New powertrain for upper 2023 Kia Seltos grades
Kia spills the beans about its upgraded small SUV, but pricing remains TBCKia Australia has released more details of the facelifted 2023 Kia Seltos small SUV range it will release in the fourth quarter of this year and the big news is a new engine and transmission combination for premium Sport+ and GT-Line grades.
Previously powered by the older ‘Gamma’ 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine, the upgraded high-end Seltos variants have inherited the more modern ‘SmartStream’ donk as seen in the bigger Kia Sportage and Hyundai Kona N-Line.
Expected to develop virtually identical power and torque figures to the old engine (130kW/265Nm), the big difference lays in the transmission the new powerplant is paired with; namely Kia’s new eight-speed torque converter automatic.
Kia says the new engine and transmission combination provides “a smoother overall driving experience” than the outgoing model’s Gamma-7DCT set-up, although drive is still distributed to all four wheels via an on-demand all-wheel-drive system.
The lower grades (S and Sport) will continue to be offered exclusively with the familiar 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine (110kW/180Nm), however, this particular engine is the default choice across all four grades with the force-fed 1.6 being optional.
As before, transmission duties are handled by a CVT.
Changes have been made inside the 2023 Kia Seltos, where all Australian variants will score ‘digital displays’ rather than analogue dials, plus rear air-vents, USB-C charge points, a full-size spare wheel and Kia Connect – making it the second compatible model behind the new Kia Niro.
On the entry-level S, the driver’s display spans just 4.2 inches but the Sport, Sport+ and GT-Line all up the ante with dual 10.25-inch screens as seen on the Sportage and Kia EV6.
The GT-Line proves the biggest benefactor of the mid-lifecycle update given it also scores power adjustment for the driver’s seat with a two-position memory function, plus a ‘smart’ powered tailgate.
In terms of safety, all new Seltos variants will be fitted with autonomous emergency braking, intelligent speed limit assist, lane following assist, rear-cross traffic collision avoidance assist and blind-spot collision-avoidance assist as standard, with more features being added as you climb the range.
Kia Australia chief operating officer Damien Meredith said the consumer response to the pre-facelift Seltos has been extraordinary over the past three years, so the Korean brand was pleased to be launching an updated version
“With the inclusion of extra safety and convenience technology across the board, we’re positive new Seltos will continue to win buyers over with its unmatched combination of style and practicality,” he said.
In addition to the cosmetic tweaks outlined by carsales previously, the MY23 Seltos’ styling has been enhanced through the addition of a new ‘Pluton Blue’ premium paint colour available in both solid guise (all variants) and in conjunction with a black roof (GT-Line).
Full pricing and specification details of the 2023 Kia Seltos will be revealed closer to the model’s launch.
Related: 2023 Kia Seltos breaks cover in Korea
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Related: Kia Seltos GT-Line 2022 Review
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