2026 Kia Seltos HTX (A) Vs GTX: How Worthy Is The One-Below Top Variant Against The Most Value-For-Money Variant?

Interested in buying the new Kia Seltos? Here’s our Ultimate Buying Guide!

The Kia Seltos has been one of the best-selling compact SUVs in the country since its debut in 2019, thanks to its well-rounded package, feature-rich variants, and strong family appeal. Earlier this year, Kia introduced the new-generation Seltos with a completely redesigned exterior, a more spacious cabin, and an enhanced feature list, while retaining the existing engine options. The 2026 Kia Seltos is available in 10 variants: HTE, HTE (O), HTK, HTK (O), HTX, HTX (A), GTX, X-Line, GTX (A), and X-Line (A).

The HTX (A) offers a long list of features and advanced tech. On the other hand, the GTX variant gets a host of exterior upgrades to make it look more sporty and differentiate it from the normal models, but at an added price. So, should you stick with the all-rounder HTX (A), or stretch your budget a little for the sportier GTX? Take a closer look to find out:

Price 

All prices ex-showroom, pan India

The Seltos range in India starts from Rs 10.99 lakh for the base HTE Petrol MT trim, while the variants we have in comparison here are the higher counterparts. 

The range of HTX (A) variants starts at Rs 16.71 lakh and is offered across all engine and gearbox options, except for an iMT gearbox with the turbo petrol engine. The GTX variant costs slightly more than the HTX (A) but can be had only in automatic gearbox options across all engines on offer.

With a minimal price difference of Rs 20,000 between the diesel automatic and Rs 40,000 between the petrol automatics, one must surely wonder what the GTX variant offers extra that the heavily loaded HTX (A) misses out on and whether it is worth it to upgrade to the upper variant. Let’s see what the GTX variant brings to the table for the extra money:

Take a look at this story for the detailed pricing of all Seltos variants.

Exterior 

Getting started with the design and styling of both variants, you might notice plenty of differences. The HTX (A) has a clean and simplistic styling, whereas the GTX falls under the GT-Line and hence has a sportier approach towards its styling. The overall looks are the same, but the GTX offers certain exterior trims finished in sporty cues to give justice to its name. 

Upfront, the HTX (A) variant gets a gloss black grille with all-LED headlights, LED DRLs, and LED foglights. The front bumper has a chunky design with thick body cladding and a silver skid plate. The GTX variant, on the other hand, has multiple sporty GT-Line styling elements starting with LED projector headlights, LED DRLs with integrated turn indicators, and the front grille finished in dark gunmetal. The front bumper also looks different here with body-colour inserts, glossy-black cladding, and a skid plate that has been finished in a dark gunmetal scheme.  

In profile, both variants might appear to be similar, but there are subtle differences that set them apart. The HTX (A) trim continues to boast automatic flush-type door handles, gloss black-finished roof rails and dual-tone ORVMs, chunky body cladding with a silver metallic side door garnish, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The GTX variant, on the other hand, features glossy black body cladding with body coloured side door accents, Neon brake callipers, mud flaps, and it rides on larger 18-inch alloy wheels. 

At the rear, both variants sport design elements like a flat and sporty tailgate design, connected LED taillights, an integrated rear spoiler, and a shark fin antenna. The major difference lies in their rear bumper, with the HTX (A) variant housing the same bumper as seen on lower variants with body cladding and a silver skid plate. The GTX trim is equipped with a sportier bumper with body coloured inserts and gloss black body cladding with a dark gunmetal skid plate.

The 2026 Kia Seltos is available with 12 different colour options. To know more about the colour options, you can read this story.

Interior 

On the inside, both the HTX (A) and GTX variants feature a very similar dashboard layout with premium materials and a dual-screen setup that looks modern and attractive. The difference lies in their overall theme, as the GTX falls under the GT-Line and follows a sportier approach.

The cabin of the HTX (A) variants offers a premium dual-tone Brown and Grey cabin theme with Neon Green accents and leatherette upholstery. You can also spot soft-touch leatherette garnishing on the dashboard and leatherette finishing on the door pads. The steering wheel is a chunky three-spoke unit finished in a dual-tone scheme to match the aesthetics of the cabin. 

On the other hand, the cabin of the GTX variants features a sportier Smoky Black & White cabin theme with White accents, Black roof lining, and leatherette upholstery. Another highlight here is the wide mesh-type adjustable headrests for the front seats. Soft touch materials can be seen here as well on the dashboard and door pads. The three-spoke steering wheel offered here is taken from premium Kia models and looks more sporty in its Black and White dual-tone finish.  

