New 2026 Kia Seltos: Old Vs New Compared

The new 2026 Kia Seltos has now been launched with a comprehensive upgrade, bringing along a completely new design, a more tech-laden cabin, and feature additions, while retaining its familiar powertrain options. The previous version of the Seltos was already a popular option in the compact SUV space, and the new one builds on the same recipe. 

If you’re planning to upgrade or are curious about what’s actually new, here’s a detailed old vs new comparison of the Kia Seltos: 

Design 

Front

The biggest visual change on the new Seltos is up front. Kia has reworked the grille design, which now looks wider and more upright, giving it a more ‘eye-catchy’ look compared to the sleeker look of the outgoing model. The split LED headlamp setup continues, but both the DRLs and headlights now get revised internals with a sharper lighting signature. The vertical lighting elements of the new car are in line with Kia’s modern design language.

The bumper has also been redesigned with more pronounced air intakes and a chunkier skid plate-like element, making the new Seltos look more SUV-like than before. 

Side

In profile, the Seltos looks more muscular and boxier with prominent body lines. It has also grown in size as it's now longer by almost 100 mm, and has a larger wheelbase as well. You get aerodynamically styled alloy wheels (up to 18 inches in size), and it now gets flush door handles, unlike the conventional door handles in the outgoing version. 

Here’s how the new Seltos’ dimensions compare with its key rivals. If you want to take a closer look at the design, you should check out this report. 

Elements like roof rails, and the black cladding (albeit in gloss finish) around the wheel arches continue from the previous model. 

Rear

At the rear, the facelift brings in connected LED tail-lamps with a revised light signature, replacing the more conventional layout seen on the older Seltos. The bumper has also been tweaked slightly, with redesigned reflectors and a cleaner overall look.

While the changes aren’t dramatic, they do make the new Seltos look more modern, especially at night.

Interior

Step inside, and the difference between the old and new Seltos is immediately noticeable. While the outgoing model already felt premium, the facelift takes things up a notch.

The dashboard layout has been revised to accommodate a new dual-screen setup, comprising two 12.3-inch displays, one for the infotainment system and one for the digital driver’s cluster. This replaces the smaller 10.25-inch displays seen in the older Seltos. Borrowed from the Syros, you now also get a third 5-inch touchscreen for the climate control. 

 The new Seltos also gets refreshed interior colour schemes with lighter shades, adding to the sense of premiumness. 

 You also get a new steering wheel, similar to that of the Kia EV6. In this wheel, you also get integrated drive and traction mode toggles. 

Features

The Kia Seltos facelift is notably more feature-rich than the outgoing model, building on an already strong equipment list with several meaningful additions focused on comfort and technology. The highlight is the new dual 12.3-inch screens for the infotainment system and digital driver’s display. This is complemented by upgrades such as a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat with memory function, 64-colour ambient lighting, and a panoramic sunroof.  

Features carried over from the outgoing model include an 8-speaker Bose sound system, a wireless phone charger, ventilated front seats, automatic headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, a cooled glovebox and connected car technology. 

Safety features remain similar to the old Seltos with six airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), hill-start assist, ABS with EBD, and a tyre pressure monitoring system as standard, along with rear parking sensors. Select variants also benefit from a 360-degree camera and Level-2 advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features such as adaptive cruise control, auto emergency braking, and lane-keep assist.  

Powertrain

There are no changes in the powertrain department when compared to the previous model. Here are the specifications: 

*CVT- continuously variable automatic transmission, DCT- dual clutch automatic transmission, AT- torque converter automatic transmission

 If you want to check the variant-wise powertrain options, then head over to this story. 

Price And Rivals 

The new Seltos is priced from Rs 10.99 lakh to Rs 19.99 lakh (introductory ex-showroom).. The Seltos will continue to rival the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Tata Sierra, Maruti Victoris, Honda Elevate, Maruti Grand Vitara and Skoda Kushaq.