Kia Seltos User Reviews

Autocar India

•23h

With a 50-50 city-highway mix, some 5-person trips, and a Rs. 16 lakh cap, the Kia Seltos HTK 1.5 petrol manual is the stronger fit than the Hyundai Venue 1.0 turbo with the automatic (DCT). It gives you more space for people and bags, and the smooth, linear power works well with your habit of downshifting for quick overtakes.Will the Seltos 1.5 manual feel underpowered when loaded? Yes, but this can be overcome by using the gears. At 70-100 kph, a shift to 4th gives enough pull for safe passes. It won’t jump forward like a turbo, so start the move a little earlier on hills or when fully loaded.Is the Seltos IVT capable? Yes for cruising and single-car passes, but with five on board, it will hold high revs and sound loud. It does the job, but responses are softer than the manual, so you may miss that direct control and pickup you enjoy.Over the long run, the Seltos 1.5 manual suits your use better. It avoids the low-speed lag you felt in the Venue, is less fussy in traffic than a DCT, and is simply the better 5-person car.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Venue

Autocar India

•17h

Bengaluru’s slow, stop-start traffic and your need for the 360-degree camera point you to the Seltos HTX automatic with the IVT. It suits daily city use better because it moves off the line smoothly and crawls along without any fuss. You won’t feel that slight jerk or hesitation you can get with the Turbo DCT at very low speeds, and there’s less worry about heat and clutch wear when traffic barely moves. Power-wise, the 1.5 petrol with the IVT feels fine in the city and light highway runs; use the Sport mode when you need a quick overtake and it responds cleanly.The trade-off is clear: the Turbo-DCT is quicker and more fun on open roads, but in packed Bengaluru traffic it can feel a bit hesitant. If most of your driving shifts to highways with a full load, then the Turbo-DCT is worth it.Overall, for your usage, pick the HTX IVT.

Kia Seltos

Autocar India

•2d

The reason is simple. Your driving is largely city traffic with occasional family use, and in that scenario, the Seltos’ naturally aspirated petrol with the IVT automatic is the more relaxing and long-term friendly package. The Venue’s 1.0 turbo DCT is peppier and quicker, but in heavy stop-and-go traffic like your 1-hour 15-minute office commute, a DCT is not the ideal transmission if smoothness and peace of mind matter. Hyundai itself positions the Venue turbo with the 7-speed DCT, while the Seltos IVT is Kia’s smoother CVT-style automatic option.The Rs 3 lakh premium is not just buying you a panoramic sunroof. You are also getting a significantly larger and more comfortable cabin, much better rear seat space for family use, a more substantial boot and a car that simply feels a segment above the Hyundai Venue. Since you already own a Tata Punch, the Venue will not feel like a dramatic step up in size or cabin experience, whereas the Seltos will.On the length concern, yes, the Kia Seltos is noticeably bigger than your Punch, and for the first few days in city traffic, you will be conscious of that. But, this is something most drivers adapt to very quickly, especially with a rear camera and parking sensors. It is not large enough to become a burden in everyday urban use.So the real question is whether you value the extra space, comfort, and smoother automatic enough to justify Rs 3 lakh. For your usage, especially with regular traffic and occasional full family trips, we would say yes, the Seltos is worth it. If your use was mostly solo city driving and budget mattered more, the Venue would make more sense.

Kia Seltos

Hyundai Venue

Tata Punch

Autocar India

•2d

At Rs 10.5 lakh on-road, the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder looks like a strong deal. You get Toyota’s reliability, strong resale confidence, good fuel efficiency and a comfortable family SUV package. The naturally aspirated petrol is smooth and easy to live with, though not exciting.The Kia Seltos HTE at ₹12.5 lakh gives you a more premium feeling cabin, a more substantial road presence and a more upmarket overall experience. But the HTE is still a lower variant, so you are paying a noticeable premium without getting the richer equipment that makes the Seltos really shine.Purely from a value perspective, the Hyryder makes much stronger sense here. The only reason to stretch to the Seltos would be if you specifically prefer its design, cabin ambience and larger car feel enough to justify the extra spend. Otherwise, at a Rs 2 lakh saving, the Toyota is the smarter buy.One thing though, do a proper pre-delivery inspection, check VIN, tyre manufacturing dates and battery health before signing, since it is stock clearance.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Kia Seltos

Autocar India

•17h

Both are excellent choices, but do bear in mind that the on-road prices of both SUVs would work out to over Rs 19 lakh. As for picking between the two, we would lean more towards the Kia Seltos HTX 1.5 IVT. It's the newer and more modern option with more advanced onboard tech, it is larger and has a far more spacious cabin with comfier seats and higher-quality materials, and its 1.5-litre petrol engine is more powerful than the Toyota's, which will come in handy both around town and on your occasional highway trips. Though the Hyryder is comfy enough, the new Seltos is comfier still and feels more stable at higher speeds too. In terms of long-term ownership, both SUVs should have good resale value, and Kia and Toyota offer a strong aftersales and service experience. What works in Urban Cruiser Hyryder's favour is, its slightly lower maintenance costs from the Maruti-sourced powertrain, and better fuel efficiency too. On balance, however, we feel the Kia Seltos is the better all rounder, and the one you should pick.

Kia Seltos