Kia has unveiled its all-new Seltos, complete with all the marketing palaver they could shovel into it. This second-generation model doesn’t just take cues from the EV3, EV5 and EV9 — it practically photocopied them and it is getting hard to tell one from another. The outgoing Seltos had begun looking very tired and emotional next to the EV range (bless), and Kia clearly decided enough was enough. So here we are: a new generation that sharpens everything with Kia’s freshly boxy styling, a polarising face that is a love or hate affair, and lighting that at long last remembers which family it belongs to.

Kia Australia says we’ll get it in Q4 2026, with local suspension tuning set for early next year — which is good, because nothing ruins a small SUV faster than sloppy damping on our goat-track roads. Details on pricing and variants come later, but the Seltos’s whole shtick this time is refinement and cohesion. It’s the same nameplate, but it won’t feel like the same car. Kia will need to keep an eye on Chinese opposition that are currently giving the auto landscape a spanking – it will have to be worthwhile.

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ABOVE: All New Kia Seltos

The exterior redesign includes flush door handles cleaning up the profile, the “star-map” lighting across the nose, and the rear lighting connects the whole tail. X-Line models get the outdoorsy armoured-jacket treatment, while GT-Line goes “sleeker” and more urban-focused. New colours include Iceberg Green, Gravity Gray and a matte Magma Red that looks like it was mixed by a particularly dramatic Italian paint chemist.

It is beginning to look like a single design in any size you like, if you ignore the EV6.

Inside, Seltos takes further cues from the EV series including Kia’s new twin-screen layout and a cabin that is spacious, logical, calm. The low dash opens up the cabin, and the column-type shift selector finally frees the console of clutter. Kia has improved plastics for better quality rather than “cost-engineered” design, and Kia’s moody 64-colour ambient lighting carries on from other models. Rear seats recline a full 24 degrees, ideal for passengers who want to nap, pout, or stare out the window dramatically with blankies on knees.

There’s real meat in the tech story too. Kia’s new generative-AI assistant is baked in, OTA updates are standard, and the Digital Key finally feels mature enough to trust. We’ll be watching here for signs of expensive add-on subscription features ala BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Premium audio from Harman Kardon or Bose is available, depending on spec, and the panoramic sunroof opens up the cabin visually. The boot space — 536 litres — is class-leading and genuinely useful, with a two-level cargo floor and accessory add-ons for weekends, sports gear, wine-country escapes, or whatever else you pretend you bought an SUV for.

Underneath, the new K3 platform aims to fix the original Seltos’s biggest flaws. Expect better road isolation, tighter steering, and real composure when the road stops being perfectly flat. Engines include two versions of the 1.6-litre turbo petrol and a smoother 2.0-litre for everyday duty. AWD is paired with a multi-link rear end and terrain modes for Snow, Mud and Sand — handy whether you’re in Kosciuszko or just running tyres through the carpark at Bondi. The drivelines will need to sparkle if they’re to stand out as the segments Kia once owned are now firmly under attack.

A hybrid arrives in 2026 with V2L capability and Kia’s next-gen Smart Regenerative Braking. That should finally give eco-shoppers a Seltos worth considering instead of treating the car as the “cute petrol one you settle for”. This is another clear sign that Kia has been watching the market, especially Toyota, that has been running away with hybrid sales.

CVT autos have been banished but performance is still befitting country stroll more than brisk jog.

Safety tech is full-house: HDA2, LFA2, SVM, SEW, PCA-R and more acronyms than an online dating profile. The head-up display stretches a generous 12 inches and the 12.3-inch dual screens tie everything together.

Global production kicks off now, with launches staged through 2026. The Seltos has always been important to Kia’s global growth, but this time it feels less like a supporting act and more like a proper lead character. Kia has abandoned the entry-level buyer, chasing a market that has even more choice where buyers are looking for even more value. No doubt the bosses hope it pays off because the price reduction in premium brands like Tesla and the rapid expansion of the Chinese models is pressuring legacy mastheads like never before.

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