September 2022 - Kia Seltos Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

Updated: This Kia Seltos petrol variants explained article includes the latest September 2022 prices of the Seltos along with our buying recommendation for all Seltos petrol variants.

Also Read: Hyundai Creta Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Kia Seltos Petrol?

The pros or advantages of Kia Seltos petrol are:

• Reasonably priced base variant gets a good number of must-have features
• Higher variants get a long list of features like power driver seat, ventilated front seats, Bose sound system, blind spot monitor, 360-degree camera, head-up display, 6 airbags and ventilated front seats
• Good balance in terms of performance, fuel efficiency and dimensions
• The auto-clutch manual transmission (ACMT) is an affordable, mechanically simple and a suitable choice for those who mainly want relief from modulating the clutch pedal in stop-and-go traffic but don’t mind changing gears
• HTK Plus ACMT offers phenomenal value for money and a good mix of features
• The automatic transmission carries a reasonable premium over the manual variants
• Most number of engine-transmission options in any made-in-India car; including diesel options, the Seltos has 8 engine-transmission combinations to choose from

The Kia Seltos petrol has the following shortcomings or problems:

• No variant is available under Rs. 10.0 lakh anymore making it fairly expensive in states where cars with a price tag higher than Rs. 10.0 carry a significantly higher on-road price
• HTK and HTK Plus manual variants offer poor value for money
• Dual-clutch automatic transmissions are yet to prove their long-term reliability

What Is The Price Of Kia Seltos Petrol Variants?

The Kia Seltos SUV is available with 2 petrol engines - a 1.5L petrol and a 1.4L (1.35L) turbo petrol engine. The normal petrol engine is available with 3 transmission options:

• 6-speed manual
• 6-speed auto-clutch
• CVT automatic

The 1.5L normal petrol engine with the manual transmission is available in 4 variants with prices between Rs. 10.49 lakh and Rs. 14.45 lakh. The auto clutch transmission is available in the HTK Plus variant and costs Rs. 13.05 lakh. The CVT automatic is available in the HTX variant and costs Rs. 15.45 lakh, which is Rs. 1.0 lakh more than the HTX manual.

The 1.4L turbo petrol engine is available in 3 variants with the option of manual transmission in the lower 2 while the DCT automatic is available in the higher 2 variants. The Seltos turbo manual variants cost Rs. 16.05 lakh and Rs. 16.99 lakh. The automatic variants cost Rs. 17.99 lakh and Rs. 18.29 lakh.

The Seltos doesn’t have any variant, which is available with the normal petrol as well as the turbo petrol engine. So, it’s impossible to accurately say what additional amount you’re paying for the turbo petrol’s performance.

Kia Seltos Petrol HTE - Base Model Price & Features

The base HTE variant of the Seltos petrol-manual costs Rs. 10.49 lakh (ex-showroom). It offers the following notable features:

• 6 airbags
• Music system
• Steering-mounted controls
• 16-inch steel wheels with wheel covers
• Manual AC with rear AC vents
• All power windows
• Rear disc brakes
• Sunglass holder
• Remote central locking
• Tilt steering
• Height-adjustable driver seat
• Remote central locking
• Halogen projector headlamps
• Tyre pressure sensors
• Front armrest

The base variant gets most of the must-have features and only misses out on some good-to-have features such as:

• Touchscreen
• Rear camera
• Rear armrest
• Power mirrors (must-have)
• Rear parcel tray (must-have)

For budget buyers, the HTE variant is a good choice. Moreover, the higher HTK variant doesn’t justify the incremental cost over the HTE and offers poor value for money.

Kia Seltos Petrol HTE vs HTK Variant - Price & Features Comparison

The HTK variant costs Rs. 11.55 lakh and is Rs. 1.06 lakh pricier than the HTE variant. It adds the following notable features:

• Boot light
• Mud flaps
• Power mirrors
• Rear camera
• Projector fog lamps
• Touchscreen infotainment with wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay

Since the Seltos HTK variant doesn’t even come close to justifying the incremental cost over the HTE variant, we won’t suggest upgrading to this variant. You should consider a higher variant if you want more features and better value for money.