Both variants share a brief list of equipment like a panoramic sunroof, a front centre armrest with storage, a rear centre armrest, rear AC vents, LED personal lamps, rear window sunshades, and a 60:40 split-folding rear seat with recline function and a rear parcel shelf. A detailed comparison between their features has been done in the next section.

Features 

The list of features on both variants is very long as they’re both higher trims in the Seltos lineup. The cabin feels modern and tech-loaded, but the GTX variant, being a GT-Line trim, features a sportier cabin. The list of features might not be the same in both variants, but each variant has something special to offer, which gives each one of them a separate identity. Let's take a detailed look at them: 

The HTX (A) variant of the Seltos comes loaded with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, an 8-speaker premium BOSE sound system, front ventilated seats, dual-zone automatic climate control with a 5-inch touchscreen control panel, 64-colour ambient lighting, an 8-way powered driver's seat with relaxation position (automatic only), a wireless smartphone charger, smart key with proximity unlock function, push-button start/stop, connected car tech, and sporty alloy pedals. 

All of the above features are also a part of the GTX variant’s package, but it misses out on the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. In place of these, you get features like a 10-way powered driver's seat with power lumbar adjustment, memory saving for the driver’s seat and ORVMs, powered relaxation mode for the driver seat, and auto-adjustment of the ORVMs on reverse. 

For a more detailed look at features offered across each variant, you can read this story.

Safety 

The HTX (A) and GTX are both higher variants in the Seltos lineup, and hence they have a lot to offer in terms of safety. Most of the equipment is shared between them, but there is a twist here: there are some class-leading features that are offered on the HTX (A), but the GTX misses them. Let's have a detailed look at the safety equipment on both variants: 

Both the HTX (A) and GTX variants come equipped with 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), brake assist, hill-start assist, all-wheel disc brakes, rear parking camera, front and rear parking sensors, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), automatic headlights, electrically adjustable and foldable ORVMs, auto-dimming IRVM, cruise control, a rear wiper and defogger, tilt and telescopic steering adjustment, speed-sensing and impact-sensing auto door locking/unlocking, ISOFIX child seat mounts, and seat belt reminder for all seats. 

The HTX (A) variant might sit below the GTX, but it still offers more features like a Level-2 ADAS with 21 autonomous features, side parking sensors, and a 360-degree parking camera with blind-view monitor in the digital cluster. If you wish to have these features, you can upgrade to the GTX (A) variant. 

The automatic versions of both variants further come equipped with features like an electric parking brake with auto-hold, paddle shifters, and drive and traction modes.

Powertrain

The Kia Seltos is sold in India with an option to choose from three powertrain options: a naturally aspirated petrol, a turbo petrol, and a diesel engine, all of which are also available in both the variants in comparison here. Here’s a detailed look at the specifications:

MT - Manual Transmission, AT - Automatic Transmission (Torque Converter), CVT - Continuously Variable Transmission (automatic), iMT - Clutchless Manual Transmission, DCT - Dual clutch transmission (automatic)

It must be noted that the HTX (A) variant offers both manual and automatic transmission options on all three engine options except the turbo petrol. While the GTX variant is solely offered with automatic gearbox options on all three engines.

To know more about the variant-wise powertrain options, check out this report.

CarDekho Says… 

The HTX (A) variant of the 2026 Kia Seltos is one of the most expensive variants, and it justifies its price with its long list of features and advanced features like a Level-2 ADAS and a 360-degree parking camera. It hardly leaves any box unticked in terms of equipment and is also offered in multiple powertrain and gearbox options, which gives it an upper hand. 

At an additional cost of Rs 20,000 to 40,000, you can get the GTX variant, which sits in the GT-Line package and hence brings a host of exterior highlights and a much sportier cabin, which is sure to appeal more to the younger generation. The list of features remains the same, although you do not get ADAS and a few more added features, which is a slight downside. Another issue would be for buyers who wish to buy a manual; this variant is exclusive to the automatic gearbox only with all engines. 

So in conclusion, for buyers in need of a manual, and who wish to buy the top-spec version, the HTX (A) is the one you should go ahead with since the variant is heavily loaded with all the features you would need. And if you’re in for a car with sporty styling and a distinctive stance, the GTX variant does not disappoint either. 

Confused between GTX and  X-Line variants? Here's the detailed comparison