Kia responds to a reshaped mid-SUV battlefield with a larger, safer and more software-led Seltos.
10 Dec 2025 | 2877 Views | By Ketan Thakkar
Kia India is turning to the all-new Seltos to regain momentum in the mid-size SUV market, a segment it transformed in 2019 when the original model raised the bar for design, technology, and connectivity. With the Tata Sierra now launched, Renault reintroducing the Duster, and Maruti Suzuki already active with ...
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Kia India is turning to the all-new Seltos to regain momentum in the mid-size SUV market, a segment it transformed in 2019 when the original model raised the bar for design, technology, and connectivity. With the Tata Sierra now launched, Renault reintroducing the Duster, and Maruti Suzuki already active with the Victoris, competitive intensity in this space has reached its highest level.
Kia is positioning the new Seltos as a benchmark-resetting model designed to reassert its early leadership in this strategically important category. Bookings for the new Seltos will open at midnight today, followed by a January 2, 2026 price announcement and mid-January deliveries — timing aimed at building strong early-quarter momentum in a market where rivals have already advanced product capabilities significantly.
At the global premiere, Kia India MD & CEO Gwanggu Lee said the new Seltos represents a strategic reset for the company in India, one of its fastest-growing global markets. Lee emphasised that the model is not merely an update but a forward-looking redesign intended to shape the next phase of the segment rather than respond to current competition.
“This is not just a continuation of our success — it is a confident new chapter… bigger, bolder, safer and smarter,” Lee said. He added that India’s SUV-led growth, accelerated digital adoption and rising safety expectations shaped the SP3i’s development, reinforcing its role in Kia’s global software-led transformation.
Engineering Strategy Strengthened for a More Demanding Segment
The new Seltos reflects one of Kia’s most India-focused engineering initiatives to date. Development was anchored at Kia’s India R&D Centre in Hyderabad, which contributes ADAS localisation, digital architecture development and global validation processes.
Sai Kiran Kupuli, Head of Project Management, said the upgrade represents a deeper redesign across structure, software and safety. “This represents the culmination of rigorous engineering, thoughtful design and a deep understanding of what Indian customers truly value,” Kupuli said.
Reinforced Platform and Expanded Dimensions for Higher Safety Standards
Kupuli highlighted that the K3 platform now uses more high-strength and hot-stamped steel, improving crash performance, rigidity and NVH.
The Seltos has grown to 4,460 mm length, 1,830 mm width, and a 2,690 mm wheelbase, placing it closer to newer rivals that have stretched segment proportions.
The Level 2+ ADAS suite — with 28 functions — has been calibrated using India-specific datasets, improving junction behaviour, lane tracking, two-wheeler sensitivity and pedestrian recognition.
A More Digital, Upgradable Cabin Architecture
The new 30-inch panoramic display integrates the cluster, infotainment and HVAC controls. OTA updates now extend to multiple controllers, while the 91-feature connected suite includes remote diagnostics, digital key, predictive maintenance and geo-fencing.
Market Playbook Realigned for Sharper Customer Preferences
Sunhack Park, Chief Sales Officer, said the new Seltos advances the identity the model created during Kia’s India entry. “The first Seltos redefined what India expected from a premium SUV… the new model refines that identity with greater strength and style,” Park said.
Park noted that customers now assess SUVs primarily on structural safety, digital immersion, and convenience-led ownership. Kia has strengthened these layers, expanded ADAS availability, and simplified variant configurations.
Kia’s footprint has expanded from 265 touchpoints in 2019 to over 800 today that will help the company cater to a larger customer base in growing Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets.
Product Direction Led by Shifts in Size, Safety and Digital Expectations
Kia engineers said the new Seltos was designed around four emergent market shifts: larger proportions, screen-first interiors, ADAS mainstreaming and rising demand for modular configuration.
To meet these shifts, the Seltos adopts a larger stance, enhanced safety architecture, deeper connected capabilities and wider ADAS coverage.
Atul Sood, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, said the SP3i reflects a fundamentally different mid-size SUV buyer.
“Customer expectations in this segment have moved up sharply — whether it is safety, size, technology or refinement. The new Seltos reflects that reality with a far more comprehensive upgrade than a mere facelift,” Sood said. He added that Kia’s revised configuration strategy is designed to broaden access to high-value technology. “Our new configuration packs allow buyers to choose technology and safety features without having to stretch to the top end,” he said.
A Stronger Product, A Tougher Market
The mid-size SUV segment is undergoing structural change driven by growing vehicle size, higher safety norms, stronger digital adoption and expanding ADAS availability. While the new Seltos is Kia’s most comprehensive upgrade since its India entry, it enters a far more competitive arena where rivals have already raised the baseline.
With bookings opening at midnight and deliveries beginning mid-January, the next two quarters will reveal whether the new Seltos can help Kia regain strategic momentum and restore its influence in India’s most competitive SUV category.