Kia Seltos Petrol HTK vs HTK Plus Variant - Price & Features Comparison

The HTK Plus variant is available with manual and auto-clutch manual transmission. The Seltos HTK Plus petrol costs Rs. 12.65 lakh with the manual and Rs. 13.05 lakh with the auto-clutch transmission. It’s Rs. 1.10 lakh more than the HTK variant.

For the additional cost, it offers the following features:

• Cruise control
• Keyless entry with push-button start/stop
• Rear window sunshades
• Power folding mirrors
• Rear washer wiper
• Rear parcel tray
• LED DRLs
• 16-inch alloy wheels

The HTK Plus petrol with the auto-clutch costs Rs. 40,000 more than the manual. Besides the convenience of not having to deal with modulating the clutch pedal, it also offers features like:

• LED cabin lights
• Sunroof
• Auto AC
• Beige fabric seats

Because of these additional features, the HTK Plus ACMT manages to offer far better value than any of the lower variants. The HTK Plus variant with the ACMT has a nice balance of good-to-have and must-have features along and it also offers fantastic value for money. Even if you’re on a tight budget, but you can afford to stretch and accommodate the HTK Plus ACMT, then this is our top recommendation. The features, which are available in the high variants and you might miss in HTK Plus ACMT are:

• 60-40 split-folding rear seatbacks
• Rear armrest
• Telescopic steering
• Projector headlamps
• Soft-touch dashboard
• Power driver seat
• Flat-bottom steering
• UV-cut glass
• Front parking sensors

Kia Seltos Petrol HTK Plus vs HTX Variant - Price & Features Comparison

The HTX variant with the 1.5L petrol engine is available with the manual as well as automatic transmission. The Sonet HTX manual costs Rs. 14.45 lakh while the automatic costs Rs. 15.45 lakh. This variant costs Rs. 1.80 lakh more than the HTK Plus and the automatic transmission costs another Rs. 1.0 lakh.

The HTX variant adds the following features over the lower HTK Plus manual transmission variant:

• Rear armrest
• Soft-touch dashboard
• Split-folding rear seatbacks
• Telescopic steering
• LED headlamps
• LED projector fog lamps
• Traction control modes (auto only)
• Drive modes (auto only)
• Paddle shifters (auto only)
• Leather seats
• Sunroof
• Auto AC
• Auto-dimming inside mirror
• Air purifier with perfume dispenser
• Larger 10.25-inch touchscreen
• Larger 17-inch alloy wheels
• Flat-bottom steering
• Telematics

If you’re interested in the HTX petrol-automatic, then it justifies the incremental cost over the lower variants with the features. The HTX petrol-manual is an expensive upgrade over the HTK Plus manual, but still worth considering if you don’t want to stretch your budget further.

Kia Seltos Petrol HTX Plus vs GTX (O) Variant - Price & Features Comparison

The Seltos GTX (O) variant is the most affordable variant with the turbo petrol engine. It costs Rs. 16.05 lakh (ex-showroom), which is Rs. 1.60 lakh more than the HTX.

Besides the more powerful engine, it offers the following additional features:

• Front parking sensors
• 8-way power driver seat
• Bose sound system
• Ventilated front seats
• Machined alloy wheels
• GT Line logo
• Metal pedals

This variant offers better value than the HTX variant. So, if you want the more powerful engine, then the upgrade over the HTX normal petrol variant is worth the extra cost.

Kia Seltos Petrol GTX (O) vs GTX Plus Variant - Price & Features Comparison

The GTX Plus variant is another Rs. 94,000 pricier than the GTX (O). With the manual transmission it costs Rs. 16.99 lakh and Rs. 17.99 lakh with the automatic.

The GTX Plus variant offers some following features over the GTX (O):

• Front parking sensors
• 360-degree camera
• Blind-spot monitor
• Auto wiper
• UV-cut glass
• Head-up display
• Wireless phone charger
• 7-inch full-colour LCD instrument cluster

While the GTX Plus variant offers slightly better value than the GTX (O), most of its features are good-to-have. So, you can buy this variant if you find its features compelling enough.

Kia Seltos Petrol GTX Plus vs X Line Variant - Price & Features Comparison

The top-spec X Line variant of the Seltos turbo petrol is only available with the DCT automatic transmission. It’s only Rs. 30,000 more expensive than the lower GTX Plus variant.

