A small crossover sold in three versions for three markets, built from 2019 and replaced by a larger second generation in 2025.
Kia has built the Seltos since 2019 as a crossover that slots between the Stonic and the Sportage. Three versions were made for three markets, and a larger second generation was unveiled in December 2025 as a compact crossover SUV.
Kia has built the Seltos since 2019, and it arrived in three versions for three markets: the South Korean SP2, the Indian SP2i and the Chinese-built SP2c, which Kia sold as the KX3 in China. A larger second generation, the SP3, was unveiled in December 2025.
Where does the Seltos sit in Kia's range?
The Kia Seltos is a crossover SUV that Kia has built since 2019. It sits between the Stonic, Soul or Sonet and the larger Sportage, and Kia has said it is primarily aimed at millennials. The name comes from Celtos, a figure in Greek mythology.
The first generation was a global product sold as three related variations. The largest was the South Korean SP2, aimed at developed markets including North America and Australasia, and it sat above the Stonic in South Korea.
A crossover aimed at millennials that came in three versions, one for each of three different markets.
How did the Seltos reach showrooms?
The Seltos began as two concept cars. The SP Concept was shown at the New Delhi Auto Expo in February 2018, and the SP Signature appeared at the Seoul Motor Show in March 2019. Both closely resembled the production cars that followed.
The South Korean launch came on 18 July 2019, followed by India on 22 August 2019 and the Philippines on 6 November 2019. Indonesia took the car in January 2020, and the United States, Canada and Mexico received it in early 2020 as a 2021 model. Russia followed in June 2020.
Europe was left out. Kia Motors Europe COO Emilio Herrera said that larger models such as the Sportage and Sorento, along with the Stonic and XCeed in the small SUV segment, made a Seltos unnecessary there.
Sales were strong. In 2020 and 2021 the Seltos was Kia's second best-selling model worldwide, behind only the Sportage, and India was its largest single market.
What made the three first-generation Seltos different?
The first generation came in three forms. The South Korean SP2 was the full-size car, while the Indian SP2i and the Chinese SP2c were low-cost versions for emerging markets. Both cheaper versions were built on the Hyundai-Kia K2 platform and are closely related to the second-generation Hyundai Creta and ix25.
The SP2 rode on a platform shared with the Hyundai Kona and the Kia Soul. It was also assembled from knock-down kits in Russia and Uzbekistan, which helped it reach markets beyond South Korea.
The SP2i is 60 mm (2.4 in) shorter than the SP2 and has a wheelbase 20 mm (0.8 in) shorter. It can be identified by a clamshell hood whose line runs into the grille, where the SP2 hood ends behind the Kia logo. Its dashboard uses a simpler vent design and an integrated infotainment screen.
The KX3, known as the SP2c, has a wheelbase of 2,650 mm (104.3 in), longer than any other Seltos. It was shown at the Chengdu Motor Show in September 2019 under the local name KX3 Aopao, and debuted in China that December. In April 2023 the KX3 was renamed Seltos.
What engines did the South Korean SP2 use?
The South Korean SP2 came with a 1.6-litre Gamma turbo petrol engine producing 177 PS (130 kW; 175 hp) and a 1.6-litre U-Line diesel producing 136 PS (134 hp; 100 kW). Both were paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and all-wheel drive was available as an option.
The petrol engine developed 27 kg-m (265 N-m; 195 lbf-ft) of torque and a claimed 13 km/L (7.7 L/100 km; 31 mpg-US; 37 mpg-imp). The diesel produced 32.6 kg-m (320 N-m; 236 lbf-ft), with a claimed 18 km/L (5.6 L/100 km; 42 mpg-US; 51 mpg-imp).
Driver assistance was standard on every trim. Forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-following and lane-keeping assist, a driver-attention warning and high-beam assist all came as standard.
The updated model was unveiled in July 2022 with a redesigned front clip, a new tailgate assembly and a revised dashboard. A single display housed two 10.25-inch screens, one for the cluster and one for infotainment, and the gear lever became shift-by-wire.
How did the North American Seltos differ?
In North America the Seltos launched for the 2021 model year, positioned between the Soul and the Sportage. Its base engine was a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre with 149 PS (110 kW; 147 hp), and the 1.6-litre turbo offered 177 PS (130 kW; 175 hp). Trim levels were LX, S, S Turbo, EX and SX Turbo.
The 2.0-litre produced 18.3 kg-m (179 N-m; 132 lb-ft) of torque and used a CVT that Kia marketed as Intelligent Variable Transmission. The 1.6 turbo, with 27 kg-m (265 N-m; 195 lb-ft), came with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and was standard on the SX and optional on the S.
All-wheel drive was standard on most trims and optional on the S. Its mechanical parts were similar to those of the larger Telluride. The front bumper was redesigned to improve the approach angle.
For the 2022 model year the Seltos received a new Kia badge and a Nightfall Edition that replaced the Turbo S. Mexico did not get the SP2, and sold the Indian-built SP2i instead until August 2023, when it began sourcing the car from China.
What was the Seltos like in India?
In India the Seltos was the first product from Kia India after the brand entered the country. It was unveiled in New Delhi on 20 June 2019, and by its launch on 22 August 2019 Kia had received more than 50,000 bookings. It was offered in Tech Line and GT Line submodels.
Three engines were offered. A 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol made 115 PS (85 kW; 113 hp), a 1.4-litre Kappa turbo petrol made 140 PS (103 kW; 138 hp), and a 1.5-litre diesel from the U-Line family completed the range at the same output as the petrol. Gearboxes ranged from six-speed manuals and iMT units to a CVT, a seven-speed DCT and a torque-converter automatic.
