2024 Kia Seltos: Everything We Know So Far – A greatly upgraded version of the Seltos was introduced by Kia at the Los Angeles Auto Show, continuing the company’s recent run of success in the automotive industry.
The 2024 Seltos has a dramatic front fascia with a bigger tiger nose grille that may be furnished with optional LED highlights in the shape of a “Star Map.” The vehicle’s overall appearance is much more sophisticated than that of its predecessor. A new front bumper has been added, and it has wider intakes that now house vertical fog lights. This is located further below.
The latest model’s fake exhaust treatment has been removed and replaced with a more durable bumper on the back end of the vehicle. Nevertheless, the new taillights, which include bands that extend toward the crossover’s center, are the improvement that stands out the most to the naked eye.
The designers didn’t stop there, as the 2024 Seltos has redesigned wheels and a new color palette that now includes Pluton Blue, Fusion Black, and Valais Green among its options.
Customers also have the option of purchasing a new X-Line model, which comes standard with a grille made of gunmetal, gloss black highlights, a roof rack designed in the manner of a bridge, and distinctive 18-inch alloy wheels.
2024 Kia Seltos First Look
The 2024 Kia Seltos has been updated, and this time around, the changes don’t stop with the usual modifications to the vehicle’s bodywork. The 1.6-liter turbo GDI I-4 engine receives a power increase under the hood, and the cabin receives an exciting optional panoramic display that merges the panels for the infotainment system and the instrument cluster into one huge, modern-looking unit.
However, it does return with Kia’s continuously variable automatic gearbox (CVT, which Kia calls to as the Intelligent Variable Transmission) on select models, and we have high hopes that it will be an improvement over the 2023 model year version of this transmission.
The Kia Seltos is an attractive entry-level crossover that expands upon some of the fantastic concepts that were introduced by its larger brothers.
These ideas include providing owners with a large number of amenities and enough space for cargo. The 2023 Seltos was let down by its excessive use of plastic in the interior, a jerky CVT, and a four-star rating from the NHTSA for its crash test performance.
Surprisingly, the Hyundai Kona, which is the Seltos’ sibling model, received a rating of five stars, while the Seltos only received four stars, which resulted in a significant enough drop in overall safety ratings to place it in fourth place in our list of the best subcompact SUVs (whereas the Kona is rated second, but outside of its safety rating garnered largely the same pros and cons).
The renovations to both the inside and outside of the Seltos undoubtedly give off an encouraging vibe. In addition to that, the X-Line treatment, which is brand new for the year 2024, is applied to it. The normal 2.0-liter engine will be back, along with the CVT that has been (hopefully) improved.
However, the Gamma 1.6-liter inline-four has been upgraded to produce 20 more horsepower, bringing the total to 195. It is paired with a brand-new automatic gearbox that has eight speeds and is compatible with the on-demand all-wheel drive that is offered on the Seltos.
In contrast to the optional panoramic display, which combines the digital instrument cluster that is 10.25 inches in size and the infotainment screen that is 10.25 inches in size to create a massive display that gives the impression of being a single unit, the standard dashboard only has a 4.2-inch digital gauge.
Along with the addition of a new dash trim line, this provides the inside of the Seltos a horizontal design motif that reflects the alterations made to the vehicle’s outside style. Other available interior amenities include ventilated front seats and a motorized liftgate, both of which are included in the SX when it is equipped with the Sunroof Package.
Other inside features include four USB ports, two of which are located up front and two of which are located in the back. The digital key and over-the-air functionality upgrades on the map and infotainment display are two examples of the optional Kia Connect features that owners may take advantage of with their Kia vehicles.
Kia was able to include some new lighting aspects as a result of the revamp of the body since these new lighting features connect the front LED projection lights together with the revised grille.
This grille also has an available LED lighting treatment that Kia refers to as the “Star Map,” which covers the majority of its span but stops short in the center in order to match the protruding feature of the upper and lower grille trim.
This treatment can be found across the majority of the grille’s span. Additional illumination for the liftgate’s backup system is housed in a light bar that has been added to the rear taillights. This bar extends over the whole length of the liftgate. The reflectors on the lower bumper are designed to be consistent with the new lighting scheme on the nose.
New “geometric forms” are now available on the wheels of the LS, S, EX, and SX trim levels, and Pluton Blue will be joining Fusion Black and Valais Green as available colors for the 2024 model year for Kia vehicles. Pluton Blue can be seen in these photographs from Kia.
The 2024 Seltos is also the most recent car to get an X-Line trim, which includes further aesthetic enhancements such as a grille with a gunmetal finish, exclusive wheels measuring 18 inches, a black roof rack, gloss black door garnishes, and “X-Line” badging on the doors.
Engine
The engine is a tried-and-true 2.0-liter four-cylinder that generates 147 horsepower (110 kW / 149 PS) and 132 pound-feet (180 Nm) of torque. It can be found under the hood. It is coupled to an Intelligent Variable Transmission, which has the capability of being combined with an all-wheel drive system as an additional upgrade.
The base engine has been maintained, but the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder has been improved to generate 195 horsepower (148 kW / 198 PS), which is an increase of 20 horsepower (15 kW / 20 PS) above its previous output.
In addition, turbocharged variants go from the standard seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to the brand-new eight-speed automatic transmission, which should ideally be more polished than its predecessor.
Several new and better driver aid technologies are available, which is a positive development in terms of safety. The Forward Accident Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection is one of the most important of these safety features since it may automatically apply the brakes if it detects that a collision is about to occur.
A Blind Spot Collision Warning system, an Intelligent Speed Limit Assist system, and an Intelligent Speed Limit Warning system are all among the new upgrades.
That’s only the tip of the iceberg since the Hyundai Seltos also has High Beam Assist, Lane Following Assist, and a Rear View Monitor as standard equipment. The more expensive trim levels come with additional safety features like as Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Highway Driving Assist, Safe Exit Warning, and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist.
Exterior Facelift
The exterior of the 2024 Seltos will see just minor revisions. A more substantial rendition of Kia’s recognizable “tiger nose” grille now dominates the front fascia, and it has an updated lighting signature.
Other improvements consist of a new front bumper, foglights that are now combined with the LED daytime running lights, and a new rear light bar that joins the LED taillights of the SUV. Pluton Blue, Fusion Black, and Valais Green are the names of the three new exterior paint colors that will be offered, along with new geometric wheel designs.