This variant justifies the cost over the lower GTX Plus variant with the extra features. But all of its features are style related. So, if you're interested in buying the Seltos in the unique matt grey colour, then you can go ahead with the purchase knowing that you’re not compromising on value. Please note that the higher rotating mass from the larger 18-inch wheels will adversely affect the drivability, performance and fuel efficiency.

Which Variant Of The Kia Seltos Petrol Should You Buy?

For Seltos petrol-manual buyers on a tight budget, the HTE variant seems like a good choice. It offers most of the must-have features we expect from a car of this price range while offers good value for money. The higher HTK and HTK Plus variants offer poor value for money and we do not recommending buying them. However, we strongly recommend even the HTE buyers to see if they can stretch their budget to accommodate the HTK Plus auto-clutch (ACMT) variant. It offers the best value for money along with a nice balance of must-have and good-to-have features.

Beyond the HTK Plus ACMT, it’s better to skip the HTX normal petrol and jump straight to the GTX (O) turbo. It not only offers better value for money, but also has the performance and drivability because of the turbo petrol engine. The GTX Plus is worth upgrading too over the GTX (O) variant if you find the features compelling enough.

For the automatic buyers, the HTX and GTX Plus, both offer comparable value for money. They’re also spaced out enough in terms of price that you can choose one based on your engine and budget preferences. The Seltos X Line is a cosmetic upgrade. So, we’ll leave it up to you to decide if you should get this variant or not.

What Are The Engine Specifications Of The Kia Seltos Petrol?

Among the base petrol engines of the C-segment SUVs, the Seltos offers acceptable performance and efficiency. But the Kushaq and Taigun will have better drivability because of the torque spread at lower RPMs. Although it's not apparent in the spec sheet, in our driving experience, we noticed that the Nexa Grand Vitara hybrid and Toyota Hyryder hybrid also offer good torque at off-peak RPMs from the electric motor. So, they also have good drivability without feeling stressed.

The auto-clutch transmission is a unique offering, which is only available with the Creta and Seltos. Meanwhile, the Astor, Grand Vitara mild hybrid and Hyryder mild hybrid stand out for offering a 5-speed manual transmission with their base petrol engine. Although, the mild hybrid petrol SUVs make up for this omission by justifying their SUV badge with the option of 4-wheel drive. No other C-segment SUV has this option for buyers interested in some occasional off-roading.

On the fuel efficiency front, Maruti Suzuki and Toyota SUVs stand head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. The Astor’s official mileage figure is not available right now.

*Estimated

Just like many other C-segment petrol SUVs, the Seltos also has a more powerful turbo petrol engine. The Seltos turbo makes the same power and torque as the Creta. However, in the Kia Seltos, this engine is also available with a manual transmission while the Creta turbo only gets a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The Seltos turbo petrol has a good power and torque output for its class, but the Taigun and Kushaq turbo manage to offer class-leading performance figures. The Taigun and Kushaq’s 1.5L turbo petrol have better mileage figures too as their cylinder deactivation technology plays some role in delivering higher real-world mileage in everyday driving situations.

You can use our Fuel Cost Calculator to see how much any petrol, diesel or CNG car will cost to run based on the latest fuel price in your city.

V3Cars Fuel Cost Calculator

What Are The Dimensions Of The Kia Seltos?

On the dimensions front, again, the Kia Seltos has good numbers on the sheet. The Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun sit at the bottom because of their smaller size. The Hyryder and Grand Vitara are the only two in this segment to offer 17-inch wheels as standard from the base variant.

*Estimated

Find out how you can get the best mileage or fuel efficiency from your car:

10 Tips To Get Better Mileage From Your Petrol, Diesel Or CNG Car

What Are The Colour Options Of The Kia Seltos Petrol?

The 2022 Seltos petrol is available in the following 8 monotone and 3 dual-tone exterior colours:

• Silver (all variants)
• Flat white (HTE and HTK only)
• Red (HTK and above)
• Grey (HTK and above)
• Metallic white (HTK Plus and above)
• Blue (HTK Plus and above; not available with ACMT)
• Black (HTX and above)
• White with black roof (GTX Plus only)
• Grey with black roof (GTX Plus only)
• Red with black roof (GTX Plus only)
• Matte grey (X Line only)

Note: Here is a quick look at our length-based segmentation of cars to give you an idea of how we classify cars based on their size.