I am confused about whether to buy the petrol or diesel variant of the Kia Seltos. I always prefer to drive a manual transmission and am not interested in an automatic at all. I was owning a Kia Carens 1.5 Petrol MT previously and am now looking for a new SUV. Suggest which one to take, either petrol or diesel in the Seltos MT. Also considering the Skoda Kushaq, but afraid of the high maintenance cost in Skoda.

Autocar India

•5w

Since you have not mentioned your monthly running, the choice between petrol and diesel mainly depends on how much you drive and the kind of driving you do. As a general rule, if your running is more than about 1,300 to 1,400 km per month, then the diesel version of the Kia Seltos can make sense. You should also have regular highway drives so that the diesel engine can operate properly and avoid potential DPF related issues.

If your running is lower than that or largely city-focused, the petrol Seltos will suit you very well. Since you prefer a proper manual gearbox, you should know that the turbo petrol engine is only available with the clutchless iMT. The conventional manual gearbox comes with the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine.

While it is not as punchy as the turbo petrol, it is smooth and perfectly adequate for everyday driving, especially in the city. In fact, you are already familiar with this engine because your Kia Carens uses the same powertrain and transmission combination.

Regarding the Skoda Kushaq, the brand has improved a lot over the past few years, and the earlier reliability concerns are largely sorted. However, since you already own a Kia car and are satisfied with the ownership experience, sticking with the Seltos would be the safer and more comfortable choice for you.

Explore cars mentioned

Kia

Seltos

from ₹12.79 Lakh

Kia

Carens

from ₹12.80 Lakh

Skoda

Kushaq

from ₹12.45 Lakh

More questions on similar cars

Aditya Gupta

•1d

I am looking for a mid-size SUV with a diesel engine and an automatic transmission. I am confused between the Hyundai Creta and the new Kia Seltos. My running is mostly in the city, about 10 to 20 km daily. Please help.

Autocar India

•19h

Go for the Kia Seltos diesel automatic. It is essentially a more evolved version of the same package, using the same proven engine and gearbox as the Creta , but offering more space, a bigger boot and a noticeably more premium interior along with a longer feature list.Importantly, unlike the older Seltos, the new one has a much more pliant and comfortable ride, so that is no longer a drawback. This makes it just as usable for your daily 10 to 20 km city driving while still being better overall.The Hyundai Creta is still a solid, no-nonsense option with a comfortable cabin and proven track record, but it now feels like the more conservative choice rather than the best one, until the new Creta comes early next year.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Creta

Kritarth

•1d

I am planning to buy the Renault Duster Techno 1.3 DCT. I also have the option of the Kia Seltos, but I am confused between the two. I drive very rarely, in the city two or three times a month, and on highways once a month.

Autocar India

•20h

Opt for the Kia Seltos. With your very low usage, just a few city drives a month and occasional highway trips, you need something that is easy, refined and completely hassle-free every time you take it out, and the Seltos fits that role perfectly.It feels smooth and effortless to drive, especially in the city, and overall comes across as a more polished and well-rounded product, which matters more when the car is not used daily. It is the kind of car you can pick up after a gap, and it just feels familiar and easy to live with, without demanding too much from you.The Renault Duster 1.3 DCT is the more enthusiast-focused option with a stronger, more engaging driving experience, and you will enjoy it more on highways, but that strength only really comes into play if you drive often and value that engagement regularly.

Kia Seltos

Renault Duster

smruti ranjan senapati

•6d

Is the Renault Duster E85 ready? What does it mean? I have watched a couple of videos on YouTube from Autocar itself and one other creator. Here are the links: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5838JDpbBWw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUBLwrvlYbA&t=90s. I am confused about whether to buy the Duster, as ethanol blending will increase, but I really like the interior and exterior of the Kia Seltos. So, I am confused about which one to choose.

Autocar India

•21h

The point we’ve made is that Renault has already proven flex-fuel technology in markets like Brazil, where Renault cars routinely run on high-ethanol blends, so it can be introduced here when there’s a clear policy push and E85 fuel availability. For now, the new Duster’s engine for India is calibrated for E20, in line with our fuel roadmap, but the hardware is material-compliant for higher blends, so there’s some headroom built in.So, in short, the current India-spec Renault Duster is not a flex-fuel E85 vehicle and is not designed to run on E85 today. What it means is that when (and if) E85 becomes commercially relevant here, Renault can fairly quickly localise a proper flex-fuel engine for the Duster, rather than starting from scratch, because the tech already exists in its global portfolio.On your Duster vs Seltos dilemma: If you want a daily driver and won’t be doing too many long out-of-town runs, the Kia Seltos is the more complete package right now, with a better-finished cabin, more features and a roomier, more premium overall experience. The Duster will appeal more if you prioritise driving dynamics and rough-road ability, but purely from a comfort, interiors and family-car perspective, the Seltos edges it out.

Renault Duster

Kia Seltos

View all Posts