper with a similar theme as the front, which it calls a dumbbell-inspired design. While it makes the Seltos have the much-needed newness, the dual exhaust pipes on the GTX trim are real, and a thing to fancy.

2023 Kia Seltos Facelift Review - Cabin

When launched initially in the year 2019, the Seltos showed to the Indian masses - a new-age, feature-rich, premium-built cabin. In the updated iteration, things have headed northwards. The dual 10.25-inch screens are the highlight of the cabin now. It is indeed rather interesting to note how the infotainment screen is tilted towards the driver. Also, the glass pane is anti-reflective, and the whole panel is neatly fitted on the dashboard. The layout of the dashboard remains largely the same with the new dual-zone climate console. Alongside, the Seltos now features a colossal-sized panoramic sunroof. Thus, scoring full marks for the feature list.

The much-loved Bose sound system is now available with a total of 8 speakers, retaining the premium cabin experience. The touch and feel, along with the fit and finish of the cabin feel superior to the competition. Besides, the seats are comfortable for long hauls; we clocked over 200 kilometres in just 4 hours. Spaciousness and practicality is another solid trait of the cabin.

The Seltos also gets Level-2 ADAS tech with a total of 17 features. While most of these work phenomenally well, Indian driving conditions certainly make the forward collision avoidance assist unusable. The praiseworthy move from Kia remains the standard safety kit, including six airbags, all-4 disc brakes, ESC, TPMS, and hill-start assist.

2023 Kia Seltos Facelift Review - Performance

There are a total of 3 engine options available in the updated regime. The 115 PS 1.5L NA petrol and 1.5L turbo-diesel are picked-up from the pre-facelift model. They do their duties in the expected way. The NA petrol is NVH-free, while the oil burner is frugal with a tank range of over 800 kilometres. As for the gearbox options, the NA petrol is still available with the 6-speed MT and IVT, the oil burner now skips out on the 6-speed MT for an iMT. The 6-speed AT is retained. The iMT too works rather flawlessly but turns up as a better pick over the regular stick shift.

Coming down to the meat of the matter - 1.5L turbo-petrol motor. It is the most powerful engine in the segment with a peak power output of 160 PS and 253 Nm. The motor is potent at keeping the drives smile-friendly with its strong mid-range surge and top-end delivery. However, when tickled hard, it starts possessing a drinking problem. The motor is available with either a 6-speed iMT or a 7-speed DCT. Our test car had the latter, and it worked without any major issues on our 200 km drive.

With larger 18-inch wheels, the side walls are now smaller. However, the Seltos manages to ride rather comfortably and keeps the undulations away from the cabin. The ride and handling experience is posh and on the sportier ride, as was the case earlier. The introduction of L2 ADAS has made driving safer and easier though. The adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping aids, and rear cross-traffic alerts do come in handy in making the drive pleasurable.

2023 Kia Seltos Facelift Review - Verdict

Not every purchase can be a no-nonsense decision. The 2023 Kia Seltos facelift, well, it manages to. With updated styling cues, it looks refreshing. The revised and feature-loaded cabin is pompous. With multiple engine-gearbox combinations and variants, Kia is ensuring that there is a Seltos for everyone’s requirements. At Rs 10.89 lakh, the pricing is competitive too. On the whole, the Seltos does make for a strong consideration when planning to buy a mid-size SUV in India.