The Seltos became the best-selling SUV in India in October 2019, with 12,854 units, and sales passed 80,000 by 1 April 2020. In August 2021 an X-Line appeared with cosmetic changes such as 18-inch alloy wheels and piano black trim highlights.
The refreshed Indian SP2i arrived in July 2023 with a dual 10.25-inch display set-up, an electronic parking brake, a panoramic sunroof and driver-assistance technology. The 1.4 Kappa was phased out in March 2023 because it did not meet Bharat Stage 6 Phase 2 norms, and a 1.5-litre turbo petrol replaced it.
Indian-built cars were also shipped to South Africa, North Africa and several Asian and Middle Eastern markets, mostly emerging economies. Vietnam began assembling the car from kits in July 2020.
How did the Seltos sell in Australia and other markets?
The Seltos launched in Australia in October 2019 in five grades: S, Sport, Sport+, Sport+ AWD and GT-Line. Lower grades used the Nu 2.0-litre petrol with a CVT, while the AWD models used the 1.6-litre Gamma T-GDi with a seven-speed DCT.
The facelifted Seltos reached Australia in November 2022 with a refreshed design and new dashboard. The 2.0 petrol was unchanged, but the 1.6 T-GDI moved to the Smartstream G1.6 and the seven-speed DCT gave way to an 8-speed automatic.
Kia Australia recalled 2,465 units in September 2020. The cars concerned were those sold between 25 October 2019 and 25 August 2020, and the Seltos was the 25th-highest selling vehicle in Australia that year. In 2023 it ranked fifth among SUVs in its class under 45,000 dollars.
Elsewhere the SP2 was sold in the Philippines until 2023 and in Russia until 2022. Russian assembly by Avtotor at Kaliningrad began in April 2020, and in Mexico the Seltos was the best-selling SUV in both 2020 and 2021.
How safe is the Seltos?
The South Korean SP2 earned five stars from ANCAP and four stars from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Global NCAP tested the Indian car in 2020 and gave it three stars out of five for adult occupants, based on a frontal offset crash at 64 km/h.
The Global NCAP test gave no points for child occupant dynamics, because Kia refused to nominate child seats. Indian-spec cars came with two frontal airbags, two side thorax airbags and antilock brakes, and the car received six airbags and electronic stability control as standard in 2022.
Curtain airbags, tyre pressure monitoring and blind spot detection were reserved for higher trims. Body-in-white repair manuals show that the SP2i uses different parts from the SP2, and the hot-formed reinforcements that help in the IIHS small overlap test are missing from the SP2i.
What were the main Seltos specifications?
| Specification | SP2 (South Korea) | SP2i (India) | SP2c / KX3 (China) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | 18 July 2019 | 22 August 2019 | Debut December 2019 |
| Petrol engine | 1.6-litre Gamma turbo, 177 PS (130 kW; 175 hp) | 1.4-litre Kappa turbo, 140 PS (103 kW; 138 hp), or 1.5-litre naturally aspirated, 115 PS (85 kW; 113 hp) | Not given |
| Diesel engine | 1.6-litre U-Line, 136 PS (134 hp; 100 kW) | 1.5-litre U-Line, 115 PS (85 kW; 113 hp) | Not given |
| Torque | 27 kg-m (265 N-m; 195 lbf-ft) petrol; 32.6 kg-m (320 N-m; 236 lbf-ft) diesel | Not given | Not given |
| Claimed economy, petrol | 13 km/L (7.7 L/100 km; 31 mpg-US; 37 mpg-imp) | Not given | Not given |
| Length and wheelbase | Reference model | 60 mm (2.4 in) shorter; wheelbase 20 mm (0.8 in) shorter | Wheelbase 2,650 mm (104.3 in) |
| Transmission | Seven-speed dual-clutch | Six-speed manual, iMT, CVT, DCT or torque-converter automatic | Not given |
| Safety rating | ANCAP five stars | Global NCAP three stars out of five | Not given |
What changed in the second generation?
The second-generation Seltos, codenamed SP3, was unveiled at the same time in Korea, India, Europe and America on 10 December 2025, seven years after the original model. It is larger than the first generation and is marketed as a compact crossover SUV.
Launches then followed market by market, beginning in India and spreading across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas through 2026.
- India, 2 January 2026, with HT, GT and X-Line variants.
- Brunei, 13 March 2026, with GL, GT Line and X-Line variants.
- Europe, revealed 14 April 2026, the first time the nameplate appeared in the region.
- Indonesia, 29 July 2026, at the 33rd Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show, with Trendy, Prestige+ ADAS and GT Line variants.
- South Africa, 4 August 2026, in LS, LX, GT-Line, X-Line and GT-Line S grades.
- Mexico, 10 September 2026, for the 2027 model year, in LX, EX, EX Pack, SX, SXL and X Line trims.
In India the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol came with a six-speed manual or an IVT, while turbocharged versions used a six-speed iMT or seven-speed DCT. The diesel paired with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic.
In North America the second generation was unveiled at the 2026 New York International Auto Show as a 2027 model. It is offered in LX, S, EX and X-Line grades with a 2.0-litre MPi four-cylinder or a 1.6-litre T-GDi four-cylinder. Front-wheel drive is standard except on the X-Line, which comes only with all-wheel drive.
A hybrid is due in North America in late 2026. It will use a 1.6-litre engine and a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, with an e-AWD system in which an electric motor drives one axle.
